Right from attending classes to meetings, working and contacting our near and dear ones virtually, sitting in front of screens and staying in touch with the rest of the world despite the outbreak of a pandemic never did seem possible. However, with situations and circumstances also comes the zeal and ways to cope. With so much happening, how could we miss the opportunity to attend or organise an event that celebrates the smaller or the greater things in life?

Virtual parties have been a great way of coping with the situation and stress of the ongoing situation. Staying home and planning a gathering would definitely be out of the question. It is difficult to create that in-person energy over a virtual party setting but there are ways to throw an extravagant party that would end up being a memorable one.

There are many pros to hosting or attending a party online for those who could not have managed to make it due to reasons like distance and travelling. At a virtual party none of that becomes a problem! Guests can join whenever they want and stay as long as they can without the hesitation of ‘’getting home late.’’

Unlike the troublesome hassle of planning a real party, virtual parties are convenient in so many ways, here are a few ways of spicing up the party!

1. Signature drinks and snacks

Equip your guests with the items well ahead of time! Anything is possible with the internet. Get the guest list ready and their addresses to send out items like snacks and drinks to your guests’ right at their doorsteps. Send a small note or invitation card as well to make them feel welcomed to your virtual party and to give everyone the feeling of being in the same

room drinking and eating similar snacks. Delivering these items through online platforms can truly bring your guests closer although apart.

• Decorate the background

No celebration is complete without decorations. Send out a message to all the guests to decorate at least the area visible through the video. A common theme can be followed for the decoration or a custom decoration can be done so that everyone’s background is as unique as they are.

• Dress up for the party

Although confined at our homes, no one can stop you from dressing up like you’re going out to an actual party. Doing this can instantly uplift your mood and get you excited for the virtual party. Gives you and all the guests a reason to dress up fancy. Here too a theme can be kept and followed accordingly to dress up.

• Choose your venue wisely

Here, for a virtual party, although the actual venue may differ, depending upon where each guest is, choosing the correct platform so as to avoid getting bummed out due to restrictions, is as important as selecting a venue for a normal party. For example, zoom limits calls to 40 minutes for free users also limiting the number of participants to 100. Logging back in can create problems for the guests who aren’t tech savvy. Facebook can be one of the recommended platforms as it helps you create events and post updates, track your guests and to create a video call on one platform. However, if your guest list has non Facebook users then a different platform needs to be considered.

• Planning Activities

Even after doing everything listed above for a virtual party, it would all come down to how the party goes through. Nobody would want to just sit and talk which would cause chaos as everybody would be talking at the same time and if one person talks and the rest listen, how would this be a party and any different from a meeting? Planning the course of a virtual party is very important to keep the party alive and going. A form of entertainment through a performance can be a part of the virtual party, but then again parties are meant for interaction as well apart from just entertainment. Here is where games come into play, we have a list of fun games to try at your virtual party:

  Bingo- Always a classic. To play this virtually, use a bingo card generator or you can get creative and encourage the guests to do the same to make their own bingo cards.

• Charades- Virtual charades can be just as interesting as the in-person charades. This game is sure to get everyone moving and laughing.
• Pictionary- Here the guests can be divided into teams and watch as the opponent team tries to guess what they are drawing.
•  Jackbox games- There are a range of these available. You can be the host or ask someone to volunteer in order to share the screen while the rest connect through their smartphones.
• Never have I ever- Another easy but fun to play drinking game. This definitely levels up your party game. Here when someone says (has to be in turns) ‘’Never have I ever…’’ then completes it, the rest who have done it must drink.
• Likewise there are so many different ways to make your virtual party the best anyone has ever been to. Endless activities and games to choose from and with a little help from a great range of cocktail mixers, get your virtual party started!