Hosting a creative holiday party is a world of fun. Further, it can literally be a world of fun.
Many of us who share our lives and communicate online have family and friends across geographical divides, whether domestically or internationally. Getting together can require creativity in ways that are non-traditional, but just as fun as a classic house party. The Internet, which we use for so many more things every day, can also be used to maximize our holiday circles.
As with the suggestion for a non-traditional baby shower, using Web-based hosting like UStream can assist - for free. There are other online hosts, so research and find which works best for you. Additionally, a fair amount of easy planning is in order for this type of holiday get-together.
Most of us have family and friends within our own country who do not live nearby, and that they often do have holiday parties. Send an email or place a phone call, and start asking questions. Persuade them to work in tandem with you, and dual-host an online holiday party! Traditional gift exchanges, such as the classic white elephant, can be planned to include an extra week or two for shipping time, and the price of the gifts can be adjusted accordingly to account for the difference in shipping.
A note about online hosting, one criticism is that recording the event only maintains sound on one side of the event. A couple of suggestions to overcome this in fun ways:
1. Arrange a rotation to "record" events from the other side of the party. One of the fun things about online party interaction is the chat-board messages that can be lost after the party has ended. Set up a schedule for 15-30 minutes at a time where a person can oversee the copy/pasting aspect of the chatboard.
2. Use a rotating webcam, but keep it in a stationary place and only move it if necessary. Many terrific webcams exist, and the best ones are selling at premium prices right now. However, there are some very decent motion-activated, rotating webcams that are reasonably priced and are terrific for an online party. The main criticism with these types of webcams is that if they are moved too frequently, the "wobble-factor" is pronounced in the finished product.
For ideas geared toward unifying both sides of a dual-hosted party:
1. As with any other traditional party, door prizes should be a part of the online tradition, as well. Granted, this is bleeding edge fun we are discussing. At present, there are not many ideas for how to incorporate traditional person-to-person games into an online setting. Part of the fun with the online arena is the creativity it breeds. Necessity is the mother of invention - and online parties foster a demand for creative invention. With the baby shower, the peek-a-boo party game was set up to have a full mailing option for the prizes.
2. Most, if not all of us have some "tech geek" friends (said with the utmost affection) - and for an event like this, they are lifesavers! The recordings of each "hosted side" of an online party can be emailed easily via link, but incorporating the two sides into one cohesive recorded event is something that most of us do not know how to do. Fortunately, most of us have friends who do know how - and are more than willing to help, if asked. Remember to ensure that they are on your guest list - but because you want them there, not just because you need their help.
3. Unify the real world with the virtual. At dual-hosted parties, all of the traditional components can be present. Whether formal, semi-formal, or casual, make certain to involve all of the people in the "live" (real world) half of the party. Interviews are good for this - complete with webcam (though preferably before too much eggnog). This is a potentially terrific way to get people together who have not seen each other in years - save for those rare family reunions, class reunions, weddings, or (the worst) funerals. Holidays are a time of joy - and being able to use the virtual world to augment the real world, bringing loved ones together across miles, oceans, and continents is a wondrous facet of the Internet.
Online-based parties are a new trend. The only limit to what you can do with it is your imagination.
