Your Guide to the Holidays at Home
Only 68 days until December 1st! As we make our way into the colder months, we expect that a little extra seasonal magic would do a world of good this year. With that, we bring you CSI DMC’s guide to the holidays at home, featuring considerations for celebrations in the time of COVID-19 and a little inspiration to get you started.
Who, what, where
Spelling out the who, what, and where of your program is the first step of the planning process.
Who: It’s been a tough year for everyone, families included. Kids have found it hard to stay home with working parents, just like parents have found it hard to work at home with their children. Many of our clients want to show support for the whole family this year, calling for kid friendly holiday celebrations.
What: Above all, the common goal of this year’s holiday events is revealing itself to be interactivity. We’ve all spent months at home by now โ gone are the days of passively watching a live stream from the couch. People are universally looking for ways to have more fun and your holiday party is a great opportunity to help them! Try to get your attendees to actively participate at every stage of your program by incorporating enhancements like DIY kits, movement breaks, or Q&A sessions.
Where: Even with diverse clients across the country, we are still expecting most events to be virtual this holiday season. This stems both from precautions and colder temperatures which make outdoor events harder. Where we do see some in-person events in warmer climates, gatherings are smaller and of a more social nature. The industry has learned so much about virtual events over the course of the year and is ready to offer exciting, interactive holiday experiences at home!
Now is the time
The best advice we could give planners this year is to start as soon as possible. There’s a misconception that virtual events are quicker and easier to plan. Some believe that, because they don’t take place in a physical venue, availability is no factor. After spending the bulk of this year planning virtual events, we’ve seen time after time that they can be as complex and call for the same attention to detail as their in-person counterparts. Like all events, the magic is in the small touches and in every element running smoothly.
Virtual platforms get booked to capacity, same as physical venues. The teams that manage them can only support so many programs at once and virtual events rely on limited server space and bandwidth to reach attendees at home. If you plan to book a customizable virtual platform this holiday season, now is the time. You’ll want to understand the functionality of your platform before you start on other parts of your celebration plan.
If you’re planning to ship gifts or interactive event components (like snack boxes or branded goodies), ordering them now will help you secure better pricing and give more time for customization. With potential shipping delays or production interruptions, it’s best to build in as much time as possible.
Gifting galore
Even if you’re not planning a big holiday event, you can still spread a little cheer to your team at home with creative gift options! From wellness to tech to food and beverage, heartfelt holiday gifts say so much. With customization features and invitation only online shopping experiences, each individual can choose exactly what they want.
A surprise visit from a fun loving elf followed by a cookie decorating challenge, a themed giveback and remote 5k, or a spirited cocktail class followed by a sleighing comedy performance… the possibilities are endless! Wherever and however you celebrate, CSI has you covered for all of your events. We’re planning for the holidays now and can’t wait to find out what’s on your holiday wish list!
