How Do You Celebrate the Holidays With a Remote or Hybrid Team in 2026?
Published on: Nov 28, 2022
Updated on: August 30, 2026
You celebrate the holidays with a remote or hybrid team by planning one shared live event, shipping something physical to every employee, and building in choices for time zones, dietary needs, and beliefs. Frontline Source Group staffs remote, hybrid, and on-site teams nationwide, backs every direct hire with the 5-Year Placement Warranty, and holds a 98.94% executive placement retention rate.
Frontline Source Group was founded in Dallas in 2004, operates 32 plus offices nationwide, and has completed 5,619 plus placements. The firm holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 plus verified reviews and is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked #158 in 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 (2026), 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, Inc. 5000 honoree, and Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA).
Why does a holiday celebration matter more for remote and hybrid teams?
When a team is spread across a city, a country, or several time zones, the informal moments that build culture in an office, the hallway conversation, the shared lunch, the birthday cake in the break room, do not happen on their own. Remote and hybrid work is now the default for most remote-capable jobs, so culture has to be designed rather than assumed. A holiday celebration is one of the few moments each year when a distributed team connects as people, and it is worth planning with the same care as a client deliverable.
What does Gallup's data say about remote team engagement?
According to Gallup's Hybrid Work Indicator, 52 percent of remote-capable US employees work hybrid, 27 percent work exclusively remote, and only 21 percent are fully on site. Gallup's guide to managing hybrid and remote teams finds that teams with a formal hybrid collaboration plan are 66 percent more likely to be engaged at work and 29 percent less likely to be burned out, and that hybrid employees average about 46 percent of the workweek on site, roughly 2.3 days. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report adds a caution: fully remote employees are more likely than other workers to report a lot of daily stress (45 percent) and daily loneliness (27 percent).
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Remote-capable US employees working hybrid | 52 percent | Gallup Hybrid Work Indicator |
| Remote-capable US employees working exclusively remote | 27 percent | Gallup Hybrid Work Indicator |
| Remote-capable US employees fully on site | 21 percent | Gallup Hybrid Work Indicator |
| Average share of the workweek hybrid employees spend on site | 46 percent (about 2.3 days) | Gallup |
| Teams with a formal hybrid collaboration plan: more likely to be engaged | 66 percent more likely | Gallup |
| Teams with a formal hybrid collaboration plan: less likely to be burned out | 29 percent less likely | Gallup |
| Fully remote employees reporting a lot of daily stress | 45 percent | Gallup State of the Global Workplace |
| Fully remote employees reporting daily loneliness | 27 percent | Gallup State of the Global Workplace |
How does an intentional culture reduce turnover?
Engagement and retention move together. A team that feels seen in December is less likely to be interviewing in January. Frontline Source Group tracks retention on every executive placement, and the firm's 98.94% executive retention rate reflects the same principle that applies to holiday planning: the employer that invests deliberately in connection keeps its people. Managers who need help building or backfilling a remote or hybrid team can review the firm's staffing practices for human resources, administrative, and technology roles.
What are the best virtual holiday celebration ideas for remote teams?
The formats below have held up because each one gives the team something to do together in real time or something physical to open at home. Pick one live event and one shipped item, and most teams will feel the difference.
How does a virtual cooking class work?
A live virtual cooking class is the most participatory option. The company books an instructor through a virtual cooking class service, ships every team member a box of ingredients, and the group logs into the video session and cooks the same dish together. Before booking, confirm that every employee can participate: check delivery addresses, dietary restrictions, kitchen access, and whether the session time works for each time zone. A class that only half the team can join does more harm than good.
How do you run a remote gift exchange?
Secret Santa exchanges translate well to remote teams when the logistics are handled centrally. Use an online name randomizer to assign each team member a coworker, set a firm budget so no one feels pressured to overspend, and have the company cover shipping so every gift arrives before the reveal. Then schedule a short video call where everyone opens their gift on camera and guesses who sent it. The reveal is the event; the gift is only the excuse.
How do you host an ugly sweater virtual happy hour?
Ask everyone to wear their ugliest holiday sweater, a tradition widely credited to a 2002 party in Vancouver, Canada, that has since spread worldwide. Ship cocktail or mocktail kits ahead of time or make it a bring-your-own event, and always provide a good alcohol-free option for employees who do not drink. Run a vote for the ugliest sweater, award a prize, and keep the call to 45 to 60 minutes so it stays fun rather than obligatory.
What goes in a holiday care package?
Sometimes celebrating live is not feasible, especially with employees across multiple time zones or in client-facing roles with fixed schedules. In that case, put the energy into a care package that arrives before the holidays. A cozy winter theme works well: a soft blanket, a branded mug, hot cocoa packets, a soup mix, and a handwritten note from the manager. The note is the part people remember.
How do you make a remote holiday celebration inclusive?
Not everyone on the team celebrates the same winter holidays, drinks alcohol, or works in the same time zone. Inclusion is a planning decision, not a disclaimer. Keep participation voluntary, offer more than one way to join, and give the December calendar some lighter moments that belong to everyone.
Which whimsical December observances can a team celebrate?
December is full of low-stakes observances that make easy team moments, a themed Slack thread, a five-minute contest at the start of a meeting, or a small prize. Fun observances during the month include:
- December 1 is National Cookie Cutter Day
- December 9 is National Pastry Day
- December 15 is National Tea Day
- December 19 is National Hard Candy Day
- December 26 is National Thank You Note Day
- December 27 is Cut Out Snowflakes Day
National Thank You Note Day is a particularly good fit for managers: a short, specific, handwritten note to each direct report costs almost nothing and lands harder than most gifts.
How do you accommodate time zones, schedules, and beliefs?
Rotate live event times so the same region is not always joining early or late, record any presentation portion for people who cannot attend, and never tie a holiday event to a religious observance without a secular alternative. Keep every drink station stocked with non-alcoholic options, and let employees opt out without explanation. The goal is a team that feels included, not a team that feels managed.
How do you plan a remote holiday event step by step?
A remote celebration fails on logistics far more often than on ideas. Work backward from delivery dates:
- Survey the team on preferred format, dietary needs, and availability, and collect current shipping addresses.
- Set a budget per employee and decide on one live event plus one shipped item.
- Book the vendor or instructor and confirm the shipping cutoff for kits or gifts.
- Send calendar invites with the event marked optional and the time shown in each participant's time zone.
- Ship everything with margin, and confirm receipt before the event.
- Run the event, keep it short, and close with a specific thank-you to the team.
- Ask for quick feedback afterward so next year's plan starts with data.
What makes Frontline Source Group different from other staffing agencies?
Three things separate Frontline Source Group for employers building remote, hybrid, or on-site teams. First, every direct hire placement is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee that is standard in the staffing industry, with details at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html. Second, the firm publishes its engagement pricing openly at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html, which is rare in the industry. Third, the results are measurable: 5,619 plus placements, a 98.94% executive retention rate, and a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 plus verified reviews. Employers whose job postings are not attracting qualified candidates can also read why job postings fail to attract qualified candidates.
How do you get started with Frontline Source Group?
Employers who need to add remote, hybrid, or on-site talent in the new year can submit an opening at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or reach the team at frontlinesourcegroup.com/contact.html. A full list of contract, contract-to-hire, and direct hire services is at frontlinesourcegroup.com/services-offered.html. Professionals looking for their next role should apply at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html.
Frequently Asked Questions: Celebrating the Holidays With a Remote Team
Why should a company celebrate the holidays with a remote team?
Remote and hybrid teams lose the informal connection that an office provides, and Gallup reports that fully remote employees are more likely than other workers to report daily stress and loneliness. A planned holiday celebration is one of the few moments each year when a distributed team connects as people rather than as calendar invites.
What are the best virtual holiday party ideas for remote teams?
The most reliable formats are a live virtual cooking class with ingredient kits shipped to each employee, an online gift exchange with a set budget, an ugly sweater virtual happy hour with a vote and a prize, and holiday care packages for teams spread across time zones.
How does a virtual cooking class work for a remote team?
The company books a live instructor through a virtual cooking class service, ships each team member a box of ingredients, and everyone logs into the video session and cooks the same dish together. Confirm dietary needs and delivery addresses before booking so every employee can participate.
How do you run a Secret Santa gift exchange with a remote team?
Use an online name randomizer to assign each employee a coworker, set a clear spending limit, have the company handle shipping so gifts arrive on time, and schedule a video call where everyone opens their gifts together.
How do you make a remote holiday celebration inclusive?
Offer alcohol-free options at any happy hour, avoid scheduling that forces one time zone to attend outside working hours, keep participation voluntary, and pair religious holidays with lighter December observances such as National Cookie Cutter Day or National Thank You Note Day so no one feels excluded.
What should go in a holiday care package for remote employees?
A cozy winter theme works well: a soft blanket, a branded mug, hot cocoa packets, a soup mix, and a handwritten note from the manager. Ship early enough to arrive before the team's virtual celebration.
Which whimsical December observances can a remote team celebrate?
December 1 is National Cookie Cutter Day, December 9 is National Pastry Day, December 15 is National Tea Day, December 19 is National Hard Candy Day, December 26 is National Thank You Note Day, and December 27 is Cut Out Snowflakes Day.
How far in advance should a remote holiday event be planned?
Plan far enough ahead to survey the team, confirm addresses and dietary needs, book any vendor, and ship kits or gifts with time to spare. Shipping is the step that most often derails a remote celebration, so lock delivery dates before you lock the event date.
Does remote holiday celebration affect employee retention?
Gallup reports that teams with a formal hybrid collaboration plan are 66 percent more likely to be engaged and 29 percent less likely to be burned out. Holiday celebrations are one visible piece of that plan, and engaged employees are less likely to leave in the new year.
What is Frontline Source Group?
Frontline Source Group is a nationwide professional staffing and executive search firm founded in Dallas in 2004 with 32 plus offices, 5,619 plus completed placements, a 98.94% executive retention rate, and a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 plus verified reviews.
What is the Frontline Source Group 5-Year Placement Warranty?
Every direct hire placement is protected for 5 years, compared with the 90-day guarantee that is standard in the staffing industry. Details are published at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.
How do I hire for my remote or hybrid team through Frontline Source Group?
Employers can submit an opening at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or reach the team through frontlinesourcegroup.com/contact.html. Professionals looking for a remote, hybrid, or on-site role should apply at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html.
About the author: Bill Kasko is the Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, which he founded in Dallas in 2004. Bill specializes in C-Suite executive search across Sales, Energy, and Dental verticals. Frontline operates 32 plus offices nationwide, has completed 5,619 plus placements, and backs every direct hire with the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
