Coming Together Virtually

The coronavirus vaccine is rolling out across the country right now, but until most of us can get both of our shots, virtual events, social hours & gatherings are going to continue to be a staple of how we stay connected from afar.

But if you want to spice up the gathering, and maybe inject some team spirit, send a gift for thanks or gratitude, or connect with colleagues and customers, here are some ideas for themed (virtual) get-togethers and branded gifts you can send ahead of time to help bring people together … ya know, from a safe social distance.

Happy Hour

Virtual happy hours were one of the first online social gatherings to emerge when stay at home orders began a year ago. Send custom-branded drinkware like pint glasses, stemless wine glasses, or even martini glasses and invite your friends, colleagues, or customers to hop online for a toast from afar.

Want to upgrade this gift? Send it with a bottle of wine, or a selection of local beers to sample.

Pizza Party

Who doesn’t love pizza? We LOVE these pizza cutters because they’re bright, affordable, easy to brand, and they work SO well! (Seriously, we have a few of them in our own drawer at home.) Upgrade the gift by sending one of these along with a gift certificate for pizza delivery for a virtual pizza party.

Ice Cream Social

Start with a branded ice cream scoop (we love this vintage-style one) and add-on as you desire. Include a set of toppings and sprinkles for your sundae, or go all-out and include an entire gift box of treats and goodies.

Coffee Date

The days of meeting at a coffee shop are on hold right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still meet over a cup o’ joe. Send a branded mug along, perhaps with a small bag of ground coffee, coffee pods, tea or cocoa. We especially love the idea of having branded mugs on-hand to send out for these virtual coffee dates even if they’re with just one or two people at a time.

Taco Tuesday

This is a fun twist on the virtual happy hour, with a focus on food instead of booze. Invite everyone to make or order tacos for delivery/take-out, and chow down together over Zoom. Send along a gift of custom-branded hot sauce, potholders, or napkins.

Charcuterie Chat

Charcuterie boards are so on trend these days — and honestly, we get it. Cheese, crackers, cured meats, nuts, jams, and other gourmet snacks make noshing on these finger foods feel decadent. Custom-branded cheese boards (which double nicely as cutting boards) make for a beautiful gift, and the recipient can add whatever foods they prefer before hopping online for a virtual charcuterie session.

This gift is easily upgraded with the addition of a gift basket featuring select foods, or even a bottle of wine.

Paint & Sip/Art Night

Possibilities abound for virtual activities centered around art, but we especially love this novelty gift set that includes an insulated wine tumbler and a mini art set. (You could also DIY something like this, and send a set of wine glasses, along with supplies for participating in a virtual art class.)

Tell us in the comments: how are you staying connected during these strange times?