Holiday icebreaker Questions for Virtual Holiday Parties

Icebreakers?

We’ve all been there. The get-together with folks you don’t know that well or haven’t seen in a long time. Sometimes the conversation doesn’t exactly… well, let’s just say it doesn’t get off to a strong start.

Did we talk about the weather? Check!

Did we ask each other what we did last weekend? Yup!

Already talked about the big game or tv show earlier in the week? Best not to circle back.

Now what do we talk about?

With people working from home more often, it has become perhaps more important than ever to make sure the few conversations we do have are ones we find engaging and that satisfy our need for social interaction. One tool we can use to help those conversations take some interesting new turns is an icebreaker. This is typically a question that prompts some thought and a unique response. They are questions outside of the typical small talk and daily banter that can help you get to know each other better on different levels. Around the holidays, these can be especially useful as many people are getting together again for the first time in a long time. To help you break the ice this Winter season, we’ve put together this list of holiday themed icebreakers. Enjoy!

Holiday Icebreaker Questions for Work

Companies often bring their teams together in Winter to celebrate the many holidays and have some fun. However, recent years have been quite different with so many people working remotely. While many teams are still getting together for virtual holiday parties, without a fun theme in place it can be tough to get the conversation flowing so that people stay engaged and enjoy it. An easy way to kick things off is by having a meeting leader break the ice with some interesting get-to-know-you questions. Here are some examples of holiday icebreaker questions:

1. Which Winter holidays do you celebrate?

2. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received over the holidays?

3. What’s the worst holiday gift you’ve ever received?

4. What’s the worst holiday gift you’ve ever given to somebody else?

5. What’s your most embarrassing reaction to receiving a gift?

7. What’s that one gift you really wanted when you were younger that you never got?

8. What’s one gift you’re secretly hoping to receive this year?

9. What’s your favorite outdoor winter activity?

10. What’s your favorite indoor activity for when it’s too cold outside in Winter?

11. What’s your go-to winter cocktail or drink?

12. What is your favorite holiday movie? Guilty pleasure movie?

13. What’s the most ridiculous ugly sweater you’ve ever worn?

14. Did you remember to remove the wax from the menorah before you put it away for the year?

15. Have you ever had a dreidel made out of clay?

16. What are your favorite foods that you only eat during Hanukkah?

17. How do you feel about Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah Song?

18. Do you like snow?

19. What was the best snow-day of your childhood that you can remember?

20. What’s your craziest NYE story?

Christmas Icebreaker Questions

With over 80% of Americans celebrating Xmas, some Christmas themed icebreakers can be a good way to get some of your team members engaged in the conversation. Just make sure they aren’t all Christmas themed as that can be really annoying for those that don’t celebrate it. It’s important to be inclusive and supportive of your coworkers religious beliefs and the holidays they celebrate. Holidays are a great time to inquire and learn more about a coworker’s religion, family, and traditions. With that said, here some Xmas icebreakers for those celebrating that holiday.

1. Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, do you enjoy Christmas?

2. Did you believe in Santa Claus as a child? Until what age?

3. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

4. If you were one of Santa’s reindeer, which would you be and why?

5. Christmas trees…. do you go with real or fake? Debate why!

6. White Christmas tree lights or multi-colored lights?

7. Twinkling lights or static lights?

8. How early do you put up your Christmas tree, lights, and holiday decorations?

9. Icicle lights hanging from the roof… beautiful or tacky?

10. When do you start listening to Christmas music? Or do you never listen do it?

11. What’s your favorite Christmas song? Favorite Winter / holiday song in general?

12. What’s one holiday song you just can not stand?

13. If you couldn’t have a lot for Christmas, but there was just one thing you needed, underneath the Christmas Tree, what would it be?

14. Egg nog… disgusting or delicious? Which spirit do you add to it? Bourbon, spiced rum, or something else?

15. Have you ever made mulled wine? Why not? It’s sooo good!

16. Can you name the 12 days of Christmas? Go around in a circle taking turns naming them, without repeating any, to see if as a team you can get them all correct.

17. Have you ever roasted chestnuts on an open fire?

18. Are you an expert gift wrapper? Wrapping paper or gift bags?

19. Have you ever decked the halls with boughs of holly?

20. Thoughts on mistletoe?

21. Which celebrity would you want to meet under the mistle toe?

22. Who do you typically celebrate Xmas with? Who are you celebrating with this year?

23. What’s your family’s go-to activity for Christmas afternoon? Movie, hike, football, cocktails, something else?

24. If Santa didn’t have a sleigh, how would he deliver presents to all the children?

25. Which character in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer do you most relate with?

26. If you were an elf, what would be your name? What toy would you make?

27. If you were Santa Claus, would you give coal to the bad kids, or give them something else?

28. What’s your favorite thing to do on Christmas Eve?

29. Candy canes… meh or heck yea?

30. Did you ever leave out a snack for Santa? What was it? If you have kids, do they leave a snack out and do you eat it?

More Icebreaker Questions for Virtual Meetings

Need some help breaking the ice during virtual happy hours outside of holiday time? Check out our full list of over 160 fun icebreaker questions for virtual meetings and work events.

Got the ice breaking down pat and just need a little help coming up with new ideas for a virtual team building activity? Check out all of Host’s virtual events here!