How to Celebrate Team Wins Remotely During the Holidays

The holiday season is always a special time to reflect on the hard work, progress, and achievements of the past year. For teams, big or small, celebrating team wins helps build stronger connections, boost morale, and show appreciation. When you celebrate successes, team members feel recognized and valued, which keeps them happy and motivated.

But what happens when your team works remotely? Being far apart can make celebrations feel less personal, and it’s easy to think that virtual celebrations don’t carry the same excitement. That’s not true.

With a little creativity and effort, you can still celebrate team wins in a way that feels personal and meaningful. Whether your team works across different cities, countries, or just from their homes, the right approach can bring everyone together and leave them feeling appreciated. This blog will show you practical and simple ways to celebrate your remote team’s wins during the holidays, no matter where they are.

Let’s get into practical ways to keep your remote team excited, appreciated, and connected this holiday season.

• Start with Connection

Before you even think about throwing a celebration, it’s important to start with connection. When teams work remotely, communication can often feel very “work-focused.” There may not be time for small talk or moments to bond, and the team may feel disconnected.

Celebrations during the holidays give you the perfect chance to change this. You want to create moments where people can relax, laugh, and feel like they are a part of something special.

Why does connection matter?

When people feel connected to their team, they work better together. They feel more comfortable, trust each other, and are more motivated to keep contributing.

Before any celebration, spend time reconnecting with your team. Here’s how:

Host a casual meeting: Before the big celebration, hold a short virtual meeting just to chat. Avoid talking about work. Let everyone share fun holiday plans, favorite foods, or memorable moments.

Reach out personally: As a leader, make an effort to check in with your team members individually. A short call or a quick chat asking, “How are you doing?” can make a big difference.

Connection creates a strong foundation for a meaningful celebration. It makes your team feel seen, which is the most important part of celebrating wins.

• Plan a Virtual Celebration Party

One of the most enjoyable ways to celebrate is by hosting a virtual party. A virtual celebration is more than just another team meeting, t’s a way to bring energy, excitement, and fun to the team.

Why a virtual party works:

• It creates a shared experience, which helps the team feel connected.
• It adds a personal touch that emails or chat messages can’t provide.
• It allows team members to relax, laugh, and enjoy time together.

Here’s how to plan a successful virtual party:

1. Set a Theme: Themes make parties fun and give people a reason to get creative. Since it’s the holidays, choose themes like “Holiday Sweater Party,” “Pyjama Day,” or “Winter Wonderland.” Let everyone dress up according to the theme, and give a small prize for the best outfit.
2. Pick Fun Activities: Keep the party interesting by planning activities. Activities help people interact and prevent the party from feeling like just another meeting. Some ideas include:
   • Holiday Trivia: Prepare fun holiday-themed questions. Tools like Kahoot can help.
   • Virtual Games: Play games like Pictionary, charades, or online board games. Websites like Skribbl.io are perfect for this.
   • Share Favourite Moments: Let everyone share a favorite memory or highlight from the year.
3. Add a Personal Touch: During the party, take a moment to recognize the team’s achievements. Highlight big wins and call out individual contributions. A heartfelt “thank you” from a manager can mean the world to employees.
4. Send Treats in Advance: To make the party feel even more special, consider sending small treats in advance, like holiday cookies or coffee gift cards.

A virtual party doesn’t have to be complicated. What matters most is that it feels personal, fun, and full of appreciation.

3. Celebrate Each Person with Personalized Recognition

When you celebrate wins, it’s important to recognize the people who made those wins possible. Team celebrations are great, but people also want to feel valued as individuals. That’s where personalized recognition comes in.

What is personalized recognition?

It’s when you call out someone’s specific contribution and highlight what they did well. For example, instead of saying, “Good job, team,” you could say, “Sarah, you did an incredible job leading that project, and your attention to detail made all the difference.”

Why personalized recognition works:

• People feel seen, not just as “part of the team” but as individuals.
• It motivates employees to keep doing their best.
• It creates a positive atmosphere and boosts confidence.

Here are a few ways to give personalized recognition:

• Shoutouts during meetings: Take time during team meetings or celebrations to mention specific achievements.
• Written Notes: Send a personal email or message thanking team members for their work. Be specific about what they did well.
• Recognition Boards: Create a digital “Recognition Board” on tools like Trello or Slack where you highlight individual wins.

The key is to be genuine. Take time to notice your team’s effort, not just their results. When employees feel recognized, they feel motivated to keep going.

4. Send Thoughtful Holiday Gifts

Gifts are a timeless way to show appreciation. During the holidays, receiving a gift—no matter how small, can brighten someone’s day and make them feel valued.

When you’re working with a remote team, sending gifts shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile. It’s a thoughtful gesture that reminds team members they’re important, even if they’re far away.

How to choose the right gifts:

• Make it Practical: Gifts like Amazon or coffee shop gift cards are always useful. They give team members the flexibility to choose what they like.
• Add a Personal Touch: Personalized items like mugs, notebooks, or T-shirts with the team’s logo or an inside joke make great keepsakes.
• Send Holiday Treats: Holiday-themed boxes filled with snacks, cookies, or coffee blends are easy to send and always appreciated.
• Digital Subscriptions: Subscriptions to streaming platforms like Netflix, Audible, or Spotify are great for unwinding during the holidays.

How to organize gifts for remote teams:

You can use services like Sendoso, SnackNation, or even Amazon to ship gifts directly to your team members’ homes.

The size of the gift doesn’t matter as much as the thought behind it. When employees receive gifts during the holidays, it leaves a lasting impression and reminds them how much their contributions mean.

5. Reflect on the Year Together

The holiday season is the perfect time to pause and reflect. Teams spend so much time working toward goals that it’s easy to forget to look back and appreciate the progress they’ve made.

Reflecting together allows the team to celebrate everything they’ve accomplished. It helps everyone feel proud of their work and excited for what’s ahead.

Here’s how you can reflect on the year as a team:

1. Host an End-of-Year Meeting: Plan a special virtual meeting just for reflection. This isn’t a normal work meeting—it’s about celebrating wins.
2. Share Highlights: Ask each team member to share their favorite moment or achievement of the year. Let them talk about what made it special.
3. Talk About Challenges: Reflecting on challenges can be powerful. Discuss how the team overcame tough moments and what they learned. This shows growth and builds confidence.
4. Express Gratitude: Take time to thank each team member for their effort. Encourage team members to thank one another, too.
5. Look Ahead: End the reflection by talking about what’s next. Share excitement for future goals and how the team will work together to achieve them.

Reflection builds connection. It helps the team see how far they’ve come and reminds them that every contribution matters.

6. Give the Gift of Time

Sometimes, the best gift you can give your team is the gift of time. The holiday season can be stressful, and team members may feel overwhelmed trying to balance work, family, and personal time.

You can celebrate their hard work by giving them a break. This could mean:

• Extra Days Off: Give team members an extra day or two off to enjoy the holidays.
• Flexible Hours: Let the team work flexible hours so they can spend more time with family or relax.
• Early Finishes: Allow everyone to log off early on certain days.

Showing that you care about your team’s well-being creates trust and loyalty. When people feel valued, they’re more motivated and productive in the long run.

Celebrating team wins during the holidays is about showing appreciation and creating meaningful moments. When you take the time to connect, recognize individual contributions, and celebrate as a group, your team feels valued, motivated, and proud of their work.

Remote work doesn’t have to make celebrations feel less special. With thoughtful planning, creativity, and a focus on connection, you can make the holidays a time when your team feels closer and more appreciated than ever.

At BorderlessHR, we help teams succeed no matter where they are. Whether it’s managing remote teams, tracking progress, or improving performance, our tools make it easier to stay connected and productive.

Ready to celebrate your global team’s success? Let BorderlessHR help you manage and inspire your remote teams with ease.