Remote and hybrid teams have gotten pretty good at replicating birthdays and Friday wind-downs over video calls, but festivals are a different challenge altogether. Onam, with its colours, food, and games, has a physical energy that does not translate to a screen automatically. Planning a virtual onam celebration for your office takes a bit more thought than a regular team call, but done right, it can end up being one of the more talked-about events of the year, especially for colleagues who cannot make it to the office that day.
- Set the Date and Send Out a Proper Invite Early – Onam festivals are usually crammed wherever there is any place available and this leads to poor attendance as well as hurriedness. The email invitation should be sent out a week before, the mode of interaction mentioned and a general idea given as to what to expect from the event so that people can make time instead of partially attending the event during other meetings. Mentioning something about optional dress code or some sort of backdrop related to Kerala would help create an atmosphere before the call starts.
- Start With a Story, Not Slides – People tend to realize whenever an event is going to turn out to be a lecture, and their attention level drops whenever the slides appear. Therefore, asking one of the team members, preferably one who has some association with the festival, to tell a two minute long story about their experience with Onam is much more interesting and attention-grabbing as well as much more human than a boring history lesson.
- Bring the Pookalam Online – The pookalam is one of the most visual elements of Onam and there is no need to be in an office lobby to replicate it. All employees will need to come up with their own small design of flower/rangoli pattern from what they can find at home and then send the picture of their creation. Turning it into a light, competitive activity with a small prize for the best effort can add a little bit of spice without taking up the whole meeting.
- Games That Actually Work via Video Calls – Do not choose any game which will require special equipment which all participants will need to procure or find themselves. Rounds of quick trivia on the traditions of Onam or rapid fire game about the dishes of Kerala cuisine or even a “who said it” round with the quotes of your teammates usually go very well because they require minimal preparation and are short and energetic.
- Food Still Matters – A big part of Onam is the Sadya, the elaborate feast served on a banana leaf, and skipping food entirely on video calls it a missed opportunity that flattens the whole experience. If budget allows, arrange for a small Onam-special meal or snack box to be delivered to each employee’s home ahead of time, so everyone can eat together on camera even while physically apart. Pairing this with a few thoughtful onam gifts for the team turns the day into something people actually look forward to rather than another calendar entry.
- Keep the Program Loose, Not Scripted – A stiff agenda is more likely than most other things to spoil the atmosphere during virtual celebrations. Include gaps between the scheduled parts of the meeting, allow discussions to go on a bit longer if people are having fun, and avoid filling each second of the meeting with an activity. The most memorable moments can sometimes occur during the unexpected in-between bits.
- Close Out On Something People Will Remember – Conclude the celebration with a short but sincere thank you note instead of a closing speech. A picture from the meeting, an album of all the pookalam designs that everyone created, or even a thank-you note in the team’s online chat room will keep the warmth going after the meeting ends. Such simple actions are sometimes what people end up remembering the most about such events.
Conclusion
A well-planned virtual onam celebration does not need a big budget or a long runtime to leave an impression, it just needs a bit of intention behind the format. Focus on making people feel included rather than entertained, and the rest tends to fall into place naturally.
