Creating Your Holiday Reset in 2020

“Holiday season” usually makes us think of parties, gifts, packed days, and double-booked evenings. Underlying the go-go-go nature of holidays is something that we often take for granted: a reset.

The holiday season offers us this much-needed time to step away from our routine and spend time with loved ones, engage in activities purely for the joy they bring, and create space for thinking about our achievements and the upcoming new year. Traditionally, time off from work or school and invitations to gatherings create a natural reset that we don’t have to plan.

This year we need that reset more than ever, but we need to be proactive about making sure we get it. We’ve got to fill our own buckets instead of waiting for something else to do it for us.

We’ve designed experiences that build community for over two decades, and one of the most important things to remember is that great experiences need to be of the moment. Just like an outdoor picnic doesn’t work in a thunderstorm, the way we experience a reset this year needs to be tailored to where we are right now.

How do we do that? By thinking about the feelings and experiences we look forward to having during the holiday season, and designing virtual alternatives to help generate that same joy. These can be wonderful opportunities for creating and nurturing our personal and professional communities.

We know what you’re thinking: that seems like a lot of work. It doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips to help:

• Not sure what everyone will want to do? Give your group up to four options that they can vote on. This helps create a sense of community before the event even starts - and you never know who may be inspired to offer to help!
• Plan around the personalities and skill sets of the people in your group. This might mean choosing activities that they a wider group will enjoy, or specifically (non-randomly) grouping people into teams based non-randomly. This helps ensure that everyone feels comfortable (for example, “Game of Thrones”-themed trivia won’t be much fun for people who haven’t watched the show).
• If you’re working with a large group, find ways to break out into one or more smaller groups. We’ve all been on the 15-person video call where no one knows whose turn it is to speak. Small groups are where the magic of connection tends to happen, so create those opportunities.
• Ask questions. Asking people what they miss, what they need, or what they would enjoy means you don’t have to guess. It also helps people feel cared for and valued. Carry this curiosity through your experience with ice breakers. These can be lighthearted, like “Fruitcake: good idea or bad idea?” or more serious, like “What do you most wish for in the New Year?”

For great ideas that will help you find - or create - just the right reset for you and your community, visit wellingtonexperience.com/reset2021/