Luckily it’s easy to celebrate your grad with those not able to be with you in person with our fun virtual grad party ideas. So fire up the webcam, invite all your extended family members and long-distance friends, and create a party your graduate will remember forever.
Our Best Virtual Graduation Ideas
1. Host a Video Call
Scheduling a Google Hangouts meeting or sending a Zoom invitation (we recommend setting a meeting password to make your meeting more secure) is a simple and free way to gather everyone in one place. Plus, it’s easy to drop the meeting link into an email invitation or a Facebook group.
2. Make Party Food
The best part about graduation parties (besides celebrating the graduate, of course!) is the food. And while hosting a virtual gathering means you won’t need to provide appetizers for a hundred people, you can still take this opportunity to make or order some of your graduate’s favorite dishes to make the party feel as normal as possible. Try a few of our tasty graduation party appetizers or pick up carry-out from their favorite local restaurant. Send your recipes to your friends who can’t be with you so they can make their own.
3. Send Invitations
Since virtual parties involve Zoom links, meeting IDs, and passwords, sending the invitation by email is easier than printing the links on a physical invitation. But just because you aren’t sending the typical hard-copy invitation doesn’t mean you can’t get creative with the design! Use an online design service like Canva (free and super easy to use) to create a digital invitation you can download and attach to an email invitation or share in a Facebook group. Canva has dozens of festive graduation templates you can easily drop your information into or customize your invite from scratch (no design experience required!).
4. Look the Part
The graduation cap is the most iconic symbol of any graduation, so it’s a no-brainer for any celebration, even an online party. Order a graduation cap ($5, Party City) if you don’t get one from school so you can move your tassel from right to left during the virtual commencement speech.
5. Don’t Forget to Decorate
Whether you decorate the house or the screen with a virtual background, creating a festive space for your graduate will help them feel special on the day of the party. Hang a banner and break out the confetti poppers to celebrate your senior. You can also let the entire neighborhood know you have something to celebrate by ordering a set of Card My Yard signs. Local chapters of the company will decorate your entire lawn with dozens of bright letters and signs for a big, bold virtual graduation idea.
6. Have a Card Shower
Typically each guest at a graduation party signs a guest book with their name and a note of congratulations. Organize a virtual card shower for your graduate, so those unable to attend can share their good wishes. When you send out the text, email, or Facebook invitation for the virtual gathering, let all the guests know you’d like them to send a card (and be sure to give an address). If you’re sending a card, this Congrats, Grad card ($6, Rifle Paper Co.) is a good choice. Plus, you can easily borrow one of these meaningful graduation quotes and sayings if you’re unsure what to write.
7. Send a Graduation Announcement
If you don’t plan to send a snail mail invitation for your virtual gathering (though you totally can!), consider sending a paper graduation announcement instead. Minted’s newest graduation collection features timely designs and phrases. And this way, you’ll have a physical keepsake to frame or place in a memory box.
