For those still sticking to their social distancing guns (and as someone from a decimated industry, thank you), here are some ideas to keep New Year’s Eve from being a total bust.

Several are paid games or “theatrical” events, so if the pandemic has not been a financial disaster for you, consider supporting the creators of these events as you close out the year. If it has been a rough 2020 for you, there are also several free or low cost options.

Twist

Schedule a private Twist game for 8-20 friends. This is a really fun game that is actually a series of minigames that are a lot of fun. It’s Zoom based so you can play with friends from all over the world, and each game is hosted so if you have any questions about how to play, the hosts are there to help you out. Games start at $150, which does sound pricey, but for 8 friends that’s less than $20 each and if you get a full 20, it’s down to $7.50.

Fun fact, you’ll also be supporting out of work arts workers who created the game (including several stage managers).

Eschaton

Ya’ll, I can’t rave enough about this show. Even my not theatre-centric boyfriend really enjoyed our date night experiencing Eschaton. This group has actually figured out how to create a nightclub experience on Zoom. They embraced the medium instead of fighting it. The experience is an hour long and tickets are $25. You only need one ticket per computer, so you and your partner or roommate can experience the event together.

I really can’t emphasize how much I enjoyed their regular performances and this one is extra-hyped up to ring in the new year. It also feels like such an appropriately 2020 ways to “hit the nightclub.”

Polar Beat

This is a huge digital party in Iceland, so more of an afternoon party for Americans. The party is free and features musicians from all over the world. To attend, you need a Snapchat account so you can create a Bitmoji (though apparently there is also a way to create one when you signup at the Polar Beat website). Your Bitmoji will get to walk the red carpet and wander the landscape they’ve created. The polar beat drops at 6:30 PM Eastern.

Mind’s Eye Adventure Parties

For a group of up to 10 people, this game is more immersive, involving minigames, scavenger hunts, and an interactive story. The adult version is themed around 18^th century Scotland and involves swords and romance. Bonus though, if you have children there is also a child themed version that can be played. There is a flat fee of $100 and any time can be schedule from 12-10 PM Pacific time, so again, if you have kids, you can play well before midnight.

Jackbox Games

If you missed the Jackbox games wave last winter, NYE is a great night to give them a go. The nice thing is that only one person needs to own the game for everyone to be able to play. There are seven game packs ranging from $13 to $30. Each game pack comes with a couple of different games and they are all replayable. The person who purchased the game can stream the main screen via Zoom and everyone else can log onto the website via their laptop, phone or iPad, and enter the code that will pop up for each game. Some of the games also allow a large number of people to play. (I am partial to party packs 3 and 6.)

New Year’s Eve Trivia Extravaganza

Get your gang together for one last night of online trivia. Using Zoom, you can gather your friends and play against teams from all over. The game is free, though donations are encouraged. So are cocktails.

Meeti2i

If you’re Zoomed out but still want to catch up with friends, you can check out this new platform that is also like a video game. You get to make a little avatar and run around a world. When you approach another avatar their video and audio will start to turn on and you can have a chat with friends. If you all set a time to check out the Infinity world, you should be able to meet up in there. This one is FREE.

Pass the Sugar, Please

For those looking for something considerably more risqué and who have some money to spend, this is actually an adult RPG that starts out as a tea party but takes quite the twist. The game is for up to 6 adults and costs $180. It lasts an hour and a half and you should brush up on your euphemism game/double entendres to be prepared.

Game Night

This amazing Google Doc is full of free game options to host a digital game night through Zoom with your friends and family. While I haven’t explored them all, I can say that we have had a lot of fun with the Telestrations (pg. 9), Cards Against Humanity (pg. 13) and Codenames (pg. 19). They are really easy to navigate and use on Zoom. Telestrations is a little easier if everyone has a phone or tablet to play on – trying to draw on your computer can be difficult.

Performance for One

If you have a group of friends who enjoy experimental art, you can each book a time to do this Performance for One experience during the day on the 31^st and get together on Zoom later to talk about your experience with it over wine. I always found my favorite part of dissecting one-to-one theater was talking it over with others who had done it too. Each performance is $25.

The Mindful New Year’s Eve Experience

This event encourages you to pop in and out online all day and attend an assortment of workshops and yoga, ending with a “mindful rave.” Not totally sure what that is, but the event is free. If you’ve been digging deeper into mindfulness this year, it could be the perfect New Year’s event for you.

Beat the Bomb

This is a Zoom based game where you create a team of your friends (4-6 people) and play against teams from all over to try to disarm a bomb. The experiences takes about 45 minutes and it made up of several mini-games that focus heavily on communication and team work. The game is $20 per person. You need to sign up for set time slots via the website.