{"id":235409,"date":"2020-12-09T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/?p=235409"},"modified":"2023-12-08T16:41:16","modified_gmt":"2023-12-09T00:41:16","slug":"new-ways-to-celebrate-holiday-festivities-with-microsoft-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365\/blog\/2020\/12\/09\/new-ways-to-celebrate-holiday-festivities-with-microsoft-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"New ways to celebrate holiday festivities with Microsoft Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Office holiday parties and team celebrations look a bit different this year. I\u2019ve heard from customers that you\u2019re looking for new ways to connect as a team and celebrate in the holidays, even if you can\u2019t be together in-person. To make virtual office holiday parties and meetings more festive, we\u2019re announcing new experiences in Microsoft Teams including new holiday-themed Together mode scenes<\/strong> and custom backgrounds.<\/strong> We’re also announcing the availability of breakout rooms<\/strong>, which make it easy to mix and mingle during a virtual holiday party, and sharing our tips for making virtual holiday gatherings more fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Every year our department holiday party is the marquee event of the season that we all look forward to. It\u2019s fun, it’s memorable, and it provides time for us to connect beyond our work. This year especially, we all need more reasons to smile, laugh, and connect with each other. We were not going to let the holiday season go by without reinventing the holiday party. So, we’re taking all our holiday festivities virtual this year. So far, we’ve prepared for a white elephant exchange, online trivia, and more, all over Microsoft Teams.”<\/em><\/p>Bill Martin, CIO AEG WorldWide<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

New Together mode scenes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Together mode in Microsoft Teams reimagines meeting experiences to bring people closer together even when you\u2019re apart. Back-and-forth conversation feels more natural, and our research<\/a> shows Together mode reduces meeting fatigue. Our new winter wonderland Together mode scenes add a dash of holiday spirit that\u2019s perfect for hosting a virtual holiday party with your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to new holiday scenes, we are also announcing the availability of a new set of Together mode scenes, rolling out now, that you can use any time of the year that transport your team to a variety of settings including a coffee shop<\/strong>, conference room<\/strong>, classroom<\/strong>, and more<\/strong>. Halo fans can even gather for their next important meeting in the United Nations Space Command. With these new scenes, it will feel easier than ever for your team to do everything from tackling a tough problem to hosting a holiday party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get started<\/a>, once you are in your Microsoft Teams meeting, select Together mode <\/strong>from the drop-down menu, then click the small pencil <\/strong>in the left-hand corner of the screen to choose a scene (Together mode requires at least five people in your meeting).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New custom backgrounds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve also created a set of new holiday-themed custom backgrounds for standard meetings and video calls. To add a new custom background, simply download the backgrounds you like\u2014holiday backgrounds are available here<\/a>. Then, while you\u2019re setting up your video and audio before joining a meeting, select Background effects, <\/strong>click Add new, <\/strong>and then select a background to upload from your computer. More detailed guidance can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Breakout rooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We are excited to share that breakout rooms are generally available in Microsoft Teams today. Breakout rooms make it easy to divide your meetings into sub-groups to facilitate smaller discussions, brainstorming sessions, learning groups, and even holiday mixers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizers can jump in between meetings on their own, deliver announcements to all breakout rooms at once, and bring everyone back to the main meeting at any time. And unique to Microsoft Teams, breakout rooms can be initiated both in Microsoft Teams channels and in Microsoft Teams meetings to give you flexibility on how you want to meet. Breakout rooms are especially great this time of year for mixing and mingling and playing games during a virtual holiday party. Learn how to get started with breakout rooms here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n