Ava
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Post by Ava on Dec 9, 2012 1:14:28 GMT -5
Reading the thread about the office potluck prompted me to start this thread about my particular office party. Six months ago I started working at a bank. I used to work in a cafeteria, and this is my first "white collar" job. Well, guess what? I am in charge of the Christmas office party. I am very happy about this. We have cubicles, and interaction with co-workers is almost non-existent. Add to that the fact that I am extremely shy, and we have one very solitary person at work; me. I overheard the two department secretaries talking about the idea of a get-together for Christmas a couple of weeks ago. I approached them and told them it was a great idea. Turns out they didn't want to plan it. So I volunteered. I've already gone to all the cubicles and talked to people about it. They are all on board, most of them seemed happy to do it. I already organized what everyone is bringing, so we have the food angle covered. My question is more about giving this get together a little pizzazz. I would like to turn up with some games, or ideas, so we don't just sit at the conference room table and eat in silence and then depart to our respective cubicles. Bear in mind that most of the workers are accountants, so not exactly lively. Do you have any ideas to make this party fun while keeping it work-appropriate? Please help me; I want this get together to be nice and fun.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 9, 2012 2:52:14 GMT -5
The place I work now holds a raffle, but we have lots of crews (all donate a basket) and a recreation committee who uses funds to buy other items. However, that time is short-lived and not really anything that gets people talking to each other.
The best I've seen work out was just a simple white elephant exchange. Instead of a regular gift exchange, you bring an item from home. It can be pretty (a candle holder set), a board game, something off-the-wall (someone decorated a red telephone with gaudy gems, and plastic flowers), "retro" (someone had brought in an old concert t-shirt, someone else one of those Magic 8 Balls). The gag gifts are fun, but have to be careful with "work-place appropriate". There are "rules", I'll post them next unless someone beats me to it.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 9, 2012 3:00:07 GMT -5
Everyone who brings in a wrapped gift gets to play (hopefully you have enough people where you are!). All the gifts go in a pile (under the tree, wherever). You draw numbers. Person #1 selects a gift and opens it for everyone to see. Person #2 can either steal that gift, or go get a new one. If they steal the gift, person #1 has to go get a new one. Person #3 can steal a gift from Person #1 or Person #2 or go get their own. It goes on down the line until the last person. A single gift can only be "stolen" twice though, whoever steals it the second time gets to keep it (or you can do three times instead of twice). After the last person does this, Person #1 gets to either keep their gift or trade with someone else (some people will break the "only stolen twice" rule so that person #1 can have anything, no matter how many times it was stolen.)
I've also seen this done as just a Christmas Ornament Exchange, everyone brings in an ornament and those get stolen/traded. You could also theme it with cookies/goodies, inexpensive childhood toy, etc. It's best to put a dollar limit if there are new things though, just so nobody resents it if they bring in some $50 gift and end up getting the super cheap gag gift.
If something like that goes on for multiple years, there is often one gag gift that gets recycled year after year.
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happyscooter
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Post by happyscooter on Dec 9, 2012 7:00:54 GMT -5
I read a question in the paper yesterday about 'how do i get out of the white elephant exchange?' Not everyone likes it.
And if you do it, make sure everyone knows it is a gag gift. Something out of the attic. The last time we were supposed to do it, we were told to BUY something for a gag gift for $20. $20??? OMG! I made the suggestion that we use the $20 to buy socks and t-shirts and gloves for the homeless shelter. WHAT??? That's no fun.
Needless to say, we stayed home and saved the $40 plus the cost of our food for supper.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Dec 9, 2012 8:06:29 GMT -5
Yeah, definitely not for everyone, but most overall-successful thing I've seen done in work groups (except lots of alchol, which may or may not be "successful"...)
I work with a blue collar group--we're better left to our own devices instead of "forced play". However, the office girls always want a bunch of activities, so we have the raffle. It's ok, but most people try to talk over it, I've only seen it get most everyone's attention once, usually everybody is trying to ignore it.
I'd be scared to think of what my coworkers would come up with--we're already pretty inappropriate and they give the best retirement gifts...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 8:08:58 GMT -5
I wouldn't try overly hard to enforce any "fun". Some people find games annoying. Just have a get together with some food and chat and it is what it is. I wouldn't stress too much about it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 8:14:35 GMT -5
That is my point. Most people just want to relax and not have to "do " anything. My DD just had her 11th Bday party and i told her going in that she can't control the party but will just have to let it flow. She is kind of a type A and she would like things in an orderly fashion and so forth. But, after years of hosting kids' parties, they kind of just take on a life of their own and i have learned to just let it be what it is. Not to say you shouldn't plan and have good food, drinks, etc and maybe a gift exchange or something. I think drawing a name and doing a gift exchange and only having to get one gift is kind of fun.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 8:34:32 GMT -5
When the boys were little and had a party, i would set up a table with nice table cloth, etc and try to "corral' them all to the table for pizza, etc. But, that never worked. Some of them just wouldn't listen and just ran wild. After that i just started renting out a party room and the gym at the YMCA and buy pizza, pop, and cake and let them run wild.
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Happy prose
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Post by Happy prose on Dec 9, 2012 8:44:15 GMT -5
At our party, they do a How well do you know your co-workers game. Days before the party, everyone would write down one thing about themselves. You, being the organizer, would be the only one with the answers. The rest have to guess who it is. Stupid stuff, like I was on Wonderama in 1957, I was captain of cheerleading in HS, etc. It was kind of fun. One of our boring, stiff seeming guys was in the past a Dead head who hitch hiked around the country for the concerts. No one guessed him.
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plugginaway22
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Post by plugginaway22 on Dec 9, 2012 9:16:43 GMT -5
One year, we all brought in a picture of ourselves at age 10 or younger, gave it to the organizer who posted them on a bulletin board for a game of 'guess who'. It was so funny and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 9:17:54 GMT -5
Those sound like good ideas.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Dec 9, 2012 9:52:47 GMT -5
We just did this last night. Most people found it really fun and funny but there's always someone whose nose gets out of joint because their gift was "stolen." People can be so asinine. If you do this, decide a theme. Should it be Christmas related, quirky, and the limit should be 5 bucks. Trust me, we found a bunch of funny things for less than. A snowball maker, something so women can write their names in the snow , a head massager, gummy ear buds. The list is endless and funny.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 9:56:15 GMT -5
I kind of like those ideas because it gets you to know your coworkers a bit more personally versus just playing some games.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on Dec 9, 2012 11:05:35 GMT -5
Thanks for all the answers and suggestions. We are just doing lunch together in the conference room during our lunch break, and it's pot-luck. I wanted some ideas so to make the meeting fun if it just starts to get boring. I agree that most adults prefer to eat and chat, but my fear was that maybe people don't have much to talk about and end up eating in uncomfortable silence. I want to have a game up my sleeve in case something like that happens. I think I'll go with the "how well do you know your co-workers", it sounds fun and will give them lots of conversation starters.
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on Dec 9, 2012 11:35:22 GMT -5
Our main office always does white elephant. You don't have to spend, just wrap up something from around the house.
My family does a nice white elephant gift Exchange. Meaning you spend up to $15 & buy something that people would enjoy, not gag stuff. I have more fun with that because you almost always get something good with that & there is always a lot of stealing.
I hate the get to know you type games personally.
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cubefarmer
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Post by cubefarmer on Dec 9, 2012 12:34:59 GMT -5
I am at a big corporation and no parties or celebrations of any type are allowed. None. For any reason.
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Ava
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Post by Ava on Dec 9, 2012 13:40:41 GMT -5
Cubefarmer; why not?
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Dec 9, 2012 14:56:40 GMT -5
Ava, if you don't think games would be popular, you could at least have some Christmas music playing in the background during lunch. Would they let you do a little decorating of the tables, etc. in the conference room? That might add to your party. Good luck! A former employer stopped having off-site holiday parties. A couple of drunks ruined it for everyone. I used to LOVE getting dressed up, & getting to attend those big company parties. You know, the kind I could bring DH along to...
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Dec 9, 2012 16:45:11 GMT -5
The hit at our office party is the dessert contest. Not everyone participates, but of those who do - . Everyone gets a marble (or several, depending on the number of desserts) and puts it into a Dixie cup next to the dessert. Winner gets a Starbucks gift card. We usually either get lunch catered or arrange a group deal at a restaurant nearby (this year we get meal + drink + dessert for about $10/person, so pretty reasonable). Then the dessert contest, then they draw names for small prizes (usually $5 or $10 gift cards). We're a government organization so I'm pretty sure the prizes come out of our bosses' pockets. They're a good group.
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cubefarmer
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Post by cubefarmer on Dec 9, 2012 18:31:53 GMT -5
I'm not sure why no parties are allowed where I work - we used to have them - baby showers, dress up for Halloween, etc - all now banned.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Dec 9, 2012 21:54:01 GMT -5
I like office parties, but I'm also a big fan of eating and chatting. ;D My department party is Wednesday, company party is Friday, and my team lunch is next week. I love December!
I am on both my department and company employee planning committees. Yes, I'm one of those people. The department party is going to be a Spirit of Philadelphia cruise and the company holiday party is usually just a catered lunch (we do a big to-do for the summer party). I have a scheduled half day on Friday, so I'm going to eat my free meal and then peace out.
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Happy prose
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Post by Happy prose on Dec 9, 2012 22:20:33 GMT -5
I love my department party, don't attend the whole office party. It costs about $60, and it isn't really fun. I'm past doing the correct thing.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Dec 9, 2012 23:03:35 GMT -5
We have a catered lunch the last few years. Dec 21 BBQ lunch this year, I don't go because I don't eat anything they serve and I am too busy working. It will be a very busy day at work since I need to pay invoices, pay office staff and probably pay bonuses and pay the taxes since we are off Monday and Tuesday and the taxes are due before I could pay them if I don't before the holidays. We get two days each for the holiday so miss 6 days work in 5-6 weeks at the busiest time of year, I hate holidays.
But I found someone who might be willing to work for us part time to help some overworked people. I have known her about 43 years and she is smart and retired, she has to get her grandson off to school 3 days but might have her daughter put him in a morning program. I know the boss will hire her when I tell him about her.
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singlemomky
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Post by singlemomky on Dec 10, 2012 10:16:26 GMT -5
I work in a law firm with about 100 employees. We just had my office party on Friday night - we went to a museum, had lovely happy hour & hors d'oeuvres, then dinner & entertainment, then end the evening with gift card prizes for about a dozen lucky staff members. It is a spouse/guest event and good to catch up w/spouses, coworkers that you do not see all the time. We also have Christmas breakfast at the firm closer to the actual holiday - fun times to just sit around and talk to people you might not normally have time to chat with. And it doesn't hurt that there are mimosas
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Dec 10, 2012 10:28:31 GMT -5
We've done a couple of things. - We roped a few people in who would be willing to participate. They shared some trivia about themselves, and people had to seek them out to find the next piece of trivia. So, you would hand someone a piece of paper that said "This person own 7 dogs." and once they found the dog owner, they would give that person something that says "This person played Div II basketball in college." and so on. Best if you break up into teams, then there is some interaction. Nice if you have a prize. - We also did trivia about holidays one year. Again, best in teams. I think you had to run up the person giving the clues, get the next clue, and then take the next answer back to get the next clue. - We did indoor BBQ games - like - We also did the baby picture guessing game thing - super fun. And the one where people posted pictures of their animals, and you had to guess whose animal it was (I worked in the animal health field, so it made sense.) You could google "Ice breakers" and there are a zillion party games. www.icebreakers.ws/large-groupIf your crowd would be into more of something physical - we did the one where you have to sit on a balloon to break it. And other little party games like that. We also played name that tune, and did (seriously) a sing-a-long, with old TV themes - that one was HILARIOUS. But we had a really loud, high quality system - so singing along wasn't too intimidating.
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Abby Normal
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Post by Abby Normal on Dec 10, 2012 12:34:17 GMT -5
We do an ornament exchange. Everyone draws a name. They buy an ornament and put the persons name on it and place it on the tree. Then when we do the party, someone starts- takes the one they purchased down and hands it to the person they bought it for. That person goes next. We have about 15 people that participate and it's been alot of fun. Plus you get some really unusual ornaments.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 10, 2012 12:34:57 GMT -5
I really like the baby picture and the trivia games.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Dec 10, 2012 12:40:18 GMT -5
One year, we all brought in a picture of ourselves at age 10 or younger, gave it to the organizer who posted them on a bulletin board for a game of 'guess who'. It was so funny and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We did this once with baby pictures - the person who guessed the most correctly won a prize (I think it was a gift certificate for a restaurant). It would be fun to do this with Christmas pictures, for this time of the year. People who don't want to participate just won't bring in their picture, so no big deal.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Dec 10, 2012 12:42:16 GMT -5
I never participated, but only because my Mom didn't love me enough to take any pictures. And I was an ugly baby.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Dec 10, 2012 12:42:54 GMT -5
I'm the youngest. There are no pictures of me. My mom says she loved me, but she just didn't have time for pictures.
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