Deck the Office Halls

Scott Hardie | December 8, 2017
'Tis the season for workplace holiday parties. Do you like them or dread them? Do you have any good stories from them?

Erik Bates | December 8, 2017
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Chris Lemler | December 8, 2017
My place really don't have a party but, they offer us free food to eat on Christmas eve at my workplace.

Steve West | December 8, 2017
Food, food and more food. All good. We also have a seasonal door decorating contest. My department entry was the door wrapped in Christmas paper, Santa centered in the middle surrounded by Elvis impersonators. Santa is on the phone complaining to the Employment Agency that there's been a mistake - he asked for elves!!! The multiple Elvi have song lyrics in quote balloons like "Here comes Santa Claus, Her comes Santa Claus..." and others with little musical notes everywhere. I expect to win.

Scott Hardie | December 12, 2017
My work gift exchange was just canceled. Anybody want a log pillow that I bought for the occasion?

I enjoy the gift exchanges (whether called "White Elephant" or "Yankee Swap" or some other name) because they add some kind of activity rather than just eating. But really, what I'm finding that I like in a work party is variety. I worked at one company for almost a decade, and every Christmas was exactly the same: Catered breakfast from a nearby restaurant with exactly the same items, then a Yankee Swap with exactly the same rules and frequently the same gifts year-in year-out, then a raffle for gift baskets given by vendors. There was no surprise or discovery or difference. My current employer throws a lavish offsite party at some local attraction (living in Florida has that advantage), and it's very generous of them, but it's also a bit awkward trying to make small talk for hours with people I don't know, since I almost never get to meet non-developers in my job. This year I thought I could avoid the awkwardness by volunteering to work the party, but once my duties at the registration desk were done, I had to stand around waiting for 90 minutes for the party to end so that I could help clean up, and it made the problem worse.

I love the door decorations that you describe, Steve! Elvis for the win every time. I've never really gotten to do door decorations, not having had a door and not being among festive people (developers tend to be uncreative and antisocial creatures), though I did once team up with non-developers to make a gingerbread office. Good luck with what sounds like a deserving win with the door!

Really, anything that breaks the monotony of work a little and lets you do something different and fun is worth it. I don't mind if some of the activities are corny or repetitive every year; it's a chance to liven up work a little and on that basis it's very welcome.

Chris Lemler | December 12, 2017
Sorry about your Christmas exchange scott.

Denise Sawicki | December 16, 2017
I like them. We have good food and lots of variety, This year after the restaurant they rented a smallish room at the Fargo Theatre and showed us a private showing of Die Hard.

Scott Hardie | December 18, 2017
I like how Die Hard is fighting its way into the Christmas movie canon. I've had four separate conversations this month about it becoming a Christmas movie. Someone insisted that it's not really a Christmas movie, which, duh, that's the joke. :-)