Why Christmas Is The Best Holiday To Celebrate In The Office

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go! There’s something about Christmas that brings out a jolly spirit from even the grumpiest Grinch in the office. There are so many reasons why Christmas is the best holiday to celebrate in the office. At my job, we decorate our cubes with garland and stockings. We also put up a tree that we adorn with beautiful ornaments. It really adds such a festive look to the workplace! It’s also great when you get to work to the sound of Christmas music playing. We pull out a small radio and set it to that radio station that plays holiday music all day long! I also enjoy the kind gestures I get from coworkers and vendors, especially the Christmas cards and gift baskets.

Office_Christmas_Decorations

Although it’s important to try to eat healthy, how can one resist all the sweet Christmas treats around the office? Every year, I bake these delicious sugar cookies for my coworkers. It’s my little tradition! But the grandest display of treats is our annual office Christmas party! It’s such a great time to enjoy delicious food, listen to holiday music, and reflect on the year with coworkers. It’s a really great time to enjoy each other’s company.

At my job, we get Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. It’s always such a wonderful gift to get a little break from work to spend with loved ones. It’s such a beautiful time of year. There’s no reason why we all can’t have a little Christmas cheer in the office!

Top 5 Animal Holiday Cards

I thoroughly enjoy the Holidays, and picking out just the right holiday card seems to start it all off for me. After looking through this year’s extensive selection, I’ve decided to choose from the group of animal holiday cards. As a true animal lover these cards really represent me well, and I’m sure they’ll make all of my friends and family happy this holiday season! Here are my top 5 animal holiday cards!

Holiday Penguins Card
Holiday Penguins Card – Design 89FCW

 

  • Holiday Penguins (Design 89FCW) – Has an amusing glossy photo of three Emperor Penguins marching to the beat of their own collective drummer. It’s seasonal, humorous and totally delightful. Gold foil printing looks great on the black stock and complements the photo’s gold frame border.
  • Holiday Gathering (Design 78ECW) – They describe this as endearing & it is! Mama & Papa penguin are lovingly watching over their adorable, fluffy chicks. It’s just irresistible. This stock is white so you can print in either ink or foil.
  • Polar Bear Holiday (Design 81GCW) – White on white on white with little black noses. A captivating photo of mama & cubs bordered in gold. I really like the combination of gold printing on black stock. It’s rich and a bit unusual.
  • Holiday in the Park (Design H3ECW) – This is a charmer with a little flock of cheerful red cardinals surrounding a welcoming park bench and an old fashioned lamppost decorated with a holiday wreath. Makes you want to venture out for a nice winter walk.
  • Winter Parade (Design 72ECW) – I like the unexpected and you don’t usually think of wild mustangs when you think of holiday cards! Great action-packed winter scene and a definite stand-out.

Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest – Sixth Round Winners

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Congratulations to the winners from the Sixth Round of voting in the Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest!

10 Designs moved on to the finalist round as a result of them finishing in the top 10 in voting, plus, our scholarship team also used our 1 save available to us on the design submitted by Madeline Andrews. A beautiful pumpkin themed entry which clearly has great technique and took a lot of time to finish.

Check out the top 10 vote getters and the saved design that are moving onto the finalist round in the gallery below.

Greeting Cards Highlight – Religious Christmas Cards

I think of myself as a religious person; I go to Church on Sunday and always try my best to turn the other cheek. It dawned on me while I was choosing my yearly Christmas card that I should be sending religious Christmas cards, after all Jesus is the reason for the season. I decided on a Nativity scene and narrowed it down to these:

Peace Joy Love Christmas Card
Peace Joy Love Christmas Card – Design 773CX

 

Gilded Nativity (Design 79PCX) – This card is all foil so it is very dramatic and it is also the Gallery Collection Scholarship winner. Hard to believe a young student has so much talent.
Peace Joy Love (Design 773CX) – This triptych illustration is so peaceful and joyful it really lives up to its name. Depictions of the three wise men, the shepherds with their flock and in the center Mary and Baby Jesus make this design a beautiful Nativity.
Song of the Angels (Design 657CX) – This painting is a masterpiece by Adolphe-William Bouguereau and I love the way it is bordered with gold foil setting off the golden hair of the angels
Stained Glass Nativity (Design 133CX) – This design is very cleverly put together-each one of the wise men are set in their own stained glass panel with Mary and Jesus facing them in the last panel.
Madonna Adoring the Christ Child (Design 74MCW) – Madonna Adoring the Christ Child is a painting by Correggio framed with an ornate pattern of gold foil.

It is so difficult to choose from such a wide variety I am getting three different designs; Song of the Angels, Madonna adoring the Christ Child, and Gilded Nativity!

Holiday Party Ideas That Won’t Break The Budget

Throwing a party doesn’t have to break your budget. There are lots of simple things you can do that don’t cost a lot, but make a great impression.

Holiday_Party_Ideas

Keep decorations simple. There are probably things that you already have that can be used to decorate your space. Some ideas:

1. Fill a glass bowl with red ornaments to use as a centerpiece.
2. Hang Christmas tree ornaments around the house or space. Christmas tree ornaments can be hung on just about anything, not just the tree.
3. Holiday table cloths or runners can be used to decorate the mantel, end tables.
4. Pull out photos from Christmas’s past and hang them around the room. They will make for great conversation as well as look great!

Keep the menu simple. Finger foods are a great way to do this. There are a variety of premade options that you can buy at the grocery store or food clubs. If you want to make your own, you’ll save even more. Try to have a variety of types of dips and chips and crudite. Try to have a variety of colors. Serve the food on colorful platters.

Another thing you can do is to ask your guests to bring their signature dish. They may enjoy showing off their dish and it will help keep your costs down, while creating a varied menu.

Most of all remember the purpose of a Holiday Party is to enjoy the season with those your care about and to be grateful for the good things we have in life. Relax and enjoy!

5 Employee Gift Ideas For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we reflect on things and people we are thankful for. It’s a perfect time to show appreciation for the hard work your employees put in throughout the year. Below are five gift ideas to acknowledge the value of your employees during Thanksgiving.

Have a Great Thanksgiving Card
Have a Great Thanksgiving Card – Design 74WCX

 

1. Thanksgiving Cards – Greeting cards are an inexpensive, but thoughtful way to show thanks. Personalize the cards with their names and a message wishing them and their families a Happy Thanksgiving. If you have the time, hand deliver the cards to each employee – it’s a nice way to personally communicate that you value them as individuals and opens the door to learn a little about them.

2. Wine – Depending on the nature of your business, a small bottle of wine may be appropriate. If you’re looking to go the extra mile, decorate the top of the bottle with some festive string! Whether your employees choose to enjoy it with their family or give as a gift to someone else, it is a great way to spread seasonal joy.

3. Pie – If your business is a bit too conservative for wine, perhaps you could spread thanks with holiday pies. Apple, pumpkin, pecan, blueberry – choose one, or let your employees choose! They’ll appreciate the thought and be relieved to have something to bring to their relative’s Thanksgiving dinner.

4. Gift Card – Thanksgiving and the holiday season in general tend to become expensive. A generic or supermarket gift card is a considerate gesture for an employee Thanksgiving gift. The flexibility of a gift card allows them to spend it on whatever will make their holiday more special.

5. Potluck/Banquet – Whether you choose to rent a space or coordinate employees to bring their own dishes, a spread of food is always a well-received gesture. Let employees sit, relax and socialize with one another over a good meal. Don’t be shy to have a seat yourself and join in!

Whether it’s giving a gift or sharing some words, the saying “it’s the thought that counts” carries more weight than you may think. Regardless of your budget there is always a way to show appreciation for the people who help run your business. This season, take the time to thank them.

Who Should Sign the Company Christmas Cards?

When it comes to signing your company Christmas cards, there are a number of factors to consider.

Happy Holiday Trees Christmas Card
Happy Holiday Trees Christmas Card – Design H1RCX

 

First off, decide whether the cards will be imprinted with a person or person’s name or just the company name. If you are printing the company name inside the Christmas card without any personal names, then here are some options for both small and larger businesses.

Smaller Businesses
• Have the entire staff sign the cards. Keep in mind, this can take awhile and usually only recommended with a staff of 6 or less.
• Owner signs each of the cards – possibly writing a little extra note to the most valued clients.
• Owner has someone else sign the cards on behalf of him or her.

Mid to Large Size Businesses
It is generally not practical to ask an entire staff or department with more than 6 people to individual hand sign cards and, typically, the result is not aesthetically pleasing either. Here are some alternatives to consider:

• Imprinting the executives’ names inside the card and having them (or designates) to hand sign above the imprinted names on smaller quantities.
• On larger quantities it is generally recommended to have a signature plate made for the order. Doing so enables each executive or department staff, to sign only once and having that signed paper turn into a special plate to reproduce the signatures on each of the cards.
• When larger groups of people are signing, the results are often best when the signatures are offset by a graphic, such as the company logo, to provide a focal point.

Remember, whomever signs the company Christmas cards, be sure they do so with a good quality pen for best results.

What To Serve At An Office Christmas Party

For the first time, I have been put in charge of this year’s holiday festivities. So the big question is – What to serve at an office Christmas party? I’ve honestly not given it much thought before. I usually just show up and the food is there. Isn’t it funny how we think that this just magically happens?

Serve_Office_Christmas_Party

As I started my planning, I was thinking that I want it to be fun and festive. However, I don’t want it to become overly complicated. With that in mind, I began to research my options. I came up with the following ideas:

  1. Foods that can be kept warm in chafing dishes. Baked ziti, chicken marsala, sausage with peppers, etc.
  2. Tossed salad (I would only offer a few different dressing types)
  3. Rolls (splurge for the individual butter portions, if budget allows)
  4. Easy to eat treats for dessert, such as cookies and brownies.
  5. Bottled water, coffee & tea

You can also go potluck, and ask your fellow employees if they would like to contribute. Post a sign up sheet so people can sign up and enter what they would like to bring. Otherwise you may wind up with multiples of the same thing. This will allow your fellow employees the chance to participate while showing of their favorite holiday specialty!