With all the excitement that this season brings, many businesses and offices around town are bound to be dreading the annual office Christmas party. You know the drill: co-workers huddled into small groups around the office, pilfering from a meat and cheese tray (probably purchased that same morning at Wal-Mart); everyone is attempting to make small talk, but all anyone can really talk about is... work.
This year, I’m here to help. I’ve searched high and low to come up with a list of fun, interactive alternatives to that boring, same-old-same-old Christmas party.
Starry Nights at Shelby Farms Park: November 29-December 27. Starry Nights is the Mid-South’s largest holiday light show, featuring over 2 million lights! Take goofy photos with Santa (to hang in the office break room, or course), visit the Petting Zoo, then roast s’mores and drink hot chocolate around the campfire. But how to do it as a group? Charter the Backbeat bus, of course! Everything you can do in the office, you can do on the bus—drink, gab, even share Wal-Mart appetizers (if you must), but you’ll finally have something to talk about besides work. Call us at (901) 527-9415 or visit this website for more information.
Volunteer. Want to show just how well your office works as a team while also giving to the community? Why not become a designated drop-site for the Memphis chapter of Toys for Tots! To become an official Toys for Tots drop-site, fill out your company’s information here. Office not quite set up for easy toy-drop access? Host a clothing drive party! Have every one clean out their closets, then donate the items to the local Salvation Army (hello, tax deduction!) or even a homeless shelter. Perhaps your staff would like to spend time making gifts that make a huge difference? In that case, a care package assembly line might be right for you. Make care packages (snacks, drinks, puzzle books, magazines, etc.) for family members of hospice patients at Mid-South hospitals or for our troops overseas! Click Here for more great volunteering ideas.
Beer-tasting parties. With the four new microbreweries in town, there are plenty of opportunities to let your inner elf shine through! Take your colleagues on a trip to any of these popular spots where they can learn about the process, recipes, and even taste some of those home-grown beers y’all want to try. If you like, we can combine them all into one single tour for you, accompanied by some of the best Memphis music you’ve ever heard! Memphis Made Brewery, High Cotton Brewing, Wiseacre Brewing Co. & Ghost River Brewery
Meagan May, Backbeat Guide and Party Planner Extraordinaire