How to Keep Your Company Party from Turning Deadly (Boring, that Is)

When it comes to company holiday parties, I have been to some real snoozefests.

There was the time we drove to a bar in Iowa, set up shop in an empty room with a concrete floor, and had a cheap boombox for Christmas songs. I still can't go to Iowa without a couple of sessions of therapy in advance of the trip.

Then there was the time we got all dressed up, sat around a table with a bunch of Ph.D.s, and talked about political theory. My wife still hasn't forgiven me for that boring three hours she'll never get back.

Yawn!

But I've also been to some pretty good company holiday parties. The best one was where I ended up drinking tequila out of a brand new toilet bowl plunger.

On second thought, that party was probably a little TOO much fun.

Actually, several decent holiday parties and their activies come to mind. What made them fun was, well, fun. And participation. And getting people to mix. Ok, and a little alcohol. (But never, never, never get drunk at your company party or your spouses. That's a good way to get fired or worse, arrested for DUI on the way home. Don't be stupid.)

At the infamous toilet bowl plunger party, before things got out of hand, several of us were assigned to write a funny Christmas-like song about our firm. Yes, that could be really hard. But several of us with odd senses of humor and no desire to ever get promoted wrote a memorable song that included some reference to everyone in our organization. It was a great hit that led, in part, to drinking tequila out of a toilet bowl plunger.

At another one, someone had spent considerable time putting together questions about the history of our company. We were divided into teams and played a game show for actual prizes. It got real competitive real fast. I think I won a pair of jumper cables or something.

At yet another holiday company party, after a rather boring holiday dinner, we all went bowling. We bowled a line or two fairly sober. Then we added twists like having to bowl with your leg tied to your partner's leg. And drinking beer. That was also a fun one.

A more family oriented company party had folks a board game at their dinner table. There were different board games at each table. It was a little sedate but it turned the event into more of a family-style holiday post-dinner event. People who didn't know each other--which is often the case because of the spouses and so forth--got to interact with others in a rather safe but social manner. Plus, no one could touch me in Trivial Pursuits.

Anyway, the point is that there can be more than uncomfortable small talk and rubber chicken at your next company holiday gathering. Businesses depend on creativity to be competitive. Use a little of it for your own holiday party. Your non-work spouse will thank you afterwards.