Vmeals Holiday Party Highlights

If there's one thing we know how to do at Vmeals, it is how to throw a party. We had our holiday party last Friday, and here are a few of our tips for making any event festive:

Start with a great venue.

We had the privilege of holding our party at the University of Virginia's McCormick Observatory. High on a hill, this was the perfect place to view both the starry sky above and the city lights below, and made for a festive gathering spot. Inside the observatory was a ginormous telescope through which we were able to view Jupiter and get a detailed look at the full moon.

Attached to the observatory is museum and classroom space filled with light boxes of celestial images. Our host had set up on the big screen(which would later be used for karaoke) a projection of the night sky. It was the perfect back drop for the bar. Dawn, our business manager, and Susan, one of our fabulous CSRs, did a beautiful job decorating with lots of lights and greenery.

Make sure there's plenty to eat and drink.

We went with beer and wine to keep costs reasonable, and heavy hors d'oeuvres to make eating and mingling easier to manage. We felt like we took a bit of you all with us by filling the dessert table goodies made with your favorite cookie recipes.

Create special traditions.

The thing I look forward to the very most is Jon's Christmas sweater. It has become our special holiday tradition. Each year he sews on a new applique or adds some extra bling. We await its arrival (and Jon's) each year on pins and needles. It is not coincidence that he is pictured here next to the fire extinguisher - HOT!

Have some ice breakers.


Party games aren't just for children. A few low pressure activities can help ease that socially awkward ramp up time before the cocktails kick in. We started with Who Am I? Everyone had the name of a celebrity on their back and had to try to guess who they were by asking only yes/no questions. (I tried this with 8 year olds - not the same  - at all.)

The big fun was when we played Pass the Present. This is kind of like musical chairs, but with a wrapped present. When the music stops, the person holding the gift gets to open it - with oven mitts on. There were many layers of ribbon, paper, and tissue that kept this interesting and hilarious.

It was a great evening with some awesome people and lots of effort by many to make it a beautiful night. We spend so much time with this work family, but it is really a treat to get away from the office and just enjoy good food, good spirits and good company.

Did your company have a holiday party? Tell us about it!

From the Vmeals family to yours, happy holidays!