I live for themed parties. Spirit week in school always had me excited, and I love going to events that require a costume or very specific decorations. So, when our department was put in charge of hosting our company's St. Patrick's Day happy hour, I couldn't have been happier (see what I did there). Also, after my birthday and Christmas, St. Patrick's Day is my favorite holiday, mainly because my red hair is truly appreciated.
We had a lot of work to do and a limited budget, but I think what we managed to create was pretty fantastic! We tried to have as much fun with the theme as possible and really let our creativity shine. Helping to plan office events is a great way to get yourself noticed by your coworkers (hopefully in a positive way) and show everyone that you are a true team player. Scroll down to see some of our decorations and set-up.
We drew people into the happy hour by telling them they would meet a 'real' leprechaun. In fact, we had one of our redheaded coworkers dress up like a leprechaun, so pretty much the same thing. We also had a little guessing game and fun holiday-themed prizes (green patterned socks, a green tiara and other paraphernalia).
The food for our office happy hours is usually done pot-luck style, with everyone from the responsible departments bringing something different. We tried to keep most of the food green in color, but couldn't resist the little shamrock descriptors. If you're going to be witty about your food items, you at least want people to get it.
For the dessert, one of my coworkers made Lucky Charms Rice Krispie treats, which were delicious and perfectly on-theme! You can find a recipe to make your own here.
Since we actually had to work for most of the day, we didn't have a ton of time for elaborate decorations. However, there were definitely touches of green everywhere you looked.
This rainbow was hands down my favorite part of the entire event. We were going to make a balloon arch rainbow, but when that turned out to be too much of a time commitment, we opted for tissue paper instead. It was definitely the centerpiece of the happy hour and was a great photo backdrop. Of course, that's also where we set up the 'real' leprechaun.
Are you really the hostesses of a successful party if you don't take a picture to commemorate the occasion?
Manners Moral: Whenever a holiday comes around, take full advantage of the theme and throw an amazing party. Also, the office doesn't have to be all stuffy suits and boardrooms. Establish yourself as the hard-working social butterfly in your office by helping with different internal events.