Brady PT Christmas Party

Another Christmas has come and past and I once again had the great pleasure of planning the Brady Physical Therapy Christmas Party.  I love being apart of these parties because the owner is so creative.  We've never done a stand around, drink a cocktail and chat company party which is what I love about planning them.  We've done tours of San Francisco, a Murder Mystery, theater and dinner, a private magic show, a tour of the Giants Stadium and much more.

There are a few ground rules, though, when putting these parties together.
1. It's always a surprise to the employees.
2. Each employee can bring 1 guest.
3. If transportation is hired, it must be used for more than 1 trip (example: we must go at least 3 places; Point A to Point B to Point C and back, never just from Point A to Point B and back).

Being located in the San Francisco Bay Area has provided a variety of possible locations which has made the guessing game the staff plays prior to the night of the party quite fun.  This year we got questions like the usual, "How do we dress?.. 'What time will we be done?.. 'Where did you say we were going again?" to "Should people be concerned about their animal allergies?"  oh the joys of planning a surprise party.

This year, the boss wanted to show off the new clinic the company just moved into so we started the evening at the office.  We rearranged some of the equipment, added some holiday decorations and music, and set out some simply delicious appetizers.  This completely changed the atmosphere of the office.  The staff was able to give their guests a great tour of the office and mingle with some of the other employees.

Then, we played a fabulous game of Jeopardy.  The categories, which the owner and I worked on together, included; Physical Therapy, Brady Physical Therapy, Holidays, Bay Area Sports, San Mateo, and Foster City.  The different categories really represented the clinics past and present and everyone had some fun with the friendly competition.

After that, everyone headed over to the Melting Pot for some good old Fondue fun.  Fabulous food and great servers.  The staff then proceeded with their annual secret santa gift exchange.  The noise and laughter coming from our private room was a clear indication of the success of the party.
Always a good  time with the Brady clan.

The Brady PT staff group picture

The boss and wife having a good time

Some of the Brady Staff

Flowers at Weddings

As you start planning your wedding, what are the items are your check list?  You need something to wear, somewhere to be married, something to bring you there, someone to perform the ceremony, and something to hold?  Flowers have forever been a major part of the wedding ceremony and reception but why?  How did these beautiful accents provided by nature become such a needed item for wedding ceremonies across the world?
It's quite interesting actually. The use of flowers (and herbs) dates back to the ancient Greeks were originally part of the ceremony to show love and well wishes to everyone.   They were considered a gift from nature.
A wreath of herbs and garlic bulbs was placed on both the bride and grooms head to symbolize love and happiness and were thought to have magical power to ward off evil spirits.
At the reception, a kissing knot made up of rosemary and roses was hung above the heads of the bride and groom and head table.  This was said to bring love and good luck to everyone sitting at the table.
Flowers were also given to guests to ensure happiness and long lives.
Throughout the years, as superstition became less involved, flowers replaced the herbs but the tradition they started continued around the world.

In Germany, the bride and groom would hold candles with flowers and ribbons tied to them during the ceremony. 

In India, the grooms brother would sprinkle flower petals over the bride and groom at the end of the ceremony to help ward of any evil spirits. 

In Sweden, the bridesmaids would carry little bouquets of aromatic herbs and the groom would carry thyme in his pockets as they walked down the aisle to scare off any trolls. 

In Austria, the brides would crown their veils with the flowers of life. 

In England, the bride and her bridesmaids would walk to the church together. A small girl would lead them to the church while sprinkling flower blossoms along the path so the bride will have a life filled with flowers and happiness. This tradition is continued in modern weddings that have "flower girls.

Flower and Herb meanings:
http://www.victorianbazaar.com/meanings.html

Floral Resources

http://weddings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/History_of_Wedding_Flowers

http://www.2020site.org/wedding/wedding-flowers.html

Thanksgiving Luncheon

Last week, I had the pleasure of working with a fabulous client to put together a Thanksgiving Luncheon for about 70 people.  One of the challenges of this program was turning an ordinary meeting room into a dinning hall that surrounded the guests with the warmth of Thanksgiving.
How did we do it?
We started by setting the room up with long tables, very pilgrim 1st thanksgiving like.  Then we covered them with copper table cloths and added a chocolate runner to give some contract.  This addition of a second color really makes the table pop.  A runner was created out of fall leaves, gourds and indian corn.
On the walls we hung fall wreaths and to top it all off, a little Frank Sinatra played in the background.

Traditional Thanksgiving faire was served.  The buffet was completely decorated with pumpkins, hay, and a scarecrow.

Because we were able to change the setting into a more cozy environment, people felt comfortable sticking around and chatting with their coworkers.  It was nice to see people enjoying a little time away from their normal work day.

It truly turned out to be a great event.