the office holiday pole decorating contest

Yep, you read that right. In our office this year, we held our second annual Holiday Pole Decorating Contest. We work in a retrofitted 1960's office building (very mid-century). The cubes and office walls have been moved here and there over the decades. The most recent remodel about six years ago left ugly black structural poles exposed and sitting in the middle of the aisles.

Last Christmas the whole floor (I.T. team) had a pole decorating contest. I covered mine in Post-its.

It took a couple of hours to decorate. I used paperclips for garland. I didn't win.

Even my colleague who made this awesome tree last year didn't win.

I don't have a picture of last year's winner but suffice it to say, it was pretty clever.

This year, we could sense people were taking it up a notch. Understand that there is a lot at stake. Not only bragging rights (the I.T. Crowd can be very competitive), but we charge a nominal entry fee for the pole decorating contest. Everyone on the floor votes and winner takes all the entry fee bucks. Kind of like a football pool except all skill and no luck.

First is my pole. I decided to increase my effort a little, and rather than simply re-purposing office supplies, I went online and ordered decorating materials from Target.

And then shipping taped them to a pole. I had a whole pole decorated in under an hour.

My pole drove me a little crazy this year. Every morning it would be sort of falling apart. And I would have to tape it all back up. At this point it is covered in tape. My construction skills are a little lacking.

I really adore this next pole. So Christmasy!

I was told this pole's decorating committee had an actual spec they were working off of as they put it together. Very pretty. Makes me smile every time I walk by.

Here is a super cool pole. You know you are dealing with I.T. when they turn a pole into a technology opportunity.

Yep QR codes. These ingenious technologists invented a "Find a Santa" hunt with QR code clues. I giggled a little at the people wandering around the building with their iPhones, playing their Christmas game.

In the "Bad Pole" category, the Vixen pole takes the cake.

Naught or Nice?
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen...Comet and
Cupid and Donder and Blitzen..., but do you recall, the most INfamous
Reindeer of all...???

Poor Vixen the reindeer is a pole dancer. Honestly, it just had to be done (but don't tell HR).

These pole decorators put fat Santa on a diet. The sign says "Even Santa is Going to the Cloud."

Mr. Santa is actually life size. Except for his tummy. He startled me the first time I ran into him.

And the I.T. jokes just keep on coming.

One of the cutest poles from last year was the North Pole. The ever so talented pole decorator did a repeat because she kept all the stuff under her desk for a year.

We I.T. folk can be a bit of the pack rats.

This Christmas tree pole is FABULOUS. On first glance, no one could really figure out how it was constructed or what it was made out of. Later we learned these pole architects used tons and tons of fake garland. It looks like a real tree.

This is a wonderfully elaborate pole, decorated to the hilt. We hear the team nearly worked on it all night.

The 2013 Pole Decorating Award Winners

Drum roll please. The Third Place award went to . . . an "Old-Fashioned Dickens Street Light" pole.

The pictures don't do justice. The street light is actually all well constructed wood frames. During an earthquake, I am going to stand next to this pole. The candles at the top really light up. Nice touch.

Lucky for me this pole sits right outside my office. I am hoping the creator leaves it up year-round, and then I can decorate it for all the holidays -- hearts for Valentine's Day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, you get the general idea.


Second Place went to "The Christmas Fireplace" pole.

Yes, Virginia, that is an iPad fire. We are such geeks.

This pole is just way beyond cute. Very intricate and pretty. I am told that two I.T. guys and one of their wives came in and did it. But it was really the guys who did most of the work. So clever.

And FIRST PLACE goes to "The Thirsty Snowman." Remember this was winner take all on the entry fees so they get the prize loot to boot!

A snowman constructed entirely from paper cups. One of the collaborators said she saw the idea on Pinterest. Another great use of the world wide web.

How clever is that? Rumor has it that the team had a few supply issues. They under estimated cups needed and made a few late night cup runs mid-decorating. Extremely creative pole and a lot of work!

I love our office spirit! Sure we could easily be parodied on a number of TV shows or in a Dilbert cartoon. But, I appreciate that we enthusiastically embraced BOTH our inner geek AND the holidays! Super efficient.

Which pole is your favorite? Or do you love them all for different reasons?

Please leave a comment and tell all of us at The Office!

Related Posts:

• Christmas Lights Mid-Century Style
• Christmas Begins in Corona del Mar
• Christmas in October: Roger's Gardens