New Year Celebration: 31.12.2014

Two days before Christmas Eve, the Secret Santa popped in our mailbox. We were getting a chance to become Santa and spread a smile on someone’s face. All we have to do is pick a chit from Vrushali’s desk; find what the person likes/dislikes and then buy an appropriate gift for him/her and submit it till 30.12.2014. The Secret Santa activity was managed by Vrushali Darade and Nikhil Deshmukh. 

I asked Ravindra, “What do you want from your Secret Santa?” With a curious look he asked, “Are you my Secret Santa?” I said, “No. But Santa will come and ask me right! So I should have an answer.” He said, “Fastrack watch”. Pretending as if I didn’t hear that, “What?” He exclaimed, “Fastrack watch! Fastrack watch! Fastrack watch!” I asked for option two. To this he answered, “Take an envelope, and put money in that. I will buy whatever I want” That very evening, his Secret Santa actually asked me about him! We had a laugh over the “Fastrack watch”. We thought giving cash was a better option. The idea of Flipkart voucher came to Santa’s mind. The very next day: “What did you say to my Secret Santa?” “Your message is conveyed. Wait for you gift” I know similar conversations would have taken place between friends on the floor.

“Feeling GRATITUDE and not expressing it is like wrapping a PRESENT and not giving it.”

If I have to say “THANK YOU” to someone, I will take any odd or even path to do so. Here the activity was quite simple. We have to write “Thank you Cards”; thanking all the people we want to and put it into the drop-box at Priyanka Salvi's desk till 30.12.2014. This activity was managed by Jagruti Singavi. And if it’s Jagruti then Madhura Chodankar is always an Add-on. 

The last week of Year 2014: the creative team (PS and others) was all set for the preparations of the New Year Party. The drop-box was full with thank you messages. Vrushali’s desk and drawers were filled with Secret Santa gifts. The floor was decorated for the New Year's Eve. Finally, we got the invitation:

 On New Year's Eve, we were greeted by this masterpiece at the entrance:

IT-made X-mas Tree

We had to pick up the props from Sonakshi’s desk (prop responsibility being entrusted on her). Girls got the Wizard Hats and Boys got the Pirate eye-patch. All got the Pirate spyglass. My desk had a gift by Secret Santa and Thank you cards. Thanks to all who did put in efforts; to sort all the Thank you cards and all the gifts and put those on the respective desks before everyone arrived in office. This was a sweet surprise! Everyone was busy in opening the gifts and showing those to friends. At Ravindra’s desk: “You got the gift!” “No re. Sirf, Thank you cards hai” “Arey, check your desk properly! Envelope kahin chhupake rakha hoga!” “Pranita Warik, I know that you know what the gift is and where it is; hence you are pulling my leg”. I was enjoying keeping the suspense. I really wanted him to get the surprise; so I was quiet.

As always the Family Photo-shoot on KTS ground, we even included HR, Shivaditya Banerjee:

Back to the floor: we were divided into ten groups. First game was a Jigsaw puzzle of belowe below image:

Word games consisted of crosswords & word search on the Solar System. Then we had to draw the Organization Chart, the one we have in HRIT, starting from our GM Systems to all the Managers. The next game was separating the beans; there were eight different pulses. We had the cake cutting and cake eating session:

I took four pieces of cake, of which Ravindra ate one. Finally, he got the gift and said, “I got a Flipkart voucher, abhi mail check kiya. Say thank you to my Secret Santa! By the way who was that?” I did not reveal the name and so our Tom n Jerry fights began, which was always an entertainment for Shailesh (who said, “Both are cartoons”) and Amey (who said, “Just listen to their dialogues”).  Now we miss that because the Jerry Mouse left.

Post lunch, there were many one-minute games like: making a pyramid of cups, throwing card in dustbin, polo & straw (like we have marble & spoon), sorting cards by given criteria (odd, even, prime) and blow the balloon and displace the glass. 

There was a lot of fun. We got the 3i Portal calendars for 2015. The day was wrapped up with snacks in the evening. So, this was the NEW YEAR PARTY on the IT floor.