How Was Your Holiday Party?

When people ask me what we did for our holiday party, this is the story that I tell. Our PMG holiday event this year was a weekend trip to Travaasa, an experiential resort in Austin. We rented the entire resort and were the only guests on the property of 70 guest rooms. Everyone got to bring a significant other. We cut out early on a Friday afternoon to arrive in Austin in time for our first activity:

First, we became mixologists at an event called the Art of the Cocktail. We divided into groups of 6 and using the same ingredients had 20 minutes to work as a team to create and name the perfect cocktail. This involved a lot of testing and tasting along with fun and bonding for the teams. The entries were very creative and (for the most part) pretty tasty. We went straight from there to a barbeque buffet seated at picnic tables to ensure a lot of lively conversation. This was followed by “make your own s’mores” on the patio.

The next day following a breakfast buffet there was a scavenger hunt for gift cards hidden throughout the property. Travaasa offers the opportunity to rest and relax at the spa or test your skills at a challenge course on the property. There is hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can do wine, beer, or whiskey tastings. Our holiday dinner was Saturday evening starting with cocktails and our dinner in a more formal setting with toasting and celebrating 2015. This was followed by dancing and more bonding on the patio. Our “after party” was held in The Parlor on the property and went on into the early morning hours.

The next morning after yet another buffet, we left the resort feeling relaxed and happy. This may sound like a sales pitch for the resort, but it is really to say that we feel lucky and privileged to work for a company that values its employees and supports these type of events. So, how was your holiday party?