Serious question about work Christmas party.

just an idea wrote:

I'd guess that if they're good and look professionally done, people will ask and word will get around via word-of-mouth. No need for the card. How big is the party?

Yes, her stuff is very good! I suppose there could be 30 people. Nothing too big.

Darn right. I'd make them pay at the holiday party, nothing is free anymore and who cares what people think. Just go in there and take a sh1t on all the other food so they have to pay for your wife's stuff or go hungry all night. Capitalism rules who cares about decency?

It will only be considered tacky/offensive under two conditions:

1. You try and sell them at the party

2. You are not liked at work. If you (and your wife) are generally well-liked by your co-workers, you can get away with things (this being one of them) that will get your disliked co-workers skewered.

Just if you bring your wife, don't let her drink too much.

I don't think it is tacky. I think you should have brought in samples before this to help promote your wife side project.

What kind of company makes employees bring their own food to an office party?

Session 5 wrote:

WhitePony wrote:

Does the box they come in have any type of logo on it?

When she mails stuff out to her internet customers, she puts the goods in a small bag with her company logo on it. For the xmas party, I suspect we'd just put the goods out on a platter/tray. However, the little sign would probably have her logo.

Put the bags on the table and put some product on a platter adding a donated by hercompany.com card is fine.

I always bring professionally made dishes to pot lucks and I always give the pros credit.

Agreed, its not the best time or place to do that. You are supposed to bring a gift for a Christmas party. Many would see this not as strictly a Christmas gift but as you using this as a promo opportunity (you getting something back in return).

Put a sign up somewhere in a common area in the office before the Christmas party. Don't advertise your product with a sign during the party. (If people like the treat, they can refer back to the sign)

PS Word of mouth at the party about the product and where to get it is fine (assuming its done with finesse)

My wife's true passion is also baking. She is asked by many to make their birthday cake. I can tell you that a little sign might seem tacky. What I would do is let people know verbally if they compliment you on her treats. I do that and have found that people feel like they are getting someone no one else has. your sign might make your wife seem desperate. Beside everyone "knows someone, who is the BEST baker..."

We get requests for her to bake plenty.

Blah Blah Blah Blah wrote:

Its tacky. It would be better if you somehow supplied a label on where they were from without the outright solicitation.

^^^^ I agree with this ^^^^^

Put me in the "bring them" and just make sure people know that you brought them and how your wife bakes them for sale.

I see a very easy solution:

Put everything in one of those professional looking baker's or presentation boxes that also happens to have your logo/address printed somewhere on it. Have them served on the table out of that box. The items will look like they were taken directly from the store/delivered from the site to the party. You won't look like you are intentionally advertising. Similar to if you had a Carvel cake being served out of one of their boxes.

PC Bro wrote:

Christmas Party????? WTF!

How offense is this towards Jews and Muslim. Unbelievable.

Welcome to 2015.

Do yourself a favor and call it holiday party, like everyone else.

Thank you. Be PC.

lol, was waiting for a response like this.

Just remember that "holiday" is derived from "Holy Day", from Latin Christians :-)

To the OP:

A small business card with a promo code for your co-workers should be fine. Your wife is going up against other folks' homemade goods. Surely, her desserts will be significantly better than the "amateur" goods surrounding hers on the table, and everyone will wanna know where they came from, anyway, right? :-)

A serious q wrote:

What kind of company makes employees bring their own food to an office party?

That was my thought. Don't think you have to worry about being tacky if your employer sponsors a "potluck" party. I'm guessing your wife's dessert will be the highlight.

Word to the wise: Watch out for the deviled eggs

Thanks again everyone. I talked to my wife about this last night. She's going to make some desserts and I'm going to lay them out on a plate/tray without saying anything about where they came from. Only if someone asks about their origin will I say anything.

Bring some business cards with the website on them. That way if anyone asks where they came from you are prepared with a card.

about these desserts... are we talking pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate and dusted in red granulated sugar, santa clause cookies with a cotton candy beard, reindeer turds, peanut butter blossoms...?