nunya
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 3 
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Post by nunya on Aug 26, 2015 10:18:27 GMT 9
Hi all.... I'm hoping that maybe someone here has some kind of experience, because I sure don't....
I just found out I'm expected to give a quick (10 minute) presentation to my town's International Association about what I'd like to do for a Christmas event, i.e., "what is Christmas like in America". But, I've got two major issues.
First, they want me to leave out religion as much as possible. I love the commitment to separate church and state, but at the same time isn't Christmas fundamentally a religious holiday? Wouldn't it be missing the point to not discuss the religious aspect?
Second, I've got NO personal experience with Christmas. Like, none. Not that I have any objection to it, I just have no idea how to even approach an event like this. I've been digging through some old event reports, but I can't find anything.
Anyways, if anyone has any experience putting on adult-oriented Christmas events, I'd appreciate any feedback you have, since right now all I can think of is "put up a Christmas tree and sing Christmas Carols"
Thanks!
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Post by snell_mouse on Aug 26, 2015 10:25:43 GMT 9
Oh this is meant for adults?? I was going to suggest making gingerbread houses or reading The Night Before Christmas or something, haha. But a Christmas tree and carols sound good?
I think it's worth mentioning that it is originally a religious holiday and many people celebrate it as such, but if they don't want you to focus on it then a slight disclaimer at the beginning is probably fine. When I did a Christmas event I said something like "this is actually a Christian holiday, but there are many people who celebrate Christmas without any religious aspect too" (like my family).
Maybe you could compare Christmas and Japanese New Year's? Like, everybody goes back to their 実家 and spends it with their families (sometimes extended families) and eats meals together and stuff.
Is it supposed to be a presentation or an event where people actually do stuff? Maybe you could play games like White Elephant (with little things or snacks) or...(can't really think of other Christmas games)
Though if you personally don't have any experience with Christmas I think this could be hard. Have you mentioned that to your coworkers?
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nunya
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 3
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Post by nunya on Aug 26, 2015 10:39:18 GMT 9
Thanks for the info, I'll definitely go the white elephant route!
...and yes... I did mention that I've got no experience... they kinda just brushed that one off haha.
Thanks again!
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Post by snell_mouse on Aug 26, 2015 10:42:25 GMT 9
Seems silly to ask you to hold an event based on something you have no personal experience with. :/ Good luck!  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2015 11:11:30 GMT 9
you know what, im an adult and i would still love to make a gingerbread house. that sounds so much fun! unfortunately they wont let me do cooking events here T_T nunya, good luck, i dont have anything else to add but what snell said. except to say that i also think its quite unfair of them to ask you to do an event about something you have no experience with! oh, actually. maybe you could play some christmas type games for adults. in the UK, these are traditionally played on boxing day (dec. 26th). heres some ideasespecially stuff like charades, pictionary etc. they arent only for xmas but if i were to think about xmas games, thats what i would come up with. |
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod 
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,153
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Dec 13, 2016 9:17:05 GMT 9
HEY. Someone please help me. I'm taking part in my town's xmas party/event this weekend and one of my tasks is to come up with and lead a christmas themed dance. And I don't know what the fuck to do. First I assumed it was for the kids to do, so I looked up a cute choreographed dance that goes along with Jingle Bells...but then the tantosha rejected it becauese it was too kiddy and "adults are going to want to dance too." So now I have to think of an all-ages christmas themed dance...which I just don't think is a thing in AMERIKA NO KULISUMASU BUMKA. Last year apparently they did a Finish dance and song, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letkajenkka , but idk if we have an American equivalent, or maybe I'm forgetting something. |
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Post by King Quailbee on Dec 13, 2016 10:13:59 GMT 9
Just square dance and lie.
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Post by The Occasional Freighnos on Dec 13, 2016 10:16:16 GMT 9
Yeah I'm pretty sure there's no such thing. Teach them the Electric Slide or something.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 10:26:05 GMT 9
do the Macarena, Cha Cha Slide, the Wobble, Cupid Shuffle, Cotton-Eyed Joe, etc.
wearing Santa hats
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2016 10:26:54 GMT 9
prize of some kind of treat for best KURISUMASU KOSUPURE
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,153
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Dec 13, 2016 10:30:15 GMT 9
Hmm, okay. Maybe I'll do cha cha slide because YAY EIGO RENSYU.
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Post by no yark shark on Dec 13, 2016 10:52:20 GMT 9
Just square dance and lie. the American way.  |
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,153
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Dec 14, 2016 13:20:14 GMT 9
I suggested to the tantousha that we just do cha cha slide and she said "「Cha-cha slide 」、まわりの意見も聞いてみてください。" But everyone around me is so busy doing important things (and none of them are involved in the christmas party planning) and I don't want to be like, "Hey everyone stop what you're doing and tell me what you think about the cha cha slide" So maybe I'll just lie and say everyone loved it.  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 14:04:10 GMT 9
OR:
the Jingle Bell Rock routine from Mean Girls
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Post by no yark shark on Dec 14, 2016 14:06:51 GMT 9
OR: the Jingle Bell Rock routine from Mean Girls hue I was thinking this too |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 14:13:35 GMT 9
would they even know what the Cha Cha Slide is though?
do you have to show them a video when you ask what they think?
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Mumblesnore
Dead Stargod
’Tis the season (for Eggnog)
Posts: 16,153
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by Mumblesnore on Dec 14, 2016 14:24:27 GMT 9
Yes.
That's why I don't want to do it.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2016 14:29:11 GMT 9
understandable
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Post by miscreative on Jun 21, 2021 16:59:16 GMT 9
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Tsubasakei
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 9
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Shizuoka
Gender (Pronouns): she/her/hers
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Post by Tsubasakei on Oct 5, 2021 13:31:47 GMT 9
Hi, I'm thinking about doing a Christmas event. Do you guys think gift exchange is a good idea?
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Post by Aya Raincoat on Oct 5, 2021 13:46:15 GMT 9
Hi, I'm thinking about doing a Christmas event. Do you guys think gift exchange is a good idea? I guess it depends who it's for? It's kind of hard to balance properly, so I think I'd avoid it. Or if you do, you'd better set very clear rules like specifying if they should be joke gifts (but then people complain about it being a waste of money), or setting the spending limits to only 110 yen at some HYAKKIN. It's sad when you make efforts to give something good, only to get something crappy in return
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Tsubasakei
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 9
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Shizuoka
Gender (Pronouns): she/her/hers
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Post by Tsubasakei on Oct 5, 2021 13:57:40 GMT 9
Hi, I'm thinking about doing a Christmas event. Do you guys think gift exchange is a good idea? I guess it depends who it's for? It's kind of hard to balance properly, so I think I'd avoid it. Or if you do, you'd better set very clear rules like specifying if they should be joke gifts (but then people complain about it being a waste of money), or setting the spending limits to only 110 yen at some HYAKKIN. It's sad when you make efforts to give something good, only to get something crappy in return
Thank you for the advice!! I was really hesitant on the idea, so I guess I will stick with tree decorate, gingerbread house and maybe other things! |
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Post by Aya Raincoat on Oct 5, 2021 14:07:29 GMT 9
I guess it depends who it's for? It's kind of hard to balance properly, so I think I'd avoid it. Or if you do, you'd better set very clear rules like specifying if they should be joke gifts (but then people complain about it being a waste of money), or setting the spending limits to only 110 yen at some HYAKKIN. It's sad when you make efforts to give something good, only to get something crappy in return
Thank you for the advice!! I was really hesitant on the idea, so I guess I will stick with tree decorate, gingerbread house and maybe other things! If you want to do something with gifting, you could always prepare one of those games where you have to open a gift that's over taped while wearing oven mitts! Or prepare the same thing for everyone (depending on your budget) Oh, or maybe a card exchange instead of gifts
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Tsubasakei
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 9
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Shizuoka
Gender (Pronouns): she/her/hers
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Post by Tsubasakei on Oct 5, 2021 14:10:41 GMT 9
Thank you for the advice!! I was really hesitant on the idea, so I guess I will stick with tree decorate, gingerbread house and maybe other things! If you want to do something with gifting, you could always prepare one of those games where you have to open a gift that's over taped while wearing oven mitts! Or prepare the same thing for everyone (depending on your budget) Oh, or maybe a card exchange instead of gifts
Like gift card exchange? |
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Post by Aya Raincoat on Oct 5, 2021 14:15:39 GMT 9
If you want to do something with gifting, you could always prepare one of those games where you have to open a gift that's over taped while wearing oven mitts! Or prepare the same thing for everyone (depending on your budget) Oh, or maybe a card exchange instead of gifts
Like gift card exchange? Oh, I guess that could work too, but I meant greeting cards! |
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Tsubasakei
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 9
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Shizuoka
Gender (Pronouns): she/her/hers
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Post by Tsubasakei on Oct 5, 2021 14:23:44 GMT 9
Greeting cards sounds great!! I was thinking about making gingerbread ornaments then decorate the tree, the making greeting card for exchange sounds great! |
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Post by miscreative on Oct 5, 2021 16:16:24 GMT 9
Greeting cards sounds great!! I was thinking about making gingerbread ornaments then decorate the tree, the making greeting card for exchange sounds great! we're doing salt dough ornaments (either the recipe linked above or a straight salt dough one) i thought about doing a white elephant gift exchange, by having them bring a 500 yen gift (a bit like byob for potlucks) but people might not like the pressure? i guess? and it would be hard to explain in the chirashi? so we thought about arranging the gifts ourselves but... in the end we went for a kid/family focused event with no gifts. you could do it so that if they bring a gift they can participate in the gift exchange. that way, if someone forgets, it doesnt ruin it for everyone |
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Tsubasakei
Straight outta Narita
Posts: 9
CIR Experience: 1st year
Location: Shizuoka
Gender (Pronouns): she/her/hers
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Post by Tsubasakei on Oct 12, 2021 11:13:20 GMT 9
Greeting cards sounds great!! I was thinking about making gingerbread ornaments then decorate the tree, the making greeting card for exchange sounds great! we're doing salt dough ornaments (either the recipe linked above or a straight salt dough one) i thought about doing a white elephant gift exchange, by having them bring a 500 yen gift (a bit like byob for potlucks) but people might not like the pressure? i guess? and it would be hard to explain in the chirashi? so we thought about arranging the gifts ourselves but... in the end we went for a kid/family focused event with no gifts. you could do it so that if they bring a gift they can participate in the gift exchange. that way, if someone forgets, it doesnt ruin it for everyone That sounds great too! I was thinking gift exchange, but I guess there could be many thing that can go wrong with it so I'm having second thoughts on just making cookie ornaments. |
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Post by miscreative on Nov 26, 2021 15:46:53 GMT 9
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