For a company like Clarus Commerce, which promotes a positive, vibrant culture and has been named a Top CT Workplace multiple times in the past, the holiday season is a wonderful time of year.
Teams worked fast and furiously to decorate their respective cubes before the office holiday party was held on Dec. 18, which was a day filled with fun, creativity, and joy.
Cube Decorating Contest
The day started with departments scurrying around putting the final touches on their decorations for our annual cube decorating contest. Each team member was given a $10 budget to transform their area.
Team members brought their A game with creativity. We had themes such as Amazon, a Christmas crime scene, Reindeer Games, and even a spinoff from Christopher Walken on Saturday Night Live, just to name a few.
Ultimately, our Operations team earned a half day vacation prize with their Bad Santa Ugly Sweater Bar.
Ugly Sweater Contest
What holiday party could be complete without an ugly sweater contest?
Team members showed off their true fashion in this battle to the bitter end. These ghastly sweaters showcased everything from lights, to tinsel, to hideous pom poms.
The winner was Customer Service Supervisor Matt Granata, who walked away with an Amazon gift card.
White Elephant Gift Exchange
Clarus offers a spread of snacks, appetizers, and drinks for all to enjoy while participating in possibly the most anticipated event of the day: Our White Elephant Gift Exchange.
We had more than 80 participants bring in a $15 wrapped mystery gift. Everyone drew numbers and picked gifts in chronological order, while stealing some highly sought-after items from other teammates such as mule mugs, an iHome speaker, and perhaps a few bottles of wine or beer!
Watch out though!
What might appear to be a bottle of bourbon when wrapped might actually be a bottle of ranch in disguise!
Clarus Christmas Party at Mohegan Sun
Eleven days before our office party was the company’s annual holiday party held in the Cabaret Theatre at Mohegan Sun Casino.
Team members were encouraged to bring their spouses or significant others, and everyone was dressed to the nines.
Everyone mingled over drinks and appetizers and then enjoyed a delicious buffet-style dinner. As dinner was winding down, our CEO, Tom Caporaso, held a fireside chat with Joe LaCava, who is the caddie for Tiger Woods, who has won 14 major titles.
Joe has been working with Tiger since 2011, and previously worked with other golf legends such as Dustin Johnson and Freddie Couples for more than 20 years. Joe also is a member of the Board of Directors for The First Tee of CT–a charitable organization that impacts the lives of young people by providing education programs that builds character and instills values through the game of golf.
Joe shared with us his experiences of being a caddie, working with Tiger, as well as some of his own insights on achieving goals, collaboration, and motivation–some things we can all relate to here at Clarus. Joe’s time with Clarus was appreciated and well-received–his sense of humor elicited several moments of laughter as well as some impromptu questions from the team.
That night, many team members stayed over at Mohegan Sun or the nearby Hampton Inn and enjoyed the casino. About 150 people attended the party.
Tom noted that 2018 was our “best year yet,” stressing his pride in every team member. He is excited about the company’s performance in 2018 and is quite eager about the promise that 2019 holds.
Tom presented our annual four awards–three of which are voted by our fellow employees and one of his choice, the “Spotlight Award.”
The winners were:
Unsung Hero: Muhammad Khan, Marketing Operations Coordinator
Rookie of the Year: Matt Gajdosik, Senior Software Engineer
MVP: MaryBeth Iamonaco, Project Manager
Spotlight Award: Alyssa Callahan, Product Manager
Now Dash Away, Dash Away, Dash Away All
The holidays are a great time at Clarus. Everyone enjoys and anticipates the month of December and the festivities in store. We work hard and play hard and that permeates throughout the office where there is lots of laughter along with some friendly competition.
As this festive season coincides with a time for giving, our team enjoys giving back via our Clarus Cares program by participating in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program where it makes the holidays brighter for those in need in our local communities.
If you’re interested in joining the Clarus team, head over to our careers page and check out our culture video!
Erica Wilson
Erica Wilson is our Manager of Culture & Programs. She oversees our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program and special projects for company events and employee engagement. When she's not managing multiple projects and planning company events, Erica enjoys spending time with her family and attending concerts, plays and comedy shows.