'Deck your desks' competition

We've hosted a ‘deck your desks’ Christmas decorating contest for the second year running to bring some festive cheer to our offices and encourage healthy competition between our teams to win the coveted ‘best dressed desks’ award.
 
With no limit on what they could do and a £30 budget to go shopping, each team chose a suitable festive theme and enthusiastically decorated their workspace in an attempt to impress the judging panel – that’s our directors Julian Bryan, Tom Wormald and Eddie Smith.
 
Participating teams were required to submit photos and videos of their entry. Judging criteria included creativity, festivity and use of video content.
 
As a reward for their efforts, not only did the winning entrants earn celebrated top ranking amongst their colleagues, they gained yet another paid-for-by-Quill night out at their favourite eatery, with a round of drinks and cakes from a coffee shop for second place, and round of drinks from a coffee shop for third place.
 
Last year’s entries comprised everything from a mock fireplace complete with framed photos of the Christmas jumper-clad team members and toasting marshmallows to recreation of a scene from the popular Christmas film, Home Alone.
 
This year, they went all out to improve further still and the seven entries were:-

1. Abi in Liverpool: ‘Winter Wonderland’ featuring an abundance of hanging decorations, fake snow, tinsel galore, real candy canes, light-up snowman, Christmas stockings and flashing lights. (Watch video)
2. Eleanor in Liverpool: ‘Welcome to Whoville’ with the bank of desks transformed into a magical place decked with giant-sized candy canes and lollipops, dangling snowflakes, life-size cardboard front door and elf stuck in a Christmas tree. (Watch video)
3. Jason in Manchester: ’12 Days of Pinpoint’ consisting of a cardboard tree with twelve doors, each featuring a Quill-related item representing each of the twelve days. Our MD, Julian Bryan, was the fairy on top of the tree. (Watch video)
4. Kate in Liverpool: ‘Magical Woodland’ with an impressive over-the-desks construction of woodland and swinging icicles, coating of fake snow over the desks and chairs, collection of lanterns and flashing fairy lights, watched over by a polar bear. (Watch video)
5. Mark in Manchester: 'Polar Express' re-enactment of one of the singing scenes from the film with a cardboard replica of the train and even balloons mimicking smoke coming out of the engine. (Watch video)
6. Rebecca in Manchester: ‘Traditional Christmas’ with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree surrounded by wall hangings, banners and copious amounts of tinsel, fake snow and presents.
7. Redcar: ‘Before and After Santa's Visit' setting with the actual fireplace in the office providing a handy backdrop for a believable imitation of a homely living room. A later photo depicts the aftermath of Santa’s visit down the chimney and Santa escaping through the window.

 

After much deliberation, Mark’s team came first, Eleanor’s second and Jason’s third. We'd like to congratulate our employees for embracing the challenge, impressing the judges with their creativity and introducing a Christmassy atmosphere firm-wide.

Inspired by our teams' sterling efforts, one of our clients, Miles Fanning Legal Services, has decorated its own offices with an impressive makeshift gingerbread house, North Pole scene featuring Father Christmas as the figurehead, fireplace adorned with elves whose faces are those of employees, and lots of other Christmas decorations and ornaments.

Take a look at photos and watch the videos of some of our competition entries on our YouTube channel or Facebook page. You’ll also find photos from Miles Fanning.