Economy 1, PPC Winter Gala 0

Earlier this year I was asked by my company's CEO to lead the planning effort for the 2008 Holiday Party.  After holding planning meetings with my committee throughout the year and moving the date of the event from 2008 to January 2009 just a few months ago, a recent decision was made to cancel the event.  I had already reserved the hotel (the site of my brother's 2007 wedding), set the menu, planned the theme (Red Carpet Awards style), hired the band (The Dickens), booked a photographer and even set up an after-party complete with an outdoor cigar bar beneath a heated tent.  Unfortunately, my company cancelled the PPC Winter Gala to conserve spending and allocate the funds for other needs.  Today, my CEO sent out the message via an all-staff email.

I have mixed feelings about this decision.  While I completely understand that this may not be the time for celebration given the economic climate of the world right now, part of me wanted the party to serve as a break from the norm and a chance to get out for the night for our employees.  I was eager to see all of my team's efforts come to fruition in a kick-ass event.  I do trust the judgment of my CEO though and believe that we (PPC) can ride out the economic storm in the long run.  The one good bit of news that results from all of this is that January 2009 will be FAR less hectic and stressful now that we have abandoned planning efforts.  I don't have to worry about coming up with a centerpiece design scheme!  SWEET!   I can also focus on planning my company's second season of employee poker nights (we're getting a plaque made for the winner of last year's series). 

Lori told me that this effort would be almost similar to planning a wedding.  Unfortunately with this wedding, the economy forced PPC to have cold feet.  What would have made this easier on my team is if the decision to cancel was made earlier in the year so we didn't get this far along in our planning efforts.  In his messaging efforts, our CEO informed us that he would try to make up the cancellation over the course of 2009 through more small celebrations.  Hopefully my vision for the 2009 Winter Gala can be put into action a few years down the road in more prosperous times.