Unforgettable Weekend Vibes: An Early Christmas Party to Remember at Mariner's Court

It was indeed a memorable Saturday last week when our company had our annual Christmas Party for all Region VII Central Visayas branches. It has always been great celebrating all the time that we have gathered for this special event, and there is no better occasion that makes everything stand tall than Christmas, especially when there is this tree laden with beautiful bulbs that illuminate the environment.

The head gave us quite a clear timetable for the day. We were told to gather at our office at 3 PM, although the party per se would not begin until 6. Why? Uh, not quite, it's because she booked a makeup artist to pamper all of us into looking like today was a Hollywood premiere. Now, let me tell you this, the first time that I heard about it, I initially thought, “Ohhhh great, a few hours to relax before the fun begins.” I went to the office with a bare face, and all my colleagues were already on their makeup session. That’s when it hit me: If only I knew how to do my own makeup, I’d be saving myself some time. But alas, I’m lucky if I don’t look like a panda after a long week at work! I mean, seriously, I might have some talents, but applying makeup is not one of them. Maybe I'll be able to learn soon because I'm not practicing at all, so that's it hahahahaha.

I was just sitting in my chair and waiting my turn while everyone else was already preened and primed for brightness. Meanwhile, I was just sitting there with my au naturel look. Let's just say it was a work in progress hahahaha.

The Venue

The party was at Mariner’s Court, and I used to think that it was a school for marine engineers since the building looks like a ship. However, when I entered, it was a whole different story.

The place was beautifully decorated for the holidays, and I couldn't help but be mesmerized by all the Christmas ornaments and decorations. The Christmas tree in the center upon entry was absolutely stunning, with sparkling lights that lit up the whole room. It really made me realize that Christmas is near, and the tree somehow gave everything a little fairy tale feel to it.

Our party had a theme that really caught everyone’s attention, but this year, with the BINI and SB19 touch, everyone was thrilled. These are two of the most popular dance groups in the Philippines right now. With this, I really felt the energy was vibrant, joyful, and infectious. People looked great in their clothes, and all, I must say, were quite stunning in their own unique way. It was really astonishing to see how everyone embraced the theme, adding their own twist to it while still staying true to the vibe.

Now, as for our branch, we were told by our manager to go with a denim look, which was incredibly comfy and fashionable. Part of the clothing was denim jackets and denim pants that we all had, but we girls had these adorable little ribbons that made our outfits look so coquette. It is something that gave a little more individuality to our looks but remained rather cool and casual at the same time. Honestly, it was one of those moments when everyone just looked good, giggled, and laughed like in a stylish family gathering. It was so heartwarming to be able to celebrate the holidays so chicly and in such a fashionable way! I admit, the theme was really nice. These pictures I have were taken by our branch head, who is the same age as my parents. She just sent me these photos during the program.

With all that, there were also dance presentations from the incredibly talented employees, a nice and cheerful touch to the event. Also, there was a special advance birthday presentation for the First Senior Vice President and Head of Retail Banking, who was to celebrate his birthday the next day. The dance performances were truly impressive because they just showcased the amazing talents of our colleagues. I am amazed not just by how talented everyone was but also by how many good-looking ladies and gentlemen we have in the company. I was really happy to see so much energy and enthusiasm from their performances. After that, there was of course an announcement of the raffle winners.

Then, I had my first meet and greet with my fellow new hires in Cebu. We talked a lot, got to know each other better, and of course, took some pictures to remember the moment. After that, we sat back at our own tables for a while, vibing with the good music and enjoying the night. But me, I was really just looking around hahahaha and was just scrolling on my phone while everybody was having fun dancing and singing along with the live band. The party really had a lot of drinks because it was sponsored by our partner brand.

The time finally came for dancing and singing, and that’s when the party really kicked off. People were having so much fun, letting loose, dancing, and singing along with the live band. The energy in the room was contagious, and it felt like everyone was just enjoying the moment.

As for me and my newly met friends, the three of us in the picture, we spontaneously decided to go outside for a walk. We initially planned to head to Plaza Independencia, but since it was already past 10 PM, it was closed. So instead, we went to Colon Street to continue our conversation and enjoy the night air. It was a nice, relaxed way to wind down after all the excitement of the party.

Thank you so much for reading my blog! Hope you'll have a wonderful experience as well this coming weekend. See you around!