[Event Report] The 4th Tea Party for Talking About Work (Christmas & Year-End Party) 2023.12.22

It is already mid-January in the blink of an eye... Happy New Year. This is Ouka & Nako.
On Friday, December 22nd of last year, we held our 4th in-person event, the "Tea Party for Talking About Work"! This is our final event report for 2023.

19:00 Reception & Event Start

This time, we called it a "Christmas & Year-End Party" and tried holding it on a weekday evening for the first time. Most of the participants came straight from work, and perhaps because of that, many people touched on the details of their jobs during their self-introductions. There was a sharper atmosphere than usual, which felt fresh.

We also set a dress code of "Red, White, or Black" or "Clothes you bought for a small party but haven't had a chance to wear." During the self-introductions, a flow emerged where people explained their fashion highlights, saying things like, "I tried an all-white outfit, which is usually difficult," or "Actually, I just changed into this!" Every time someone said that, voices would chime in with "Cute!" or "That suits you!," and it was fun.

Based on feedback from previous surveys saying, "I'd like to talk to people with similar jobs," we arranged the seating this time so that people with similar occupations and job duties were at the same table. As a result, conversations like "Oh, we're in the same industry...!" or "Nice to meet you" (in a professional sense) were happening. There were even people who realized they worked at the same company as our friends, and we really felt how small the world is—a common occurrence at this event...

Traveling Version: "Radio for Talking About Work"

We also held the traveling version of the "Radio for Talking About Work" this time. In addition to answering questions we had received in advance with the help of the attendees, we focused our talk on looking back at the year and our resolutions for next year, since it was the end of the year.
During the topic of "I want to study something that will lead to my future," there was a moment where we asked a participant who had acquired several certifications while working for their secrets. It was a moment that naturally drew applause for their high level of goal-setting and time management.

Present exchange with 28 people!

Since it was Christmas, we held a present exchange. We thought, if we're going to do it, we want everyone to participate! So, a total of 28 people formed a circle and passed the presents clockwise to the music in an authentic style. As expected, this was a huge hit. People were going up to the gift-givers saying, "Wow! That looks delicious!" or "Can you really buy this for 1,000 yen?!," which sparked interaction... Each person's selection shone within the limited budget (1,000 yen). The large-group present exchange was so much fun that I want to do it again!

We also took a commemorative photo of everyone at the end. It felt festive and had a Christmas vibe! Everyone looked wonderful.

2023 Summary & Future Plans

Since launching our in-person events in May 2023, we held four events in quick succession in July, September, and December. At first, we were saying things like, "Let's plan a meal for a few people, and if no one shows up, maybe we'll just invite our friends..." but when we opened the lid, it was nearly a full house every time, and we even had repeat attendees, for which we are very grateful.
We are also receiving more reports of people saying, "I went out to eat with someone I met at this event / We hang out regularly," which is the moment we feel most that "we're glad we did this event!" I think it's quite difficult to have deep conversations in just two or three hours at the event, but I hope you will reach out to people you feel you'd like to talk to through their profile sheets or social media. I think just having the fact that "we met once at an event" lowers the hurdle for inviting someone out... I hope this helps facilitate good encounters.

Impressions of the event are posted under #TeaPartyForTalkingAboutWork. If you are interested in going but are wondering what it's like, please check it out.

We plan to continue holding in-person events in 2024. The timing is undecided, but we intend to hold the "Working Moms Meeting," which has received many requests, and the "Women from Rural Areas Meeting," which was well-received in 2023! Of course, we will also have our regular all-genre meetings. Stay tuned.
Also, besides in-person events, we are thinking of starting something new this year. We will announce the details on note and X once they are decided.

We want to continue creating a "community where you can easily talk about work" in various ways. Thank you for your continued support this year!