As we move out of hibernation and into the months of spring, we notice beautiful pops of color in the trees, warmer and longer days, bounty from the garden and the start of an endless amount of holidays to celebrate. There is everything from the first day of spring to Easter, the Fourth of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving left to celebrate this year.

Here at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, the Punctual Plumber, we love holidays and holiday traditions; we’ve even created a few traditions of our own, which have provided several amazing memories for our team and customers. I want to share with you why we celebrate them both national and quirky holidays related to our industry and how you can apply said holidays in your own workplace.

After you choose which holidays fit best within the mission and goals of your company, it’s time to decide not only what your celebrations will include but also who will be included. Activities will vary depending on your target audience, location, time of year, weather, etc. Once the variables are in control, you still have important decisions to make: Are you trying to boost work atmosphere? Increase community involvement? Attract company publicity?

Some of our favorite holidays to celebrate are the sweet ones. Although there is a day set aside to celebrate almost every baked good, we like to celebrate them all at once on National Dessert Day (October 14).  You can also use sweet treats as the theme for other holidays. Last year for National Toilet Day, we had handcrafted, custom cupcakes made. Each chocolate cupcake was topped with a handcrafted, edible porcelain toilet. We then dressed up in a Benjamin Franklin costume and delivered said cupcakes to our work personnel and local news outlets. Almost everyone can appreciate dessert-themed holidays, so find something worth celebrating, relevant to your line of work and have fun with it.

Create interactive events for well-known holidays, like pumpkin carving contests for Halloween or gingerbread house building competitions in the winter. You can put your own twist on these general ideas to represent your company or professional industry. For example, incorporating plumbing supplies in the house building kits or carved pumpkin design.

Remember to celebrate worker appreciation days. It’s easy to get caught up in job responsibilities, making sure you meet end of the month quotas and the bottom line. Make sure you take the time to thank your staff that makes things run smoothly, and thank your customers for being supportive of your business no matter what industry you’re in.

You can celebrate during the national holidays for customers and work personnel or simply choose to recognize individual employee’s birthdays. Taking the time to say thank you and show your appreciation is sure to strengthen and boost office moral.

Don’t be afraid to work outside of the norm. Put a fun spin on things by making a video and posting it to your social networks; highlight a different employee each month. This simple act not only helps us recognize our employees on a job well done but also helps us connect to the community.

Whatever your industry, however big or small your company is, there is a holiday out there just for you. It’s waiting to be celebrated. No matter what holidays fit best for you and your team, have fun and be creative.