Before coming to PowerToFly, the company holiday parties I attended were radically different. There were gift exchanges, catered lunches, champagne, and lots of awkward interactions between co-workers (my favorite part). Sure, this was fun and all, but at the end of the day, I felt like I was missing something, and to quote a seasonal favorite, the Grinch;

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!

At PowerToFly, we're a small remote team spanning 12 different countries. We have a variety of backgrounds and beliefs, and we all celebrate different holidays.

So, instead of your typical "office holiday party," we have a "Secret Snowflake," where each employee is randomly assigned another employee and donates $10 to a charity in their honor. This gives us the opportunity to learn more about our Secret Snowflakes and get to know their teammates at the same time, as we ask around to learn more about our Snowflakes' interests, hobbies, and passions. (And of course, to contribute to some great causes.)

We spent time getting to know people we don't typically interact with on a day-to-day basis, while discovering charities and foundations all over the globe! Because we're all in different timezones, "small talk" isn't something we usually get to do a lot of, so meetings like this, where we have the opportunity to learn more about each other, are really special.

To me, this blending of cultures, understanding what my teammates truly value, and contributing to causes we care about (everything from the environment to animals to people in need), means more than any gift or catered meal, and embodies the true spirit of the holidays!

This year, our team donated over $300 to 30 the charities listed below:

1. International Rescue Committe
2. Karama Organization for Women and Children's Development
3. Dizzy Feet Foundation
4. Mutt Rescue
5. Edo State Women Association
6. Animal Rescue Foundation of Louisiana
7. Texas Humane Heroes
8. Ukrainian Philanthropic Marketplace
9. Help Animals India
10. Comedy Cures
11. Palestine Charity Team
12. Uniendo Caminos
13. Animal Rescue of the Rockies
14. Wounded Nature
15. Ukrainian Philanthropic Marketplace
16. Gilda's Club
17. New Beginning Animal Rescue
18. Women Who Code Kyiv
19. The Trevor Project
20. Sumando Manos Foundation
21. Razom
22. Ecuador Children's Hope Organization
23. LAPA
24. International Street Dog Foundation
25. The DREAM Project
26. Basic Research and Development Society
27. Ecologia - Youth Trust
28. Karumbe
29. Spirit of Children
30. CASA of Cook County

From the team at PowerToFly, we wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday. See you in 2019!