Christmas fanatic turned her office cube into an incredible life-size gingerbread house amusing her colleagues
SWNS
2023-12-15
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A Christmas fanatic turned her office cube into an incredible life-size gingerbread house amusing her colleagues.
Monika Orrey, 47, had only worked at her new job for two months when they announced a workspace decorating competition.
The practice manager threw herself into the contest, spending eight hours turning her cube into a festive gingerbread wonderland.
She constructed the sides and roof of the house by herself with duct tape and cardboard that she covered in brown craft paper.
The mum-of-one visited the office on a Sunday to construct her masterpiece as a surprise for her colleagues the following Monday.
Monika from Oakley, California, USA said: "I consider myself very festive, or as my daughter would say, I am 'extra'!
"I do indeed have far too many decorations at home according to my family but I know they love it.
"When the cubicle decorating contest was announced, I knew I had to do something 'extra' and started stockpiling cardboard right away.
"I was at first concerned my new colleagues might think I was odd but soon remember that I am happiest when I am authentically me so I pushed right past any concerns and got to planning.
"I wanted to do something big and incorporate my well-known sweet tooth, and what better than a giant gingerbread house?
"I wanted to share my love of Christmas and make people smile... oh and win the contest!
"With the cardboard I had collected and the decorations I had on hand, the biggest cost was tape.
"I was able to collect bowls from the dollar store, paint pinwheels on them, attach the bowl to a white cardboard tube and cover in cellophane for extra large 'lollipops'.
"I bought some candy stickers and found more candy images online that I printed out for more decorations."
And when her colleagues rocked up on Monday morning, Monika says they were "speechless".
"It definitely broke the ice!" she said.
"I am a bit competitive and I love Christmas so it was really right up my alley.
"I figured 'this is who I am, they will find out sooner or later', and it was definitely sooner!"
Despite stiff competition from the rest of the staff, Monika's cube won the decorating competition.
She said: "Many colleagues brought their kids in to see my gingerbread house and it brought smiles to many - mission accomplished!
"The Christmas spirit was alive and well in the office with faux fireplaces and a 'melted snowmen' crime scene that was amazing."
Monika Orrey, 47, had only worked at her new job for two months when they announced a workspace decorating competition.
The practice manager threw herself into the contest, spending eight hours turning her cube into a festive gingerbread wonderland.
She constructed the sides and roof of the house by herself with duct tape and cardboard that she covered in brown craft paper.
The mum-of-one visited the office on a Sunday to construct her masterpiece as a surprise for her colleagues the following Monday.
Monika from Oakley, California, USA said: "I consider myself very festive, or as my daughter would say, I am 'extra'!
"I do indeed have far too many decorations at home according to my family but I know they love it.
"When the cubicle decorating contest was announced, I knew I had to do something 'extra' and started stockpiling cardboard right away.
"I was at first concerned my new colleagues might think I was odd but soon remember that I am happiest when I am authentically me so I pushed right past any concerns and got to planning.
"I wanted to do something big and incorporate my well-known sweet tooth, and what better than a giant gingerbread house?
"I wanted to share my love of Christmas and make people smile... oh and win the contest!
"With the cardboard I had collected and the decorations I had on hand, the biggest cost was tape.
"I was able to collect bowls from the dollar store, paint pinwheels on them, attach the bowl to a white cardboard tube and cover in cellophane for extra large 'lollipops'.
"I bought some candy stickers and found more candy images online that I printed out for more decorations."
And when her colleagues rocked up on Monday morning, Monika says they were "speechless".
"It definitely broke the ice!" she said.
"I am a bit competitive and I love Christmas so it was really right up my alley.
"I figured 'this is who I am, they will find out sooner or later', and it was definitely sooner!"
Despite stiff competition from the rest of the staff, Monika's cube won the decorating competition.
She said: "Many colleagues brought their kids in to see my gingerbread house and it brought smiles to many - mission accomplished!
"The Christmas spirit was alive and well in the office with faux fireplaces and a 'melted snowmen' crime scene that was amazing."
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