The High Caliber Guide to Starting Traditions That Don’t Suck
Let’s be honest. Some holiday traditions feel more like awkward obligations than meaningful memories. Matching pajamas. Gift exchanges where everyone opens something beige and forgettable. The “forced fun” energy of an office potluck where someone brought carrot sticks and everyone’s just waiting to go home.
It’s not that we hate traditions. We just think they should be worth remembering.
At High Caliber, we’ve ditched the fake smiles and leaned into something real. We built our own chaotic holiday traditions, and yeah — they’re a little weird. A little rowdy. But they’re ours. And they work.
Make it fun first, not forced.
Every December, we shut the place down for a full day and turn it into a party for the people who make High Caliber run. No responsibilities. No uniforms. No guests to serve. Just unfiltered access to all the fun: racing, arcade battles, karaoke, and whatever else people feel like doing. The only rule is to not take it too seriously.
It’s not a “company party.” It’s a day for our crew to enjoy what they help other people experience year-round and to remind them that they matter.
Traditions aren’t built. They’re unleashed.
You don’t need a fancy plan or a Pinterest board. You just need to let go a little.
Ours started simply. Let employees invite a friend. Hand out arcade cards. Give everyone a chance to just be a guest for once. And it spiraled into something legendary.
We’ve seen talent shows pop up out of nowhere. People stage races on foot, in socks. Spontaneous dance-offs. Once someone challenged a manager to a Skee-Ball duel and won bragging rights for a year. It’s unpredictable. It’s ridiculous. It’s perfect.
Handwritten chaos, sealed with a bonus
Every year, our leadership team — Zach, Casey, and our founder Jordan — sits down and handwrites a holiday card for every single employee. These aren’t canned “we appreciate you” messages. They’re weird. Honest. Funny. And sometimes totally derailed by inside jokes or questionable art.
If we know you well, you’re getting roasted or honored accordingly. If we don’t know you that well yet, you’re still getting a hand-drawn masterpiece. Sometimes it’s a sketch of us holding hands as astronauts. Sometimes it’s a made-up scenario about you saving the company from a vending machine fire.
And tucked inside each card? A little bonus to kick off the new year. Nothing says “thanks for the chaos” like cold hard cash and a drawing of Zach riding a moose.
White Elephant, Maximum Mayhem
Nowhere does the weird shine brighter than our White Elephant exchange. The rules are simple. Twenty dollars max. Draw a number. Walk up on stage. Open something or steal from someone else. But the energy? Absolutely feral.
We celebrate every gift like it’s a million bucks. Someone opens a bottle of hot sauce? People scream. Someone gets a squishy stress banana? Thunderous applause. A rogue employee wraps up a stolen desk photo of Zach from when he was ten? It becomes the most sought-after prize of the night.
One year, someone gifted a random rap CD from a guy selling in the mall parking lot. Nobody had a CD player, and the music was objectively awful. Still, everyone fought over it. That’s how traditions are born.
At some point, it’s no longer about the gifts. It’s about the moment. The shared absurdity. The inside jokes that last for months.
So what makes a great holiday tradition?
It’s not the matching mugs. It’s not the curated Instagram photos. It’s the stuff that bonds people, even if it’s just for one night.
If you want to start a tradition that people actually want to keep, start with fun. Add a little nonsense. Let it be imperfect. Let it be personal. Let it be something people look forward to instead of something they show up for out of obligation.
And if you’re looking for a place to start one? Well, we happen to know a venue where chaos, connection, and unforgettable moments come standard.
NEW YEAR, NEW HOURS
Heads Up, High Caliber Fans! 
Here’s how it’s going down:
