A Look At Team IM’s CNY 2026 Celebration Beyond The Office
Posted on: February 13, 2026
Chinese New Year can feel like it flies by every year, can’t it? This year, we decided to slow things down and actually enjoy it together. Not as colleagues ticking off an event, but as people coming together to celebrate.
Most of our days move fast. Screens, deadlines, and back-to-back conversations are the norm. So for Chinese New Year 2026, taking the celebration out of the office and into a home felt like the right move. And honestly, it changed everything!
Kicking things off at Parkway Parade
Everyone had gathered at Parkway Parade, dressed in festive reds and already buzzing with excitement. There was no long briefing, no stiff introductions. We split into three teams almost immediately and jumped straight into our first challenge.
Each team had to create their own lohei for five people, all within a $50 budget. Ingredients had to be bought, brought over, and plated by 2.30pm at Alan and Serene’s house. Easy enough, right? Well, not quite when you add crowds, time pressure, and creative expectations into the mix!
The teams were formed quickly:
Team 1: Kavitha, Nadzom, Lynn, Nichole
Team 2: Jun Wei, Jessie, Nia, Charlene
Team 3: Evelyn, Angeline, Joanne, Syakirah, Suffira
Within minutes, everyone scattered. Some teams planned carefully before buying anything. Others trusted instinct and moved fast. Watching these different approaches unfold felt oddly familiar, almost like how we tackle projects at work, too.
Three teams, three very different lohei
When teams started arriving at the house, chopping boards came out, and plating began straight away. Team 2 and Team 3 wasted no time getting started. Team 1, however, was nowhere to be seen for a while. Where did they go? No one knew, and the guessing game began!
Team 2’s lohei was a showstopper. They went with a fruit-based concept and shaped a horse in the centre to mark the Year of the Horse. At the top, they spelled out “IM” using fruit, complete with a strawberry heart. They even placed two oranges neatly in front of the platter, which tied everything together beautifully.
Team 3 took a more traditional route. Their lohei was filled with fresh greens and colourful ingredients, looking closest to what many of us grew up with. It felt balanced and comforting, like something you’d happily see at a family gathering.
Then Team 1 finally arrived, and their lohei was the complete opposite of everything else. Candy, sweets, and bright colours filled the platter. Healthy? Maybe not. Fun? Absolutely! Seeing all three lohei side by side was a reminder that there’s no single way to celebrate.
Unsurprisingly, Team 2 took the win. Their creativity and attention to detail won over the crowd!
Games, laughter, and a little friendly stress
With lohei done, it was time for games. First up was the Say the Word on Beat Challenge. Players had to look at images of eight items and say them on beat. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
As rounds went on, people got tongue-tied or completely blanked out, and the room filled with laughter. Suffira stood out here. She kept her cool and handled the pressure impressively well, which left many of us seriously impressed!
Next came the Obstacle Course, and things got physical. A player had to fan a balloon animal forwards and backwards, and the next had to carefully carry a foam circle pad with holes while balancing three balls on it. The goal was to cross a metal bar on the floor and drop all three balls into a bucket. Miss one ball? Back to the start!
To keep things fair, each course was done twice, with players alternating tasks. It was chaotic and surprisingly intense. Team 3 powered through and took the win for this round.
When competition got real (and hilarious)
Next up was Connect 4 (Ping Pong Version). Instead of dropping pieces, we sat in a circle and bounced ping pong balls towards the grid. Easier said than done! The angles were tricky, timing mattered, and patience was tested. Charlene absolutely shone in this game, landing key shots and helping her team secure the win.
After that, we played Tilt ’n’ Shout. Each round had a theme. Players tilted a plastic board with a metal ball inside towards themselves while shouting out words related to the theme. No repeats allowed, or it didn’t count. The first team to get the metal ball to their side won.
It was loud, fast-paced, and mentally exhausting in the best way. People scrambled for words, shouted over each other, and burst out laughing when someone froze.
Coins, claw machines, and pure joy
All the points from the games were converted into coins, which meant one thing. Claw machines! Based on the points accumulated from the previous rounds:
- Team 1 received 15 coins each
- Team 2 received 20 coins each
- Team 3 received 25 coins each
Prizes ranged from extra angpaos to cute plushies and small toys. We could also exchange one coin for a mystery card to see if we’d won something. Watching everyone crowd around the machines, cheering and groaning with each attempt, was easily one of the most joyful moments of the day.
After everything wrapped up, Alan and Serene handed out angpaos. We exchanged oranges and shared festive wishes, ending the celebration on a meaningful note. There was even a short birthday celebration for Angeline, which made the day feel extra special.
Once the formalities were over, things naturally slowed down. Some of us stayed to play games and chat. Others headed home. No pressure, no rushing, just time well spent together.
Ending the day on a festive note
What made this celebration memorable wasn’t just the games or prizes. It was how comfortable it felt to simply be ourselves, outside of work roles and responsibilities. Being in a home, creating things together, and laughing through small challenges reminded us why moments like these matter.
From all of us at Impossible Marketing, we wish everyone a Chinese New Year filled with good health, joyful connections, and steady growth. May the year ahead bring plenty of reasons to celebrate and gather together. Gong Xi Fa Cai!
