BNHS Celebrations (Spring Tea, Auction, Regifiting, etc.)

• Auction
• Regifting
• Spring Tea

Regifting

“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure”

Truer words have never been spoken as evidenced by the enormous popularity of the BNHS Annual Regifting! 

What is Regifting? 

Every year, BNHS faculty, staff and students open up gifts and say, “Eww…I didn’t ask for a porcelain pig!”  Perhaps, as you walk through your house, you notice that lava lamp you never use because it overheats and threatens to burn down the house and think, “I really should throw that away.” 

From incidents like these, Regifting is born.  BNHS faculty, staff and student employees gather annually in January bearing wrapped re-gifts. 

How does it work?

All in attendance draw a number from a hat and gifts are selected from the table in that order. 

1. The person with the lowest number goes first.
2. He/she chooses a gift from the pile, opens the gift for all to see, and keeps it for the time being.
3. The person who has the next lowest number goes next.
4. He/she can either choose to take an unopened gift from the gift pile or to steal a gift from any previous gift-opener.
5. Allow each subsequent person to either unwrap a new gift, or steal any of the gifts previously opened. If someone's gift is stolen, that person can immediately unwrap a new one or steal another gift.
6. Each round ends when a new gift is unwrapped.
7. Gifts cannot be stolen back in the same round to prevent a perpetual back and forth of the coveted item.
8. Caps may be placed on the amount of times an item may be stolen – generally after three thefts an item is considered safe or out of the running. 

A surprising number of Regifting attendees walk away happy with their new item.  However, a few items do appear year after year…

Spring Tea – Honoring our Colleagues

What is more beautiful than spring flowers here in Seattle?  Nothing except the end of the regular academic school year, the camaraderie of your colleagues plus tea, coffee and “edible delicacies” or in other words – Spring Tea. 

The tradition of Spring Tea arose from the historical past of some of the more senior faculty. For students in the distant past, attendance at the tea was required, as were gloves, cape, best ironed uniform, nursing cap, white nylons (for the women) and spotless white shoes.  As in true Seattle style, the BNHS Spring Tea evolved into everyone wearing “highly fashionable attire”, the more charming or outrageous the better.  Of course, we sip our beverage from the finest china faculty and staff can afford to purchase.

Preparing for Spring Tea is the time to reflect on the accomplishments of the department during the past year.  The first person who was so honored for excellence was Dr. Maxine Patrick in 1988 for her mentorship.  Every year since then a poll is taken to determine who out of all our accomplished staff and faculty deserves special recognition.   

Past Faculty and Staff Honored

For assistance please contact Betty Gallucci or Basia Belza.