Blog posts of '2023' 'December'

Event planners know ordering personalized materials should be done with plenty of time to review. Careful review of proofs is necessary for total accuracy, and the satisfaction of our customers. Don’t be hard on yourself for being a perfectionist and demanding the best your money can buy. Most groundbreaking ceremonies go off without hic-ups however history has seen its share of mishaps. The results of these accidents were more serious than misprinting ceremonial shovels: 4 groundbreaking ceremonies gone terribly wrong didn’t have a problem with the shovels.

Groundbreakings are ancient architectural rituals performed, sometimes along with the “laying of the cornerstone” ceremony, and are meant to be a dedication of the ground before building, and an exchange is made, symbolically, for the good fortune of the project. Today groundbreaking ceremonies are popular, fun events that retain the classic elements of this somewhat superstitious custom, and CeremonialSupplies.com is the best online shop to get the perfect ceremonial groundbreaking shovels, groundbreaking ceremony accessories such as shovel stand, personalized hard hat, printed safety vests, logo-printed masks, construction plaques, gifts, and more. Put your best foot forward when organizing a groundbreaking ceremony for your company or firm’s building and shop CeremonialSupplies.com for all your groundbreaking and grand opening events. We bring you a brief recap of serious calamities at four groundbreaking ceremonies gone terribly wrong!

Hyatt Regency Kansas City Walkway Collapse, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri was hosting a tea dance on July 17, 1981 during the groundbreaking ceremony. The event was being held in the hotel's atrium, which had suspended walkways. During the groundbreaking ceremony the suspended walkways collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 114 people and injuring over 200. The tragedy was attributed to a design flaw in the walkway support system. It remains one of the deadliest structural collapses in U.S. history.

The L'Ambiance Plaza Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

The L’Ambiance Plaza was a 16-story residential building that partially collapsed on April 23, 1987 shortly before its “top ing-out” ceremony on the same day. Prior to the ceremony, the building's construction crane collapsed, killing 28 construction workers and injuring 22. The collapse was due to a failure in the lifting mechanism, leading to the weight of the crane's load pulling the crane over. Rescue workers searched the wreckage for days, and 22 workers were injured along with those who died. It’s considered the deadliest building collapse in the state’s history. Bridgeport officials, labor leaders and families of victims led a procession to the spot, where a statue of a construction worker stands to mark the site.

Taipei 101 Building, Taiwan (2002)

The groundbreaking ceremony for Taipei 101, the iconic skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, took place on January 13, 1999. The construction of the building began shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony and on December 15, 2002, the Taipei 101 building caught fire on the 56th floor, near the top of what had been constructed thus far. The cause of the fire was attributed to welding operations that ignited flammable materials. Firefighters responded to the incident, and it took several hours to bring the blaze under control. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but the fire caused significant damage to the upper floors of the building. The construction of Taipei 101 was eventually completed, and it officially opened in 2004 as the tallest building in the world, and held the title of the world’s tallest building until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010.

Brazilian Stadium Collapse, Brazil

During the construction of the Arena Corinthians stadium, which was being built in Sao Paulo for the 2014 FIFA World Cup of Soccer (Futbol), a crane collapsed during the groundbreaking ceremony of the stadium, causing significant damage to the stadium’s roof. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of two workers and caused delays in the construction schedule. Imagine being in attendance of the stadium’s groundbreaking ceremony and seeing the collapse of one of the cranes!

Groundbreaking ceremonies and grand openings are celebratory events filled with fun and excitement, and on the average, usually the worst things that have been known to happen are a misspelled engraving. When you plan your next groundbreaking ceremony, shop CeremonialSupplies.com for all your needs, from quality crafted personalized groundbreaking shovels, shovel stands, construction accessories like personalized hard hats, personalized construction safety vests, stanchions, crowd posts and rope, custom printed event carpets, logo printed mats, logo printed tablecloths, extra-wide grand opening ribbon, company embroidered wear, plaques, trophies, and much more! You will love our wide selection, our wallet-friendly prices, our knowledgeable and helpful customer service, and our swift shipping. Click here for a quote.

Groundbreaking ceremonies take place throughout the year during all seasons, but when you use customized groundbreaking shovels with Christmas accents for Ceremonies during the month of December, you will add an elegant and festive touch to the event, expanding on more creative and memorable possibilities. CeremonialSupplies.com, the best online shop for crafted quality groundbreaking shovels, and accessories such as logo printed hard hats, construction safety vests customized, grand opening ceremonial ribbon, giant ribbon-cutting scissors, military ceremony customized flag and medal displays, event carpets and tablecloths with customized logo, and all the tools you can possibly need for a classic ceremony in the grand style tradition, invites you to peruse our treasure chest of ideas! Here are 5 amazing ways to incorporate Christmas elements to enhance a groundbreaking ceremony during the month of December!

Personalized Custom Groundbreaking Shovels With Christmas Accents:

Our ceremonial groundbreaking shovels are made from quality crafted stainless steel, and available in a variety of finishes that include polished chrome, mirror polished chrome, mirror polished VIP golden shovel that make an excellent backing for personalization in festive Christmas colors of Red, Gold, or Green. Our ceremonial groundbreaking shovels are a standard 42” with a D-style handle, and can be engraved on the spade, the widest part of the blade at 9” across. This provides adequate space for a stylized logo and commemorative date and text or message. The groundbreaking shovels on their display stand is a spot that your guests will enjoy, and with a clear crisp view of your customized message, the groundbreaking shovel display serves as both functional tools and memorable photo and video keepsakes.

Create Christmas Photo Opportunities

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Use the customized shovels as decorative elements during the ceremony by placing it on its own display stand before and after the ceremony. Include festive ribbons in Christmas colors of Red, White, Gold, and Green, and accent with sparkles, glittering snowflakes, and gold or silver garland. The ceremonial groundbreaking shovel, or shovels, depending how many people will take part of the actual sod-cutting, are placed in their own display stand that will hold the shovel securely while it is not in use. Engraved display cases holding the ceremonial shovel, a hart hat, or a combination of two (2) shovels, are also available for VIP presentation gift to preserve and display the groundbreaking shovels. Arrange the customized shovels in a visually appealing manner, creating a designated area for photos. Attendees, organizers, and special guests can use the shovels as props for pictures, capturing the festive spirit of the Christmas ceremony. Share these photos on social media or use them in post-event promotions.

Christmas-themed Groundbreaking Ritual

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Groundbreaking ceremonies and laying of the corner stone are ceremonies that go back hundreds of years, and they are in fact, architectural rituals based on the dedication of land, and the placement of gifts in an exchange for good fortune in the building of the structure. To infuse your groundbreaking ceremony with a Christmas theme consider the attire of the staff and, use the appropriate corporate wear, in the traditional Christmas colors such as Red and Green. CeremonialSupplies.com has a selection of corporate attire that include long-sleeve classic Oxford shirt, short-sleeve polos, and Nike dri-Fit tees, as well as construction safety vests. A red, logo embroidered Oxford shirt or a red or green embroidered polo will ensure your company personnel stands out! Christmas music and ceremonial ribbon decorations will add a touch of uniqueness to the traditional ceremony. Wide ceremonial ribbons can be used for ceiling decorations, and extra-wide ribbons of 8”, 10” or 12” can be used as vertical banner decorations. Ribbons can frame a specific location, and add the perfect accents for Christmas décor. Printed logo tablecloths incorporating Christmas colors and motifs will further enhance the ambiance.

Gifts and Souvenirs for a Christmas Groundbreaking:

Part of the groundbreaking ceremony ritual includes the dedication speeches of VIPs and important people in the community and even in the industry, who were instrumental in the success of the company, or the brand. These people should be invited to speak, and the list of speakers should follow an organized presentation. As a token of gratitude, all the company’s VIPs and the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony should receive a recognition in the form of a plaque, or a Keepsake gift that will have the name and date of the event. Our selection of trophies, desk displays, medals, and plaques is sure to have the perfect gift and souvenir for your groundbreaking ceremony speakers, as well as attendees and guests. This adds a thoughtful and personalized element to the event, and the recipients can cherish these as mementos of a special Christmas groundbreaking ceremony. All you need to do is ensure that each shovel is packaged in a festive and attractive manner.

Charity and Community Involvement:

To take your groundbreaking event to another level and make a positive impact in your community, connect with a charitable cause in your neighborhood and raffle or auction the customized Christmas groundbreaking shovel. The proceeds can be donated to a local charity of community organization that ties in with the business, or company. This not only adds a philanthropic dimension to the event but also increases community engagement and goodwill.

The most important thing to remember is to start with a good planning calendar and checklist, and shop CeremonialSupplies.com for your custom printed groundbreaking shovel and groundbreaking accessories. Whether used for decoration, photo opportunities, or as meaningful gifts, these customized shovels can enhance the overall festive atmosphere of the event. Click here for a quote.