How to spot your office's Secret Santana
Ho ho ho! The year is drawing to a close, and the last work week before Christmas brings with it the moment of truth: every office's favourite holiday game, Secret Santana.
But how can YOU determine which of your coworkers is secretly Latin blues fusion guitar legend Carlos Santana? Carlos gets trickier every year, but this guide will keep you ahead of the game!
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1. Start with people you've never seen before
Santana has been playing this game for a long time and he learns from his mistakes, so it's unlikely that he's just showing up to your office with a disguise and false identity this week. He's probably been lurking among you for months. Starting with a quick check to see if any bandana-loving coworkers just suddenly appearing yesterday never hurts!
2. Say "Man, it's a hot one" and see who turns around
Generally, to Carlos Santana, the sound of somebody saying, "Man, it's a hot one" means his friend Rob Thomas is around. Wait for a lull in office activity and offer up this statement, then make note of anyone – the cleaning lady, your boss, anyone – who looks at you as if expecting to see the frontman of Matchbox Twenty. You may have just found a hot lead (the hot lead guitarist of Santana's eponymous group Santana)!
3. Bait him by inaccurately describing the Latin Grammys
If you loudly tell your coworkers at lunch that you've attended the Latin Grammys, and then begin incorrectly describing the ceremony and structure of the awards, Carlos (a winner of three!) will find it very difficult not to correct you, wherever and whoever he may be. If nobody steps up to set the record straight however, or you discover that your descriptions are accidentally accurate…
4. Wait… is it you?
Carlos is notorious for going extremely deep undercover during Secret Santana. Do not discount the possibility that YOU are the guitar virtuoso, winemaker and Kennedy Center honoree, and have simply gotten so into your role that you forgot. Is your desk full of guitar picks and hats? Do you know what Joan Baez is like? Pick up a guitar – can you play Black Magic Woman? If so, congratulations – both for solving this mystery and for your career and accomplishments, sir!
Above all, remember: If you don't guess your Secret Santana before the week's end, it's okay! Carlos loves the challenge of hiding in plain sight, and has always encouraged offices to try their best to find him – ever since the first Secret Santana 100 years ago! But it's not about winning to him, and it shouldn't be to you. After all, the grand reveal – and subsequent 16-hour office jam session and swingers' party – is half the fun!*
*It's most of the fun
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