December 1st, 2008
Aren’t there rules about this sort of thing?
Isn’t the last week in November a little early for a work hosted holiday party? This past Saturday I found myself asking that question as I burrowed into my closet, attempting to find something appropriately festive for a formal-ish affair where there would be cranberries floating mingling with the ice in my water, and wreaths hanging on the walls.
It feels too early – everyone seems to be hanging stockings and decking halls already, and while Mister and I have put up a string of Christmas lights (Hi! We’re festive too!) I’m not really ready to jump in head first to the holiday things. The posts on NaBloPoMo’s community forum are still warm! Don’t we have to pay our respects?
But early or not, I sorted through the “too see-through”, “not tall enough”, “has ribbing” and “actually knee socks” selections in the black tights area of my dressed until I found the right pair, then the right heels, and got the right curl happening with my hair. And then I enlisted Mister to give me a piggyback to the car.
I think that it would be in everyone’s best interest if there could be some standing ground rules to govern work holiday parties:
- Please feed your vegetarians before the party, because a hungry vegetarian at a banquet function sets up the meal for failure. Eating veg at large events is like playing Russian Roulette at best – either you have all of the side dishes heaped onto a plate, or there is a chef in the back of the hall dying to make something that’s off the menu, and you will receive a five star meal while everyone else chews on lukewarm chicken. Either way, come peckish – if it’s good food you can take it home.
- If you’re going to do speeches, please decide which executive will mention that the company will reimburse for cab fare. Don’t have half of all the speeches be dedicated to this topic. We get it. We’re drunks. You’re liable. Thank you for your accommodation.
- Can we agree that if it’s called a holiday party, it should be about the holidays and not about Christmas trees and other very specific holiday elements? Because if it’s a Christmas party, lets have Santa stop in – I’m all for it! But let’s not call it something it’s not, that’s just weird.
The night ended up being a pretty good time for the kind of party where you can win a laminater – which I did. It was one of the first events we’ve gone to where I’m still new to everyone so I was being introduced to as Mrs. “Mister”, which has stopped sounding as funny to me as it first did. The thing that I noticed the most was that people who I had met last year who previously shrugged me off as The Girlfriend stood up and took notice more since we’ve been married, which made me laugh.
People are so weird, they would have been stuck with my raised eyebrows and quiet comments through the speeches this year anyway, poor things.
Eating veg at large events is like playing Russian Roulette…
SO TRUE. What always happens to me is that the vegetarian option is like 95 times more delicious-looking than the meat option, so all the meat-eaters snag it up until there’s none left for the vegetarians! If I had a nickel for every time!
Also, I totally agree on the “holiday” thing. I get kind of irked when people say “Happy Holidays” although I know they mean well. You don’t really mean “Happy Hanukkah” you mean “Merry Christmas”. So just say it and let’s all be real.
Now REAL cultural awareness… that’s something I can get behind…
Thankfully my work party only lasts for a couple of hours and is not a formal event!!! Oh and I actually don’t mind the people I work with (gasp)!
I have been off and on veggie for about 15 years. I am mostly veggie. I always find something to eat or just eat first. Then I am also prepared for cocktails. See? It works out.
Love your pups. My hair stylist has Skipperdees. I’ve never seen them before.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
My first instinct was “definitely too early!!” and then I thought about it and was all “wait, there’s only two valid weekends left until Christmas. holiday parties have to fit in somewhere!”
Time. It flies. And November flew so fast I didn’t even see it.
It is early for a “holiday party,” but the upside is that December is so busy that at least you have that out of the way. We’re having ours next week, and I’m glad….I don’t want work stuff to interfere with any family get-togethers.
p.s. I love that you list that you’re an INFJ. I’m an INTP/ENTP….borderline when it comes to extroversion….I just say that I’m a very outgoing introvert.
I’m a bit jealous of the Christmas party. I think I have to go to a big bad bank Christmas party this year with Port and I’m a bit nervous! They all make money and can buy cute dresses. I work non-profit! Ha.
I’m ready for Christmas but it just doesn’t FEEL like Christmas yet. I might need to go to Hallmark on my way home. Haha.
Christmas parties should be the 2nd or 3rd week of december… I find it hard to get in the christmas mood in november!
I’ve never had to go to a “business” Christmas party but they sound memorable. I usually have to help set up for my department at school’s Christmas party because I’m a student worker in the Dean’s Office. They always invite us to stay and eat but I’m like, RUN AWAY because a whole bunch of pissed off professors and stressed out secretaries doesn’t sound like my idea of a good day, no matter how good the free food is.
Our office potluck is next week. We have one every time around this year, but this time it feels like its coming up way too soon!
my official company party is on the 12th, but we’ve got several department dinners this month. ugh. i’m dreading them already.
Wow these are really good tips. I like the one about feeding vegetarians first. I don’t have many friends who are vegetarians but that is a great point.
You won a laminator? That was one wild work party!
I’ll bet you’re fun to have at events like this. I rarely have someone that I can make little comments and jokes to when I have to do these things. That goes either one of two ways, the people I’m sitting with leave either thinking I’m really funny or really weird. I like to think it’s more often funny than weird…
:)
Yep, I definitely can relate to this. I love Christmas music and decorations but it all just happens so quickly! What’s wrong with waiting a few days longer before everyone breaks out the tinsel?? And I just had a talk on the phone today with a friend about executive speeches- I’ve never had to sit through a Christmas party like that but she shares your grip about too much cab talk. Everyone already gets it!
Whereas I love the fact we are decorating since now, I find it funny that Christmas reunions are already happening.
The thing that I noticed the most was that people who I had met last year who previously shrugged me off as The Girlfriend stood up and took notice more since we’ve been married, which made me laugh.
Even at my interim engaged stage, I’m noticing this. It’s as if I didn’t matter as a girlfriend, but now I’m the fiancee?? Ohhh, how important.
Yeah, I was important a year ago, too, people. Sigh.
A LAMINATOR? That’s the most random thing ever. I can’t mimagine your face when you won it; I’m sure it was priceless. LOL.
I’m kind of jealous you got to go to a holiday party! This is my third year working in a company of two people, one of which is me, which means no seasonal get-togethers or dressing up and going somewhere fancy with a bunch of random people… I got invited to the Bombers one but it was tonight and I have Lord of the Dance tonight. Which I’m sure will be festive in its own way lol.
your first bullet is SO true. I always cringe when Jonathan & I are invited to some kind of party; my first thought is: what are we going to eat? Seriously, it can be such an inconvenience to be a veggie in a meat eater’s world…
I think people are so weird about the whole marriage thing – but even more so about children. The Mister and I have lived on our street for 5 years now (4 of them being married) but now that we have a child we seem to be more accepted. The Mister calls her our secret handshake – like we have been welcomed into the secret parenting society and are officially “a family” where as before we were just married people who didn’t count. All very strange. (For the record, we thought we were a family before we had Moira and don’t think you need to have children to be a family.)
You won a laminator? That is so funny … and useful.
Uh…laminator? I have loved those ever since I thought it would be a good idea to laminate flowers for preservation in middle school. I was a weird kid.
I always eat before parties, especially family parties. There is just no telling what is going to be served, and I don’t want to get stuck eating something not too healthy.
Hurray for a new laminator! ;)
Holiday party already? Wow.
I don’t think I’d have it in me. I know I don’t have anything festive to wear, that much is for sure. Except my red pants, but no top to go with them at present. At least you have the party out of the way and can have fun the rest of the holiday season!
I’m so with you on all this holiday nonsense starting way too early. We use the US Thanksgiving as a barometer (no holiday decorations before) … and therefore make fun of anyone who has a tree up before the turkey is served. Sweet is working for a new hospital this year and has already been invited to one department’s holiday affair. Which means, I’m going to meet a bunch of doctors – gah! I think I’ll have to write about the nerves associated with going to an uppity holiday party … stay tuned! =)
Rule #1 = So very true.
I remember when I was in my third year of uni and the “vegetarian option” at the winter ball (yes, my school had a “ball”) was limp, grey asparagus with a dusting of dried-out parmesan. Ugh.
I get to spend this Friday evening at a work party. With the other women from my salon. Who all are pretty religious, and who all have very different political views from mine. So basically I get to take my time being uncomfortable, and I can’t even get drunk because I have to drive myself home!
I love holiday time because I get to spend so much time with my families. I hate holiday time because I feel so forced to do things that I don’t want to do.