Sorry to those of you I might offend.
I don't like holiday work parties.
I don't like gift and/or white elephant gift exchanges.
Isn't it enough to spend all hours of a day/week with a group of people...and not want to hang out with them another 4 hours for a "fun" party off hours...which often feels like something you have to do instead of something you want to do?
I've had my fair share through life and just really have to voice that I don't like them and wonder if anyone really does or if I'm just the scrooge of all things work-party-related?
Anyway, I thought I was off the hook this year because by working for the "after school program" it eliminates me from the actual school parties. Whew!
As I started to hear rumblings of "save the date" in December the last couple days I held my breath, waiting for the inevitable...and just as I suspected (dreaded) one of the ladies I work with dropped the bomb last night.
"Since we aren't included in the school Christmas party I think it would be great for us to have one of our own and have a gift exchange." AAHHHHH!!!!! The double whammy. I had to mentally check my facial expression to make sure it didn't show horror as I said, "Oh that would be fun." What else do you say? "I'd actually rather do anything other than that?!"
And if that isn't bad enough, they want to do the kind of gift exchange where people can take your gift away. Seriously? I think it's mean. Let fate take it's course. If you didn't get the gift in the first place it wasn't meant to be yours. Humbug to the evil co-worker who steals your gift right out from under you and leaves you with the crocheted pot holders no one wanted.
On a happy, unrelated note, I won a drawing for a dinner for 4 at a local restaurant. My boss put my name in the drawing for all the good work I've been doing, and I won. I seriously never win anything. I'm still a little shocked and expect someone to tell me it was a mistake. My luck is changing. Maybe I should start playing the lottery?!
2 comments:
the only time i like holiday work parties is when there is nice (free) catered food, and i can bring spouse to wallflower-it-with. but the whole gift give crap--hate it!! whats the point of wasting money and time thinking of a stupid little gift.
our small interactive department does our own little christmas party every year. we are about 8 people now, and we rent a duffy boat and cruise around the newport harbor looking at the christmas lights and can bring spouse and we chill and eat catered mexican food on the boat. so i actually like it--mexican food, jeremy, boat, christmas lights--its a winner.
Work related parties should be a separation, like separation of church and state... Personal life and work life should not intermix...just my opinion.
I don't like the gift exchange either and I agree the one where people can take the gift away is selfish and greedy. At one party, I ended up with a new in-the-box toilet seat. Uggh. Although, after the party, a lady came up to me and said, "I really need a new toilet seat. I'll trade with you if you want."
We have had people say that they would rather donate to charity instead of attending a party, gift exchange or neighborhood gifts.
Congrats on the dinner gift card ~ Enjoy!
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