Mrs.Anteater
Just keep going....
What is going on in your social environment for Christmas? Is it scary, stressful, expensive? Does it have meaning or is it just obligation?
Your work/ church/ club Christmas party
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Mrs.Anteater
Just keep going....
In my old department, we do just a potluck at a lunch break for Christmas. We are over 20 staff members there and so busy that we can’t take more time off in the day.
The medical physicians used to pay for an evening party for all staff working on Medical, with snacks and two free drinks each. That was very much appreciated. During Covid, they could not do that, so they spent the money to buy some much needed equipment for the unit.
My new position, staff is about 10 people, they do Secret Santa. They seem to have a tradition of spending quite a bit of money for eachother, when someone leaves, they skip in $20 each for a goodbye gift.
Secret Santa is said to be up to $25- I do find that a bit much…. but I am going to Costco today, maybe I find something that looks expensive but isn’t. I will also pick up some treats for the volunteers at the local Red Cross. I send them customers almost daily, they are very sweet and caring people and we know them for years.
The medical physicians used to pay for an evening party for all staff working on Medical, with snacks and two free drinks each. That was very much appreciated. During Covid, they could not do that, so they spent the money to buy some much needed equipment for the unit.
My new position, staff is about 10 people, they do Secret Santa. They seem to have a tradition of spending quite a bit of money for eachother, when someone leaves, they skip in $20 each for a goodbye gift.
Secret Santa is said to be up to $25- I do find that a bit much…. but I am going to Costco today, maybe I find something that looks expensive but isn’t. I will also pick up some treats for the volunteers at the local Red Cross. I send them customers almost daily, they are very sweet and caring people and we know them for years.
paradox3
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Before I retired, I worked on a team of 8 people. We used to go out for a Christmas lunch and make a group donation to World Vision
There was a departmental event hosted by the psychiatrists but I never went to it. It was in the evening at a pub.
There were also two hospital wide events hosted by Admin (snacks, etc) and the department of Medicine (lunch). Both were grab your food and go
There was a departmental event hosted by the psychiatrists but I never went to it. It was in the evening at a pub.
There were also two hospital wide events hosted by Admin (snacks, etc) and the department of Medicine (lunch). Both were grab your food and go
paradox3
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Oh yes the team Xmas lunch. We used to close our program early and go out for an extended lunch around 2:00. We didn't return to work afterwards.
It was pleasant enough but I could have done without it. As a diabetic, I always had to manage the delayed lunch carefully.
It was pleasant enough but I could have done without it. As a diabetic, I always had to manage the delayed lunch carefully.
Mendalla
Happy headbanging ape!!
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After not much happened over the last couple years, I have two company lunches this year, one for the senior levels of management and one for head office staff.
In the past, we did have a company-wide Christmas party but as we spread out more geographically (when I started, we just had Southwestern Ontario and the GTA, now we go East as far as Ottawa and Kingston and North as far as Sudbury), that was getting harder to manage, esp. since some people always had to stay home to cover on-call. Fortunately, the pandemic hit just as that was being announced so we would not have been able to have one for a couple years anyhow. Now we are only going to have parties in anniversary years (decades and half-decades since incorporation) but the last one of those got scuttled by COVID as well.
In the past, we did have a company-wide Christmas party but as we spread out more geographically (when I started, we just had Southwestern Ontario and the GTA, now we go East as far as Ottawa and Kingston and North as far as Sudbury), that was getting harder to manage, esp. since some people always had to stay home to cover on-call. Fortunately, the pandemic hit just as that was being announced so we would not have been able to have one for a couple years anyhow. Now we are only going to have parties in anniversary years (decades and half-decades since incorporation) but the last one of those got scuttled by COVID as well.
paradox3
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At church there is a turkey dinner late in November. I have always passed on this. I don't do much social type stuff at church because I attend on my own without Mr Paradox.
Not sure if it was cancelled once or twice due to the pandemic. This year it was takeout only. Seems kind of pointless to me but I guess it's a good fundraiser.
Not sure if it was cancelled once or twice due to the pandemic. This year it was takeout only. Seems kind of pointless to me but I guess it's a good fundraiser.
Is there a trend to feed the well-to-do friends better than the deficient? Leaves a holy place of some spiritual hunger ... perhaps just a thought of crumbs from the righteous table ...
Then there was Ise Bell in the stret ... just dogging it ... what drove the initial layouts? Pade power; tread lightly ... carry a big stick ... eri stemology ...
Like escatology it is a word improperly understood ...
Then there was Ise Bell in the stret ... just dogging it ... what drove the initial layouts? Pade power; tread lightly ... carry a big stick ... eri stemology ...
Like escatology it is a word improperly understood ...
Nancy
Well-Known Member
When I was a teacher, or even a Sunday School teacher, Christmas was all about getting kids to perform! I was generally fairly stressed out about finding something appropriate, teaching it, practicing it and then...praying that it all came off without a hitch. Also, I had to act calm and in control. There were always a few surprises, and I learned, over time, to relax a little and enjoy those surprises.
I missed a choir party this year (doctor's appointment), but I will enjoy two upcoming celebrations. One is for a retired teachers' group. There are only about 14 of us involved, and there are three of us planning it. I chose 'peace' as a theme, and bought Peace by Chocolate treats for all. The other is a book club get together, and we are doing potluck with the only theme being....choose an OLD recipe, preferably from an OLD cookbook. I have my great aunt's old Five Roses Flour cookbook and will choose something from it.
I spend too much at Christmas...for gifts for family, and for Christmas events I attend. But I don't travel (much), and lately I haven't attended concerts or plays. So this is the way I am happy to spend.
I missed a choir party this year (doctor's appointment), but I will enjoy two upcoming celebrations. One is for a retired teachers' group. There are only about 14 of us involved, and there are three of us planning it. I chose 'peace' as a theme, and bought Peace by Chocolate treats for all. The other is a book club get together, and we are doing potluck with the only theme being....choose an OLD recipe, preferably from an OLD cookbook. I have my great aunt's old Five Roses Flour cookbook and will choose something from it.
I spend too much at Christmas...for gifts for family, and for Christmas events I attend. But I don't travel (much), and lately I haven't attended concerts or plays. So this is the way I am happy to spend.
KayTheCurler
Well-Known Member
We will only attend one party - for an art group we belong to. Finger food potluck and a gift exchange that is always enjoyable. Everyone brings a wrapped gift that cost NOTHING. Can be something useful you no longer use or something hilariously ridiculous. Some items get brought back from previous years!
We used to go to another party for a larger group but found we didn't enjoy it. It was exactly the same for three years in a row and included community singing to a badly played, slightly out of tune, guitar. There was a catered turkey meal too - which wasn't as hot as it ought to be. Donations of non-perishable food were requested for the local Food Bank which we ignored (and endured remarks!) as we make a sizable cash donation for that initiative already.
Overall. we aren't excited or anticipatory over Christmas anymore. Our adult kids have decided there should be no presents around the family because it gets expensive. That was fine by us until we realised that gifts were still exchanged for the partners' families!
We didn't know that our kids were grow up to be Grinches with us!
We used to go to another party for a larger group but found we didn't enjoy it. It was exactly the same for three years in a row and included community singing to a badly played, slightly out of tune, guitar. There was a catered turkey meal too - which wasn't as hot as it ought to be. Donations of non-perishable food were requested for the local Food Bank which we ignored (and endured remarks!) as we make a sizable cash donation for that initiative already.
Overall. we aren't excited or anticipatory over Christmas anymore. Our adult kids have decided there should be no presents around the family because it gets expensive. That was fine by us until we realised that gifts were still exchanged for the partners' families!
We didn't know that our kids were grow up to be Grinches with us!
ChemGal
One with keen eye
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I'm not loving the timing of activities, I have a few days of medical testing next week and Christmas party tomorrow.
Our work group does 2 events. There's a lunch, I think it's usually a potluck but maybe it's catered this year along with a stealing gift exchange ~$20. It's fun and the managers stick with the dud gifts if there are any (one person thought one year it was supposed to be White elephant style and another person who is no longer there brought bad gifts). I would go to the gift exchange but my treatment is at the same time. Chemguy will bring me some food home, he typically does when there's a work lunch.
I can't remember if there was an evening Christmas party last year. Since it's been this company (most of this group has been with 3 due to buyouts) it's been at a hotel super close to home. Some grumbling from coworkers about always having it at the same spot but no one else steps up to organize it. It's not huge, this year even smaller than usual as some people had plans before this was scheduled. A few free drinks each, some games. This year the numbers don't meet the threshold for a bartender so it's serve yourself so my guess is the the bottles of alcohol will all be paid for. I am planning on eating a bit distanced from others and masking otherwise. I do enjoy the parties normally, I went in 2019 despite recovering from a biopsy. It was nice to be out of the house. People normally dress nicely, although 1 person always wore a gag suit, ugly Christmas sweater type thing but suit and different ones every year. I went in a big Rudolph sweater, braless the last time. My mom thought it was weird. I'm glad I went though but it was certainly pushing myself even though I was sitting the entire time and left quite early. So it will be good to go again at my usual activity level despite the circulating viruses. If it was just me I would decline, but Chemguy is going so risk seems about the same if I don't go, maybe even higher as Chemguy would just eat with the group and likely stay unmasked in the room if I didn't go.
Chemguy has a few other parties he's invited to. Not sure of the number or declines. Some are different groups/locations of this company. Another is a client's. He's going to that one, potluck. They do a stealing gift exchange, $50 which I thought was a bit much for that type of thing but the gifts are nice.
Our work group does 2 events. There's a lunch, I think it's usually a potluck but maybe it's catered this year along with a stealing gift exchange ~$20. It's fun and the managers stick with the dud gifts if there are any (one person thought one year it was supposed to be White elephant style and another person who is no longer there brought bad gifts). I would go to the gift exchange but my treatment is at the same time. Chemguy will bring me some food home, he typically does when there's a work lunch.
I can't remember if there was an evening Christmas party last year. Since it's been this company (most of this group has been with 3 due to buyouts) it's been at a hotel super close to home. Some grumbling from coworkers about always having it at the same spot but no one else steps up to organize it. It's not huge, this year even smaller than usual as some people had plans before this was scheduled. A few free drinks each, some games. This year the numbers don't meet the threshold for a bartender so it's serve yourself so my guess is the the bottles of alcohol will all be paid for. I am planning on eating a bit distanced from others and masking otherwise. I do enjoy the parties normally, I went in 2019 despite recovering from a biopsy. It was nice to be out of the house. People normally dress nicely, although 1 person always wore a gag suit, ugly Christmas sweater type thing but suit and different ones every year. I went in a big Rudolph sweater, braless the last time. My mom thought it was weird. I'm glad I went though but it was certainly pushing myself even though I was sitting the entire time and left quite early. So it will be good to go again at my usual activity level despite the circulating viruses. If it was just me I would decline, but Chemguy is going so risk seems about the same if I don't go, maybe even higher as Chemguy would just eat with the group and likely stay unmasked in the room if I didn't go.
Chemguy has a few other parties he's invited to. Not sure of the number or declines. Some are different groups/locations of this company. Another is a client's. He's going to that one, potluck. They do a stealing gift exchange, $50 which I thought was a bit much for that type of thing but the gifts are nice.
jimkenney12
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Our son might join us for Christmas. No parties planned for this year. Radiation treatments will be the order of the day from mid December to early January.
ChemGal
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I hope the Radiation treatments are tolerated well and the 2 or 3 of you have a nice quiet Christmas together.
Nancy
Well-Known Member
Hope it goes well jimkenney12. I forgot to mention the family get togethers: Christmas Eve at my house for sisters, kids and their families....It will be noisy and crowded; just two of the three kids here for Christmas dinner which I will keep basic but will include a turkey, and then Boxing Day for appetizers and games at my sister's place. This weekend I'm making tourtieres and buns to be put in the freezer.
BetteTheRed
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It appears that our church is not having a Christmas Dinner with Santa this year; maybe next, I hope? The big guy has promised to be Santa.
I am doing the peace labyrinth again and now need to find a supply of fake evergreen boughs. Our new music director is heavily allergic to live evergreens.
My employer gives out gift cards for Xmas and tells us how many families our "dress down Fridays" supported with a Xmas dinner gift card.
My former employer has a "Retirees Lunch", which costs only $20 for a beautiful Xmas dinner with all the trimmings, buffet, in the College Dining Room. I will join this group with some delight. No gifts or anything.
The big guy and I are hosting a Christmas Dinner at his house. A couple of his roommates, me, perhaps sister. Turkey dinner, trifle for dessert.
I am doing the peace labyrinth again and now need to find a supply of fake evergreen boughs. Our new music director is heavily allergic to live evergreens.
My employer gives out gift cards for Xmas and tells us how many families our "dress down Fridays" supported with a Xmas dinner gift card.
My former employer has a "Retirees Lunch", which costs only $20 for a beautiful Xmas dinner with all the trimmings, buffet, in the College Dining Room. I will join this group with some delight. No gifts or anything.
The big guy and I are hosting a Christmas Dinner at his house. A couple of his roommates, me, perhaps sister. Turkey dinner, trifle for dessert.