Monday, December 7, 2009

Advent Calendar ~ Holiday Parties ~

As a child, I don't recall mom having holiday parties. I do know that we would have close friends over for a traditional turkey dinner and opening our gifts Christmas Eve, but not what you would call a party. Mom knows how to entertain too, she would have a full on dinner, and everything would look beautiful from her German tablecloths with Christmas china to the Christmas tree and decorations thru-out the house ~ I do remember that.

Mom did say that after I left home she would always have holiday parties at her apartment complex, thanks mom you wait till I leave!

My husbands employer would hold quite lavish Christmas Balls. We wouldn't attend every year but every few years we would get formally dressed up ~ hubby in a tux and all! I always enjoyed just sitting back observing and people watching! This particular group would always be interesting with lots of stuff going on!

My (former) employer always had their Christmas parties in January and always held at the same restaurant: The Butcher Shop. We would rent the back room, the food was excellent. I chuckled when reading Amy's post over at We Tree and her description of her husbands employer, "There was a ton of dysfunction in that place" was an exact description of our Christmas parties! I too would sit back and observe at all the drama unfold in amazement. Come Monday morning, several would just stay in their offices and be very busy! Thank you Amy for giving me the perfect description, I was searching for the words!

As for parties here in our home, we really don't have any. Our culdesac does get together almost every year. We each bring a dish to share. Sometimes if it's not too cold, we will bring chairs and set up tables right out in the street with a big fire pit in the middle. If it's too chilly, we will meet at one of the neighbors home. We just attended one two houses over last Sunday and it was nice to chat and catch up with everyone instead of just waving as we all back out of our driveways in the morning! We have a tight neighborhood and it really is more like a big family.

Christmas Eve, all three girls come over with our grand kids and we open gifts. It's easier this way because they are all grown and have their own families and traditions now and Christmas Day is their time to do that. For dinner I will make a big pot of chili, making it casual and simple.

Advent Calendar 2009

1 comment:

Amy Coffin said...

Glad you liked my description. I really enjoyed those work parties because I didn't work there. I could just watch the train wreck like a tv show.