Company Christmas Parties

This is the time of year when you have to go to parties that you don't want to and then there are nights like last night. I went to one of the most entertaining and enjoyable x-mas parties I have ever been to. Now maybe it was because we were all dressed ridiculously, but I am pretty sure that it was the company we were keeping. We have a very tight circle of friends and that has recently expanded to include a new member. I have not properly given him a nickname and since I have now been named "Grandma" I think I will call him Mariah. He knows why and totally owns this name.

Mariah hosted a ugly x-mas sweater party last night. Insane.
There were a ton of people from work (about 90% of this party) that I don't usually communicate with on a regular basis and within 20 minutes we were gathered around a table screaming at each other while playing circle of death - the best drinking game ever. It was more fun than I have had in a long time. It was definitely because it was an ugly sweater wearing, strawberry shortcake mixed drink making, kicking the ceiling kind of night. This is the kind of "work party" that I enjoy. It is not one of those pretentious parties that often arise during the holidays. Enter my department (probably typical to most department) holiday party.

This department party will start out super fake like we are all best of friends and it will end segregated into the usual cliques. It is no fault of anyone, it just happens. My cool team will end up sitting on a log around a campfire while the other sit on the other side talking about how we are not social. Plus since the head lady had a baby, now all spouses and babies are invited. I am all about parties that include spouses since I like to take advantage of this when I can. But I work under the umbrella of HR (no Mariah, not for HR) and my husband works for the same company as me. How fun is it to go to a party and constantly be under the microscope disguised as shallow conversation? So it is a known that he will not be there and I completely respect that. Thus making the divide even greater, HR and their spouses and the rest of us. Thankfully this year the party is early, so it does not take the whole night. And thankfully, my teammates are cool as shit and we will make this party fun.