Where in the World Isn't Bob Saget?

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Our school district used to have a Christmas party but we all had to pay our own way. So not really a Christmas present to the staff. It wasn't well attended because people had to pay for it themselves and many of our elementary and high/middle school staff don't really get along very well. So now the school district pays to have a lady cater a holiday meal for us during our lunch break. It is better, but I don't think the lady who does the catering cooks that great but it is a free meal. This year though the meal is on a day I have taken off for a dental appointment.

Anyway when the district stopped coordinating an offsite party another teacher and I arranged a gathering of fellow teachers for a Christmas gathering of teachers/spouse we like and actually hang out with. It is pretty fun, even teachers who have left the district still attend because we are all still friends. It is so much better than the old districts party. We even have a white elepant gift exchange with a reoccurring gift.
That sounds so much nicer! My husband's is much nicer because it's a small group. There are only like 12 people who work there. They usually don't invite spouses, but they did in 2019 and it was a really fancy dinner. Not really my kind of thing either, but at least there's no loud music or anything. You can actually talk to people. And they did a sort of triva game with prizes they had gotten from their suppliers. I won a dinner card for either 50 or 100 euros (I don't remember now), because I answered the question "What part of the body is infected if you have Gingivitis?" Apparently they don't use that word here, and thanks to toothpaste commercials in the US, you can't NOT know what that is. So I was the only one who knew and I got the gift card. It was fun. At my work, they take all the gifts from suppliers and they hold a lottery type deal. They put raffle tickets in envelopes all over the Christmas tree. Everyone picks an envelope off the tree, and each number corresponds with some gift. It might be a cheap plastic sled, or a bottle of perfume, or a remote control car, or one year, there weren't enough things to go around, so they bought some packages of cookies, and anyone who got numbers whatever through whatever else, got a cookie instead of a prize. There's always something like that where they have a hundred of one thing and that's what the majority will "win". It's usually one of those nylon drawstring backpacks, or a beach towel or something. That's what I always end up with. But at least it's something, so it's nice that they do it. It used to be that you had to go to the party to get your Christmas package and the lottery prize, but they had so many things leftover from people who couldn't make it that they started separating it and there is a package pickup time where they have hot chocolate and oliebollen and you get your present. I like that sooooo much better, because I really don't like going to the parties.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
That sounds so much nicer! My husband's is much nicer because it's a small group. There are only like 12 people who work there. They usually don't invite spouses, but they did in 2019 and it was a really fancy dinner. Not really my kind of thing either, but at least there's no loud music or anything. You can actually talk to people. And they did a sort of triva game with prizes they had gotten from their suppliers. I won a dinner card for either 50 or 100 euros (I don't remember now), because I answered the question "What part of the body is infected if you have Gingivitis?" Apparently they don't use that word here, and thanks to toothpaste commercials in the US, you can't NOT know what that is. So I was the only one who knew and I got the gift card. It was fun. At my work, they take all the gifts from suppliers and they hold a lottery type deal. They put raffle tickets in envelopes all over the Christmas tree. Everyone picks an envelope off the tree, and each number corresponds with some gift. It might be a cheap plastic sled, or a bottle of perfume, or a remote control car, or one year, there weren't enough things to go around, so they bought some packages of cookies, and anyone who got numbers whatever through whatever else, got a cookie instead of a prize. There's always something like that where they have a hundred of one thing and that's what the majority will "win". It's usually one of those nylon drawstring backpacks, or a beach towel or something. That's what I always end up with. But at least it's something, so it's nice that they do it. It used to be that you had to go to the party to get your Christmas package and the lottery prize, but they had so many things leftover from people who couldn't make it that they started separating it and there is a package pickup time where they have hot chocolate and oliebollen and you get your present. I like that sooooo much better, because I really don't like going to the parties.
Well, that is a form of a party just a more low key one. They are good though but seems to me to resemble a baby shower? I am neutral on parties that I don't have any responsibility connect except to not make a fool of myself (keep in mind I'm talking about my younger years). Now we have a traditional family get together on Christmas eve and the apartment complex does have a small one in the common room. Not to exciting due to the fact that one has to be at least 55 to live here and the average age is around 75. Mostly, we just rattle our walkers when we want to show excitement. (sorta)

We just had a group of dancers come in and put on a show. Being, that I consider myself mentally younger than most, I hesitated but was convinced that I should go. The dancing group ranged in age from 75 to 94 and although they would never be mistaken for the Rockette's, they showed a lot more flexibility than I can even hope for. I actually enjoyed it so now have officially become old and it's not all that bad.
 
Last edited:

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
My son has it too!
When I was in management for a printing and publishing company the one thing I hated were the holiday parties. It was fun for everyone except me. I would have a drink or two, but had to stay sober because the ones that got crap faced drunk (that included the owner) usually needed help to either stand, sit, head for the bathrooms or be taken home. At the same time when we had employee's under drinking age I had to make sure, not always successfully, that they didn't get "fed alcohol" by the "fun" lovers looking for something to laugh at. I only had that happen once but see how much fun it would be to have to take a younger employee home drunk and be confronted by their parents like I was the one that allowed them to drink. It was my responsibility but I couldn't be everywhere at once. Happy Holidays it wasn't! After a while, I just found an excuse not to go anymore forcing the owner to take care of that stuff. It only took a couple years of that before he passed on the party idea and just added the money to Christmas bonuses. Everyone was much happier, especially me.
My dad used to always show his face and bolt. He was so annoyed the year they made it on a boar cruise around Manhattan 🤣

My company throws a holiday party this week at a catering hall. Its always really well attended and fun. Like 200 people at a catering hall, come and go as you please, no loud music, lots of socializing. Should be fun.
 

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
@JenniferS , what are you going to get Daisy for Christmas?
She usually gets a soft tug toy or two. Pound for pound, that dog is MUCH stronger than me. She prefers to play tug with Mike. He puts up a better fight than I do.

A brother or sister?
Yeah, I tried. Mike is not on board. He says we’ve had three really, really good dogs in a row; our luck is bound to run out. He doesn’t want to spoil our RV travels with a new dog that’s yappy, or aggressive, or pees everywhere. (He’s not wrong. 🙁)
 

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
Apropos of absolutely nothing - I asked Mike what he wanted for Christmas dinner? We usually have ham or turkey.

He said, “Whatever you want”.
I said, “How ‘bout steak and baked potatoes?”
He said, “Perfect!”

The kids may or may not approve, but I want to mix things up a bit this year, as we always do following the death of a parent. (No Auntie is not a parent, but I will mourn her passing keenly; and no, she hasn’t passed yet, but I cannot see her enduring another three weeks.)

So there you have it - T-bones, baked potatoes, and a lovely salad or two. Can’t wait!
 

King Panda 77

Thank you sir. You were an inspiration.
Premium Member
Apropos of absolutely nothing - I asked Mike what he wanted for Christmas dinner? We usually have ham or turkey.

He said, “Whatever you want”.
I said, “How ‘bout steak and baked potatoes?”
He said, “Perfect!”

The kids may or may not approve, but I want to mix things up a bit this year, as we always do following the death of a parent. (No Auntie is not a parent, but I will mourn her passing keenly; and no, she hasn’t passed yet, but I cannot see her enduring another three weeks.)

So there you have it - T-bones, baked potatoes, and a lovely salad or two. Can’t wait!
😍 For the steak and potatoes
😔 For your auntie
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
Well, that is a form of a party just a more low key one. They are good though but seems to me to resemble a baby shower? I am neutral on parties that I don't have any responsibility connect except to not make a fool of myself (keep in mind I'm talking about my younger years). Now we have a traditional family get together on Christmas eve and the apartment complex does have a small one in the common room. Not to exciting due to the fact that one has to be at least 55 to live here and the average age is around 75. Mostly, we just rattle our walkers when we want to show excitement. (sorta)

We just had a group of dancers come in and put on a show. Being, that I consider myself mentally younger than most, I hesitated but was convinced that I should go. The dancing group ranged in age from 75 to 94 and although they would never be mistaken for the Rockette's, they showed a lot more flexibility than I can even hope for. I actually enjoyed it so now have officially become old and it's not all that bad.
The choir I was in before this one performed at a couple of senior homes, and one home for severely handicapped people. That one was a lot of fun because they were SO into it. They get very excited by live music. There was a guy with down syndrome who kept coming up to the stage, so the director gave him a mic that wasn't turned on so he could feel like a rock star. It was soooo cute. And then they formed a conga line and they were just partying! They were such a great audience! Those are the best performances!!

The choir in I'm now, we performed at a winter fair last weekend, and that was another one that was fun. There's no pressure. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to sound good and people appreciate whatever you do. We sing stuff that's on the radio, that people recognize and can sing along with and dance to, and just have fun. I enjoy stuff like that, but I'm not a fan of the really loud, thumping music where you feel the bass in your whole body and there's no melody to sing along with and people are too drunk or too high to notice. I've never been a partier, even in college when most students are all about where the next rave is going to be. I was more likely found on the computer or in my room studying on a Friday night.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
My son has it too!

My dad used to always show his face and bolt. He was so annoyed the year they made it on a boar cruise around Manhattan 🤣

My company throws a holiday party this week at a catering hall. Its always really well attended and fun. Like 200 people at a catering hall, come and go as you please, no loud music, lots of socializing. Should be fun.
When I was in college, one of my choirs went to New York City to sing in Carnegie Hall with a couple of other choirs. After the concert, they arranged for us to have dinner and a dance party on a boat cruise around Manhattan with all the people from the other choirs. The problem was we didn't KNOW anyone from the other choirs. We'd had just a couple of rehearsals with the whole group, and we were always sitting with others from our own choir, so we never mixed with the others. There was never like a mixer or meet and greet or anything. It was so awkward. And because it was on a boat, we couldn't leave the party or anything if we weren't having a good time or got motion sickness. I can understand why your dad was so upset with the cruise.
 

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
When I was in college, one of my choirs went to New York City to sing in Carnegie Hall with a couple of other choirs. After the concert, they arranged for us to have dinner and a dance party on a boat cruise around Manhattan with all the people from the other choirs. The problem was we didn't KNOW anyone from the other choirs. We'd had just a couple of rehearsals with the whole group, and we were always sitting with others from our own choir, so we never mixed with the others. There was never like a mixer or meet and greet or anything. It was so awkward. And because it was on a boat, we couldn't leave the party or anything if we weren't having a good time or got motion sickness. I can understand why your dad was so upset with the cruise.
He’s just antisocial. 🤣 If he saw someone at the elevator he knew took the same train he would duck into the bathroom and catch the next elevator so he didn’t have to travel on the subway then the train ride home with the person.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
All this talk of holiday parties... my school doesn't do anything. We sometimes have a team or a couple teacher have an impromptu meet up at a local bar, but nothing planned. For example, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving break, a bunch of us went to a bar and socialized for a while. I finally left at 8:30. Some stayed longer.
 

King Panda 77

Thank you sir. You were an inspiration.
Premium Member

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom