Season's Greetings

[NGONGE]

Nope. It is not what you think. I am not going to wish you a Happy Eid, Christmas, Hanukah or New Year. Well, not yet anyway.

 

I was more concerned with this tedious tradition of receiving/ sending all these cards (for all occasions). If you're in employment (stinky students and Jacaylbaro don't count here) and are in the West, you will more than likely receive endless numbers of greeting cards at this time of year! You will also experience a constant stream of invitations to countless Christmas parties organised by customers and clients. If you can avoid these, you may struggle to avoid your very own office party!

(I am getting images of Val dressed as Santa's little helper here.....)

 

I usually succeed in avoiding all this fuss every year. But always fret, worry and stress about causing offence around this time of year. In fact, my desk is full of various cards I received. One of them even has a free voucher for a full Swedish massage!

 

How do you people cope with any of this?

[Jacaylbaro]

ehem ehem ,,,, yeah it is true.

 

Eid, Christmas and new year all in the same 10 days ......... can't wait.

[Som@li]

I have been invited to Chrismass party already, and today when I come to work, I noticed that all most everyone put some decorations, lights,and some even put music on their cubicles, Gaalo iga dheh! waxaas in mudo ah baan ka raystay.

[-Lily-]

Ngonge, I tell everyone I don't do cards for environmental reasons.

 

As for parties I like to avoid them as much as possible as they are alcohol fuelled & I hate the way ppl change when they get tipsy. I have to attend our office one, I intend to be there for the dinner and leave before the free alcohol starts to flow.

[Jacaylbaro]

I'm invited tonight ........ i must go

[-Serenity-]

I dont do cards, I wish people Happy or Merry whatever.

 

However, I do love going to the office Xmas party. Its always a ball.. and this year is promising to be alot of fun. It would be so rude if I made my boss pay £75 on my behalf and didnt partake in the mystery adventures, 4 course dinner and disco

 

Stop being so anti-social NG! Go and enjoy time with ur old grumpy colleagues and ur suicidal friend

[N.O.R.F]

In our internal meeting yesterday I informed the client/project managers i will be away from Tuesday until Jan 2nd. Gasp! You dont celebrate Christmas was what came back. No I ceelebrate Eid mate was a good counter.

 

What reason have I been giving for why i have been avoiding all the jolly lately (I mean the usual gaalo/brit jolly here)? a - I dont drink and cant be bothered standing around watching oters make fools out of themselves and b - I dont celebrate Xmas but if you have an Eid party I'll be the first one there strutting my stuff!

 

Ngonge, your just a big softy. You need to change industry to one where everyone is more thick skinned.

 

They have all gone to tonights party and i'm off home for the wknd :cool:

[NGONGE]

^^^ The industry matters not, it's the bloody country saaxib. Or have you already forgotten?

 

ps

Which one of the kings were you in your school's nativity play?

 

pps

 

Serenity,

I was born anti-social, darling. Besides, I find the whole party thing very dull. Still, when you say you don't do cards, does that also apply to birthday cards? Will you expect an anniversary party when you're married?

[N.O.R.F]

^^The same bluntness was used when I was there in the UK.

 

Boss/Co-Workers: So are you going to the Xmas/Company do?

Me: No

Boss/Co-Workers: Why not?

Me: I cant be bothered.

Boss/Co-Worker: LoL, your just boring. Oh you dont drink do you?

Me: Listen mate, I'm a Muslim and dont do company parties but I will view the pics of you all looking siily when its emailed around

Boss/Co-Workers: Ok mate.

 

Try it saxib.

 

School nativity play? LoL, I was never good at that sort of stuff.

[peasant]

Anyone celebrating Kwaanza?......

[Kool_Kat]

I never had any problems with the Holidays...Gosh, everyone is just happy, every where lit up with beautiful lighting, shopping, shopping and more shopping...As for office parties, I sure enjoyed it - something about grown white people (yea there were only one other black person in the company) acting S-T-U-P-I-D after getting drunk, and believe me they did...Plus, yearly bonuses came around the time...Who wouldn't enjoy money and party? Not I...

[Valenteenah.]

NG, I don't dress up (as Santa's Little Helper or anything else for that matter) but I do send cards to those who send me one. I also don't go to parties, but rather opt for lunches (they hold both).

 

This year, I have been invited to several lunches but I'm skipping all but one with my former colleagues (they understand the etiquette of drinking with non-drinkers, i.e. they pay for their alcoholic drinks separately and don't expect you to contribute).

 

Maybe if my department went all out (like Serenity's boss) and arranged a posh shindig for us, I might be tempted to don my sparkly glad rags and partake.

[Nehanda]

Totally agree with Lily. Just send e-cards and save few more trees.

 

Office party can be fun, people ease up and start enjoying themsleves.

 

Gosh Serenity, any vacancies at your place cos we have to fork out our share of the cost the only contribution from directors is towards the drinks which doesn't help much if you don't drink.

[Cara.]

Don't whine about being invited to eat out at others' expense, Ngonge. Us "stinky students" know only one kind of party, the potluck kind. I've had to cook 4 times since Thanksgiving :mad:

 

As for cards, I've only gotten 1 so far this year :confused: Maybe the fact I never give any is beginning to rub off on others...

 

Can I have the coupon for the Swedish massage? Not getting a tree's worth of empty seasonal greetings has really bummed me out.

[LayZie G.]

Eedo Ngonge, you can learn to cope by treating it like its nothing.

 

You don't have to feel pressured into giving cards to people, just because you got it from them, nor do you have to give them gifts.

 

They all know that I don't celebrate christmas, and still the cards are coming, they are like, ok I know you don't celebrate, but I just thought I give it to you, in turn I say thank you and move on, don't stress yourself over whether or not you should return the favour. Hence on my b-day, got tons of b-day cards, some even got me a gift, but when it comes to their b-days, I am no where to be found and when caught, I say, ooh was it today? gosh, if only I knew.

 

Last year, I collected close to 30cards from co-workers and my manager, lets just say this year, I am ready. I went to wal-mart and got a bunch of cards for a price of less than $5, it says happy holidays, no reference to christmas, so all I need to do before tomorrow comes (office luncheon), I will sign with my name and put theirs on the front of the envelope and start handing them.

 

Then we have our famous yearly holiday gala (again, no reference to christmas) as it offends those that don't celebrate the holiday, even thought everyone knows that it is indeed a christmas party.

 

This year its extra special, the annual gala will be held our city's own convention centre, and people can't wait. Everyone has been going on and on for over two weeks now about what are you wearing, who are you bringing? Will you be attending the after party and the after after party?LOL some are booking rooms at the near by hotel incase they get too drunk, it is just going to be off the sheezy.... (cadaanka at work take this annual gala way too seriously) and my answer is always, "still figuring it out"