Working the Annual Christmas Party

A couple years ago, I helped a friend of mine out by working at her boss's Christmas party. (Actually, that sounds like I'm doing my friend the favor. Since it's a paying gig, really, they're doing me the favor, as money is always tight around Christmas).

It was my first time doing something like this so, to be perfectly honest, I was terrified. I'm not really a people person, I don't do well with strangers, I tend to panic in large crowds, I've never worked in the food service industry, take your pick on what might make me uncomfortable.

When I was hired, I was told I'd probably be parking cars. I know how to point and I wouldn't have to deal with a lot of people outside of "please park to the left", so this sounded like my dream job. Since I'd be outside in the cold, all I needed was some black pants and my black jacket, to make sure I was easy to run over in the dark. My friend loaned me a pair of gloves, and I made sure to wear a second pair of socks, to keep my feet warm. I was prepared.

We arrived to the party and the boss started handing out our jobs. They had enough help with car parking (uh oh), so I was to help my friend with the bar (UH OH). Again, I've never worked in the food industry, and dealing with people are not my strong points. Add to that, I could probably count the number of mixed drinks I've had on both of my hands with fingers left over. Then it was clarified that I would be basically keeping an eye on the bar and making sure wine and drinks were in good supply and fetching anything the bartenders would need. I've played go-fer for my dad on...well, pretty much every job I've worked with him on, so we're playing to my strengths again.

Someone shows me where all the excess stock is located and then the guests start to arrive.

I have been invited to two parties over the course of my years (three, if you count my surprise birthday party). One was fresh out of high school, when alcohol and I were not on speaking terms, making it a rather dull experience for myself, and the other was a birthday party that a friend supposedly threw for me, which was the saddest party ever thrown. This party was unlike either of those experiences.

For starters, there was a ton of people there. And despite the size of the house, they were all congregating around the bar.

And the strange thing is, despite my lack of any social skills, and how busy, noisy, and crowded it was, I actually had fun. I enjoyed people watching. I got to know a couple of the other folks who were helping a bit better. And on some subtle level, I developed an appreciation for football.

There were times where I would need to fetch a bottle of wine from storage, with a mob of people separating me from my goal. Since clubbing the party-goers with the bottle of wine was frowned upon, that meant slipping past them, clinging to the bottle like a football. By the end of the night, I was quite good at it.

So, yeah, it was a memorable experience. And despite the frustrations that come with the job, it was one that I was happy to do again.

Christmas Time

It's December, which means it's finally Christmas season.

Well, for some, Christmas season started in October.

I don't like Christmas.

Well, I should clarify. I like the spirit of Christmas. I like having time off from work. Time I can use to visit with my family. Time I can spend at my Mom's house, visiting with her. Time I can spend at my Dad's house, visiting with him, my stepmom, and my little brother. Time I can spend with my older brother, and my sister and her husband. Time I can even spend with my extended family that I don't see much throughout the year. Time I can spend with my friends and loved ones.

What I don't like is the commercial behemoth that Christmas has become.

Every year, the Christmas holiday season arrives earlier and earlier. It's not uncommon now to see Christmas decorations sitting on store shelves in September. And as the seasonal juggernaut rumbles to life, it proceeds to suck all the joy, and togetherness, and love from the holiday.

Time normally spent with your loved ones is instead spent wandering from store to store looking for the perfect gift for them. The roads and stores become clogged with people and tempers are at an all-time high. They pump Christmas music over the in-store speakers and on the radio to try to instill some Christmas spirit in everyone, but its jarring to hear such uplifting music as you yell at your fellow man.

Sung to the tune of O Come All Ye Faithful

So, in the end, it kind of just spoils the mood for me.