(I’m sort of channelling my inner Beckdawreck here, whose style I genuinely admire)
Oh hearken ye to thine company Holiday party . . .
Where the company is pleasant (hopefully for ya) and the food is plentiful. It helps the forrmer where I really like the crew I work with, but it doesn’t help the latter where I really reallyreally enjoy New Mexico’s red chile.
What ho the chicken enchiladas, mulled apple cider, warm menudo, and --gasp-- oh my Lord are those fresh biscochItos?!?!
Up waaay past my bedtime, getting home sooper-late, from a shindig where the food was filling and the company fun, now my head hurts and body aches from all the carbs and belly-warming chile. I rarely sleep in past 10:AM . . . today’s that day.
Tripler
“I’ve got tamales on my miiiiind . . . tamales on my miiiind. . .” – Willie Nelson not really
I’ve been ‘work at home’ status since the pandemic. I both miss, and am glad to avoid the temptation of, holiday parties and goodies. In several places I’ve worked at over the years, for the entire month of December, companies that my company did biz with would send all manner of goodies that would be left out for all to enjoy. I remember one company in particular, when I was single and often would work late, I’d make a dinner out of the sweet and savory edible gifts.
I freakin’ love tamales. At one place I worked, a young woman brought in and sold tamales and salsa her grandmother made. Incredible.
If my company had a local Christmas party they had it without informing me as I’m fully remote so they wouldn’t have bothered to say anything. My manager gave me a call to wish me happy holidays, so that’s something. If our larger management team said anything, it wasn’t shared with me.
I crashed two pot-lucks at my customers’ offices though (semi-invited, I did not show up empty handed!). That was fun though a little bittersweet as one was with my old job and colleagues and they’re a great bunch. I loved seeing them all, but I’m now on the outside, you know?
I’m not a great cultural fit with my employer…but it’s a great place career wise and my customers treat me well.
Pot-luck, so…everything. Charcuterie, salads, cheese boards, pizza, latkes, empanadas, sandwiches…just….stuff. So. many. desserts (I made cookies). One guy showed up at one party with an espresso machine.
I spend a lot of time on-site at my customers’ locations, so adding a lunch to a planned visit isn’t too complex for me or the project managers. I’m glad they do that for me - I knew taking this job that it would be difficult to feel connected to my actual employer because of the distance, and this is a nice compromise.