We need to get together for our Christmas party!
I’ve been thinking about a appetizer and dessert potluck, but I’m also trying to get a seasonal job so I’m not sure I want to deal with cleaning house if I’m working retail. OTOH, I’d like someone besides my mom and the cats to see my tree.
Or we can find a place to eat out.
But let’s get started!!!
What are good/bad dates, y’all?
I’m free whenever you want to get together. What can I say? I have no life. 
Well, if I recall correctly from Raiders of the Lost Ark, “bad dates” are the kind that poison your monkey.
B^þ
But seriously, folks…
The Chef family is booked every Sunday between now and Xmas… Other than that it will mainly depend on when Mrs. Chef has to work, which is mostly during the Xmas season.
I don’t have a life either, so I’m in. … Well, some non-life things like work may get in the way. I think, at the moment, that the weekend of the 15th may be out. I have a project in Austin, but so far the best they’ll narrow it down is it has to be done by the end of December. But I was told that I should count on being there the weekend of the 15th.
But Zy, I’ll come by and look at your tree anyway. Just tell me a good time. I’ll even say how wonderful it is.
Jim
Well, y’all, I’d love to come up and gaze at a beautiful Christmas tree, but I’m not sure I can swing it at this time. But I’m sure it’s a superbly decorated tree if Zy did it.
And, Zy, in case you didn’t figure this out already, Lord Jim just wants an excuse to come by and flirt with you.
Hi, Grace! Hi, Cheffie! Long time no see.
{{{{{{Zyada}}}}}}
{{{{{{Grace}}}}}}
{{{{{{Cheffie}}}}}}
{{{{{{Lord Jim}}}}}}
Merry Christmas all! 
the newbie (w/wings) wishes she could go . . .
Anyone else?
when is it?
I’m free almost anytime, since I have live-in babysitters now. My wife’s been lamenting the lack of an office Christmas party this year (budget cutbacks), so maybe this could make up for that.
How about the British pub The Londoner in Addison? If that’s a bit far for FW dopers, maybe something in the mid cities? I’m free most any time, assuming that relative newbies are invited.
Newbies are always welcomed with open arms! I haven’t been to the Londoner, how loud is it? Can we eat there?
Since we have several newbies, let’s do a restaurant. Maybe we could do something in Las Colinas. This might even be central enough to consider a Friday evening party.
I like the idea of a Friday night party. Mrs. Chef’s weekend hours are VERY tight this time of year, what with her working in retail and all… but Friday nights she’s always off by 8:00 or so, and sometimes by 6:30 if the last birthday part of the day doesn’t get booked.
A restaurant party is fine with me… I do want to have people over to ooh and aah over the new kitchen but we can do that after the holidays are over. (after all, Mardi Gras isn’t far away…)
There are plenty of places in Irving/Las Colinas around the MacArthur & 114 or MacArthur & 635 areas that are easy to get to - Red Hot & Blue, Razzoo’s, On The Border, Saltgrass Steakhouse, etc.
The Londoner is not too loud, they have a great jukebox (free for the asking) and I know how to control the volume (I usually turn it up). It’s quite large with a couple of rooms off to the sides of the bar and an upstairs area as well. They have food, most of which is quite good. Great fish and chips and the Shepard’s pie and Steak and Mushroom pie are good too.
Los Colinas is fine too. I’ll ask a friend who is more familiar with the area about good resturants.
Friday nights work for me. The Londoner sounds good to me, but I may only be saying that because it’s not far from Frisco. 
If we go somewhere else then the newbie (rsa) and I can have a mini-gathering at the Londoner some other time. [sub]See! I wasn’t kidding when I said I have no life.[/sub]
Gads. A non-office Xmas party?
I’m so impressed with this I’ll even offer up a venue, although I caution all my place is only a one-bedroom apartment in Plano. I do have workable kitchen, dining room, balcony, and living room, however.
I can offer two dates as possiblities:
December 21, Friday night (for Hous Cheffie so all can make it.)
Or in between Xmas/New Year on December 28th, following Friday.
Hi Opal!
I would also (if we do this) like to have some help planning the party doings to get it right (I haven’t done this sort of thing before). I’m thinking I provide the place, the music, the she-decorated-everything-that-didn’t-run-away-and-the-cats-are-wearing-mistletoe setting, table buffet style, and perhaps a few other notions I have for fun, and let everyone else bring their dishes/bottles/etc for potluck dinner? (One caveat: no smoking cuz asthmatic hostess)
If anyone thinks that this would be better or as good as a restaurant, at least. Plano is even further for the FW crowd…
Ziactrice
If we go Ziactrice’s route, I’ll offer my help get everything ready (aka she-decorated-everything-that-didn’t-run-away-and-the-cats-are-wearing-mistletoe setting) since I work in Plano [sub]and have no life[/sub].
I’m really easy about this whole gathering thing. We’re having it at a restaurant? No problem. We’re moving it to someone’s house? No problem. I’d offer up my house for the party, but I’m not sure how Mr. Grace will react to that. Maybe I’ll ask him about it tonight and see what he says.
Oh and another thing…are we going to do another gift swap like we did last year? I think we did a $10 gift exchange and then we stole them from each other over and over.
Oh, we have to have a chinese auction!
What is a chinese auction?
What we did last year, dear.
If this year is like last year, the rules should be posted at least 5 or 6 times before our party.