Committed: The Ties that Bond
with Angella Dykstra
I'm a mom of three, a professional accountant, and an amateur photographer and writer. I am not a marriage expert. But my husband and I take "Til death do us part" seriously, and here I'll be sharing how we keep our marriage strong while we both do that insane work-life juggle.
Check out my Work It, Mom! profile and my blog, Dutch Blitz.
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This coming Friday is my office’s Christmas party and the following weekend is my husband’s Christmas party. We were talking with our kids about our upcoming plans and they were asking what we did at these parties. Was Santa there? Were there presents? What did we DO?
My party is a fancy buffet dinner at a nice hotel with an open bar and always includes at least two (if not eight) people who go well over their personal limit (no, we did not share that part with the kids) and my husband’s party is a potluck dinner at somebody’s home and there is no alcohol to be seen (he works at a church).
While talking about our respective dinners, my husband fist-pumped when I informed him that due to the economy, there would “just” be a dinner and a gift exchange, but there would be no entertainment. Him: “YES. That means I don’t have to play stupid games and make small talk with ____ and ____ and ____.” He made a joke about accountants being lame, and I pointed out a few people who he actually likes chatting with. My party isn’t as bad as he made it out to be.
His dinner is the more fun one for the both of us. There is a small staff (9) plus spouses and they are all friends of ours, outside of work. There is a great dinner and a lot of laughter and that crazy gift exchange where you get to either choose a gift from the pile or steal someone else’s and we always walk out the door with a happy smile on our faces.
How about you? Do you enjoy your spouse’s holiday party?
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We’re super jazzed that we get to attend Simon’s holiday party this year. Last year was his first Christmas at this job and we had to miss the party because he was playing a gig, and we were SO disappointed because it’s a formal dinner dance at a fancy hotel in the city, and we jump at any chance to get out and get glamorous.
My office party, meanwhile, is the same as it’s been for ten years: a packed office of everyone we have ever worked with (authors, clients, printers reps, you name it) plus spouses and children and purse pets and cousins visiting from out of town, and the gift exchange is a LOUD-ASS riot, and the potluck spread would blow your mind.
Guess which one will be more relaxing?
Leah K | December 6th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
I think both would be fun, but I’d jump at the chance for the fancy night out, too.
Angella | December 7th, 2011 at 10:11 am
I never could stand those parties. My current company doesn’t have them, and I’m glad.
SKL | December 8th, 2011 at 1:36 am
Teachers don’t have fancy parties. My husband’s was last weekend, two staffs partying it up with booze and a midnight lunch in a (Catholic, liscenced) church basement.
Mine is tomorrow, a catered dinner for staff and spouses at one of my colleagues’ house. I will be attending solo, as I am a widow to extra-curricular activities. (sniff)
Heather | December 9th, 2011 at 12:32 am
Your party combo is pretty much the same as ours - only reversed.
Danica | December 10th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
Both of us have work parties but they are hosted during the work day so we never accompany each other. Both parties are for staff only and exclude sign. others. This is fine with both of us.
I do have a coworker who hosts a party and invites everyone from the office. Sometimes my fiance comes with me and other times he does not. I don’t think he enjoys them at all but I enjoy him meeting people I spend a large chunk of my time with.
K | December 13th, 2011 at 9:37 am