Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


Fuel

Jasmine / December 15, 2008 12:46 AM

Workplace holiday party was canceled after parent company canceled parties in all branches. Missed a friend's cookie baking party this afternoon, but same friend is throwing a wine/mulling party next weekend. Whee!

mary / December 15, 2008 8:37 AM

I've been to 3 holiday parties and I think I'm done. There are a few more going on, but I think I'm going to skip out on them. The company party was good, we had too many bottles of wine, but no one went nuts. Generally we have this crazy extravagant party where I feel too uncomfortable to socialize. This year we went for appetizers and "drinks" (which turned into like 12 bottles of wine for 9 people) and I think it was better than most of our parties in the past.

W / December 15, 2008 10:41 AM

Just one, for work, it was actually enjoyable (Mmmm....Fogo de Chao).

Other than that one, literally, none. I actually really dislike holiday parties.

I really dislike all things holiday except for the actual family. Christmas music makes me want to pop open a vein in the tub.

Another spiced rum, please / December 15, 2008 10:59 AM

Between Thursday and Sunday, I attended seven holiday parties. Two of them were office parties, neither of them for my company. Plus, Wednesday was my birthday, which was like another holiday party with just the boyfriend. And my office party is this week. I'm ready to fall over.

flange / December 15, 2008 11:34 AM

department party at lunchtime today.

company party friday afternoon stretching well into the evening.

friend's party saturday evening.

jennifer / December 15, 2008 11:38 AM

my department had it's holiday fĂȘte early this month. other than that, have no other holiday plans. have to finish finals, grading, and then studying for a qualifying exam that I'm taking in a month's time. don't even know that I'll get to celebrate christmas proper. alas.

Hubert T. Autoindustry / December 15, 2008 12:08 PM

Just one. A small affair on a private island in the Caribbean. But we're cutting back on the beluga caviar food fight and the human food platters. Well, at least until we get that bailout check... woohoo!

jen / December 15, 2008 12:18 PM

no job = no holiday party. one friend took pity and snuck me into one of the chicago mag department ones.

boo hoo to all of you with multiple holiday parties. i'm lookin' for the free booze wherever i can get it!

mucifer / December 15, 2008 2:40 PM

blech. too many, and by that i mean 3. BUT, what is with this new, annoying trend in "white elephant" gift exchanges? you know the one where everyone brings a gift, you draw numbers, someone gets to pick a gift, the next number gets to either pick a gift or steal a gift someone already opened? it sucks, brings out the worst in people and is so...classist. yuck, i hate holiday commerce and as soon as my nephews are old enough to understand, i will never have to buy another xmas present again.

Gaigen / December 15, 2008 2:52 PM

BUT, what is with this new, annoying trend in "white elephant" gift exchanges? you know the one where everyone brings a gift, you draw numbers, someone gets to pick a gift, the next number gets to either pick a gift or steal a gift someone already opened?

You mean that's real? I saw that on an episode of "The Office" just the other day. Please tell me people are picking up their holiday cues from televisino shows. I mean, the first couple of real-life Festivus celebrations were funny enough, then it gets creepy.

Gaigen / December 15, 2008 2:53 PM

That should have read, "Please tell me people are NOT picking up their holiday cues..."

Andrew / December 15, 2008 3:10 PM

White Elephant gift exchanges predate "The Office" by quite a few years.

anon / December 15, 2008 4:35 PM

"Please note the dress code is business casual. While everyone is welcome to don your favorite holiday sweater or sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers are discouraged."

girl / December 15, 2008 4:58 PM

We did a white elephant and i got a 17 inch leather ram with large horns that won't stand up. I have been to 4 holiday parties, two for work and I have maybe 1 more to go. I love holiday parties and am so excited to work somewhere where they actually can have them.

fluffy / December 15, 2008 6:48 PM

Just 2- one was a friend's work party this past Saturday and I had to work @ the coat room. It was mostly old people. I got $1.25 in tips (all in quarters) from a strange man. I drank lots of free wine.
My company's "End of year celebration" is on Friday. Since someone at work is a Jehova's Witness, we can't call it "Holiday/Xmass/New Year's celebration" since they don't celebrate holidays or birthdays, from what I understand. I could care less, but I'm new, so I have to pretend I care.

eee / December 16, 2008 10:18 AM

Not one yet. My office did one last Friday, but since I'm new-ish I felt awkward about going. Add to that the fact that it started 2 hours after work ended but I live 50 minutes away, and it just made attending troublesome. So I didn't go.

This weekend I have two parties for my husband's family. One is the annual Christmas thing, the next is a family reunion. Otherwise, that's it.

Spook / December 16, 2008 11:12 AM

any body remember Allen's most depressingly hilarious
christmas party tale,(from two years ago) where he ends up going outside to smoke a joint?

I think it was Allen?

That should be rerun every year

annie / December 16, 2008 3:12 PM

My work party is this Friday, in the office...first time for that. Typically we rent a room or get space at a bar and it's a package deal, but the many layoffs this year had us reconsider. I'm in charge of music, so at the very least the music will be good. It's turning into a potluck and so far 4 people including myself signed up to bring something, that is out of 130 people. Everyone is bitter about the layoffs so I don't expect many to turn out.
After that I had one Sat. skipped it. We'll skip my husband's work party, it's in the burbs and we don't have a car. My cousin's having one this Friday and we're skipping that too. It's enough to just see everyone on Christmas day, isn't it?

Nuke LaLoosh / December 16, 2008 4:44 PM

Invited to 7, attending/will attend 4.

Invited to 3 office-related parties (going to 1), invited and going ton one friend's non-holiday "latkefest," invited but not going to another friendly gathering, attending 1 family get together, and had 1 small gathering for holiday cocktails a couple of weeks ago.

My wife's birthday is this weekend, so we're going to Hot Chocolate . . . does that count?

GB store

Recently on Fuel

Urban Ethos [26]
What is Chicago's "urban ethos"?

Cool Glass of... [16]
What're you drinking?

Supreme Decision [22]
What's your reaction to the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act?

Taking it to the Streets [20]
Chicago Street Fairs: Revolting or Awesome?

I Can Be Cruel [9]
Be real: what is the meanest thing you've ever done?

View the complete archive

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15