@CalabrianQueen said:

What are you guys up to this year? What are your family plans? Anything interesting going on in the office for Christmas?

I was part of a secret Santa at work yesterday. At least one point my boss had everyone come in the same room to exchange gifts. She turned out to be my santa and got me a nice bottle of alcohol to take home, some Pinnacle Vodka, can't wait to attack that later tonight night.

My family plans are pretty much the same as always , go to my Grandmother's and meet up with the extended family to exchange gifts and take pictures and best of all EAT.

Also there's a bunch of good movies coming out on Christmas. I might go finally see Star Wars, my little cousins are begging me to take them to see it.

How's the shopping going? I still have to buy gifts for like 10 people , ay caramba.

I'm still shopping, and I'm last minute Larry.

I went to Kay's to get something for my wife and some department stores for everyone else, Still have a few gifts to buy .

Erica, I thought you'd be spending all Christmas with your man. 😏

At my office we had a Christmas dinner on the clock which was pretty fun. No mistletoe or a party this year probably due to the current climate ,if you catch my drift.

One of my employees bought be some bourbon, probably trying to kiss up but I'm happy all the same.

@ArcticFox12 said:

@CalabrianQueen said:

What are you guys up to this year? What are your family plans? Anything interesting going on in the office for Christmas?

I was part of a secret Santa at work yesterday. At least one point my boss had everyone come in the same room to exchange gifts. She turned out to be my santa and got me a nice bottle of alcohol to take home, some Pinnacle Vodka, can't wait to attack that later tonight night.

My family plans are pretty much the same as always , go to my Grandmother's and meet up with the extended family to exchange gifts and take pictures and best of all EAT.

Also there's a bunch of good movies coming out on Christmas. I might go finally see Star Wars, my little cousins are begging me to take them to see it.

How's the shopping going? I still have to buy gifts for like 10 people , ay caramba.

I'm still shopping, and I'm last minute Larry.

I went to Kay's to get something for my wife and some department stores for everyone else, Still have a few gifts to buy .

Erica, I thought you'd be spending all Christmas with your man. 😏

At my office we had a Christmas dinner on the clock which was pretty fun. No mistletoe or a party this year probably due to the current climate ,if you catch my drift.

One of my employees bought be some bourbon, probably trying to kiss up but I'm happy all the same.

No mistletoe at my office party either, too RISKY LOL.

I'm shopping with him later on today because he's another last minute shopper.

His gift is already purchased, an X Box One X with some rediculously overpriced games.

We host Xmas Eve for my wife's family. So we've been busy getting the place set for that. Actually sitting down here for just a few moments. Big dinner and gift opening here on Sunday evening. Lot's of nieces and nephews. Since both my parents recently passed, my sister will be coming over too, but not my brother. So we're making dinner for about 25. Got gift shopping all done this week, but getting the house ready is driving me nuts. Just got all the seating set. Going to set up the bar area as soon as I'm done typing this.

Then on Xmas morning, which used to be family breakfast and gifts at my folks, we'll be heading to my sisters. Last year we went to my nephews (first year without my parents), but they are SOOO far away, it was too much after hosting Xmas Eve and then having to head out early on Xmas morn. So I'm glad my sis is doing it this year. For this year, we finally stopped with Xmas gifts within my family. We essentially did it so my Mom could see us open gifts (she loved that). But last year it just ended up being a Gift Card exchange. So we'll just have a relaxing breakfast this year. After that, we'll head to my parent-in-laws for late lunch and more family gathering.

Xmas night will be my In-Laws HUGE Xmas party. One of my wife's cousins (an excellent top notch chef - his wife a top baker) will put on a massive dinner for all of my wife's Aunt's, Uncle's, cousins, and kids of the cousins. So we will have a whirlwind 24 hours. I can't wait to see the dishes they serve. One year it was duck, another year the best prime rib I've ever had. It's always a great treat.

Then on Tuesday a lot of the guys head off to the QUICK LANE BOWL, formerly the LITTLE CAESAR'S BOWL, formerly the MOTOR CITY BOWL. It's nearly always the day after Christmas, so it's kind of a tradition. Yeah, it's a garbage Bowl game, but it's fun.

Then Wednesday, my wife and I are unplugging for a day. No cell phones. No PC's. Nothing. Just relax.

So that's Xmas in a nutshell. Well - gotta run. Still lots to do.

Everyone have a Very Merry Christmas, and stay safe on the roads!

I'm hosting Christmas Eve and have been getting the house ready for over a month! Still tweaking it and will be up to the last minute. My father, siblings, niece and nephews, my favorite aunt and uncle, cousins and their kids - should be 22 in all. Christmas day is spent with my husband's family - we will open our gifts to each other in the morning, then head to my mother-in-law's house to exchange with her, his sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Round about the time we finish, all his aunts, uncles, and cousins will start showing up.

About done with the set-up for tonight, not much more I can do until last-minute stuff tomorrow - so time to unwind, have a glass (or two) of wine and watch some cheesy Christmas movies with my sister.

Echoing censorship, Merry Christmas Everyone, drive safely, and eat, drink (responsibly) and BE MERRY!

@Gothish520 said:

I'm hosting Christmas Eve and have been getting the house ready for over a month! Still tweaking it and will be up to the last minute. My father, siblings, niece and nephews, my favorite aunt and uncle, cousins and their kids - should be 22 in all. Christmas day is spent with my husband's family - we will open our gifts to each other in the morning, then head to my mother-in-law's house to exchange with her, his sister, brother-in-law and nephew. Round about the time we finish, all his aunts, uncles, and cousins will start showing up.

About done with the set-up for tonight, not much more I can do until last-minute stuff tomorrow - so time to unwind, have a glass (or two) of wine and watch some cheesy Christmas movies with my sister.

Echoing censorship, Merry Christmas Everyone, drive safely, and eat, drink (responsibly) and BE MERRY!

Sounds great Goth. My family reproduces like rabbits so the Christmas gathering is like 100+ people at the same house, mostly kids, not all at the same time but over the course of the day.

This year I just wanna get in , schmooze a bit then get out. I promised my BFF I would hang with her family a bit this year since her parents unofficially "adopted" me. And I really wanna go see PP3 and Star Wars later that night.

We had a lovely Christmas open house with my dad's side of the family a couple of weeks ago. As people grow up, get married and move away, it gets harder to find a time right around "the day of". We'll be at my parents' house tomorrow, although it will be a smaller gathering than usual. My sister is visiting her husband's family in Japan. I'm getting to enjoy it vicariously through pictures!

Merry Christmas to all of you!

@CalabrianQueen said:

What are you guys up to this year? What are your family plans? Anything interesting going on in the office for Christmas?

I was part of a secret Santa at work yesterday. At least one point my boss had everyone come in the same room to exchange gifts. She turned out to be my santa and got me a nice bottle of alcohol to take home, some Pinnacle Vodka, can't wait to attack that later tonight.

My family plans are pretty much the same as always , go to my Grandmother's and meet up with the extended family to exchange gifts and take pictures and best of all EAT.

Also there's a bunch of good movies coming out on Christmas. I might go finally see Star Wars, my little cousins are begging me to take them to see it.

How's the shopping going? I still have to buy gifts for like 10 people , ay caramba.

Not a Grinch--I appreciate the holiday. I love the music. I enjoy seeing how joyful folks are during this time of the year. But, my holiday-celebration spirit is pretty much no more. Don't know when it left, or why; it just seemed to have oozed out over the years.

Anyway...

Can't remember the last time I went shopping for a gift; but still buy "must" gifts; either online, or gift cards (been there/done that).

Not doing anything special on the BIG DAY!

But, to those who are--Have A Happy!

Re: Office Holiday Party – It’s ALWAYS an overproduced spectacle.

--Don’t know what possessed her; but, one year our "Regional" decided it was a good idea to make an "Evelyn Nesbit"-like entrance (kinda hard to keep a straight face at meetings for a while after that one).—

But, everything is “TOP SHELF”; so, no reason to complain.

And...

The arse-kissing is of the usual kind--not the reportable kind.