You guys may remember that I’m not really big on the Holidays. Not keen on the celebrations. Crabby about all the hooplah, if you must know.
But still, there are a few traditions I do love. And I want to pass them on now before life gets too nutty for all of us. This way, you can possibly adopt them yourself.
Christmas Party Tradition
I’m lucky enough to work in a terrific office, filled with people I like. People who like each other. And I think they like me, too. But that is all beside the point.
We have the best Christmas tradition at my office. And we do it at our annual Christmas party. I wrote about one year’s party here.
About two weeks prior to the party, we choose the name of a co-worker, and bring a gift (priced at under $25) for that person as if he or she were 7 years old. We each open the gift with our name on it and try to guessing who gave it to us. Then the toys are collected and given to a local charity.
It is ideal for a small group of folks, it’s fun, and your group makes a terrific donation to charity.
New Year’s Eve Tradition
Most of our family traditions are mine. But this one is all John’s.
Times Square Ball
When the Ball Drops at Midnight on New Year’s Eve/Day, we run to the doors. I described it here.
Basically, one person needs to be at the front door, and another one at the back door. At the stroke of midnight, the front door is opened to let in the GOOD LUCK, and the back door is opened to let OUT all the BAD LUCK.
I’ve been doing this for 27 years now, and I’m pretty sure my luck has gotten better since I started it.
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For those of you anxiously awaiting the answers to my Truth and Lies post, I will fess up tomorrow.
FiftyFourandAHalf 
Both great ideas! Since my kids are all grown & living so far away we have no traditions we honor any more.
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Oh no! Actually, I am looking forward to February. Just to get it over..
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Both of these are awesome! I seriously want to steal the office party one.
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Be my guest. That’s why I posted this piece. Unfortunately, I wrote it in November and forgot to post it … Oops. Maybe next year! But the New Years’ one is easy — no commitment involved.
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That Christmas present idea is wonderful. I will try and get it incorporated for us next year. This year we will all have to smile while receiving gifts we neither want or need.
I remember reading about your door idea and wanting to try it but I am pretty sure we forgot (judging from this year’s results). I have to remember to do this this year.
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Hi Michelle,
I thought I’d answered this comment — sorry!
It is a great tradition for exactly the reason you mentioned. It is also a great conversation starter. It’s hard to not exchange stories of your own childhood.
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So that’s why my life has been a bit of a mess? I forgot to open the back door? Nice to know. You can bet that door will be swinging wide from now on. Yep, wide open. Out with you, bad luck. Be gone.
Love the idea of the unique spin on Christmas gifts. What a fun way to celebrate, and then, after the festivities, you get to bring a smile to a child’s face. Sounds like a fabulous tradition. Makes me smile. Enjoy the party!
If I was buying for 7 year old Elyse, I think I’d go with either a big stuffed dog, or maybe a little microphone with a killer amplifier. Cause she’s gonna end up having a lot to say, and the world wants to hear every syllable. 🙂
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It may be very simple to improve your life — Just open that back door and push all the bad luck out. I don’t know if it only works on New Years’ though. I suspect you can do it any old time!
I love our party. Truly. Did you read the post I linked to about the time my boss chose my name? Because that stuffed dog you might be giving me might not have liked the arrangement!
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Oh my word! I went and read A Different Toy Story. It made me laugh, so hard, I think I busted my chuckles, and I might need to check my Depends. Never mind the frightening vision of children playing on the train tracks, (how did we ever live to see another day?), but your description of the plume of stuffing flying into the air … priceless.
And, yeah, I might hold off on that cuddly stuffed dog for this year.
Either that, or find one that is particularly PLUMP.
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Actually, the best one was the Pebbles doll I mentioned in that post — my first one. Not only did her stuffing fly up, but so did her plastic head. It ended up 20 feet above the tracks, stuck in a tree. It seemed a bit over the top to put it in the story, though!
We were evil. I’m thinking I may tell the story at this year’s Christmas party …
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I love the office party idea, more so because I hate these parties involving gag gifts. What a waste of money they are. It seems like such a wasted opportunity, too, to do something that matters. I’ve worked in only a couple of places where I liked the office party. You need the right combination of people to make it enjoyable.
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I am incredibly lucky in all things about my job. Really lucky.
And yes, it is much better to do something worthwhile than to waste time and money!
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We do the toy one too. We also donate food, so people will have a holiday meal. Nice!
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I’ve never known anyone else who has done it! Awesome!
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I love the office party gifting! That is entirely awesome.
Good luck / bad luck – in and out. Love this one, John is great.
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It is always a lot of fun. And yes, John is a good guy. He’s brought me a lot of luck!
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Some very unique ideas! I think that’s what makes the holidays fun, making them your own.
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I agree, Karen. I especially love the Christmas idea. Because everybody wins — especially little kids who get the toys.
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Or else you learn by errors and so life gets better that way ;).
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Probably not, Luanne. Probably not!
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Excellent ideas!
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I particularly love the gift exchange. It is a riot.
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That 7 year old gift exchange sounds fun. The only problem is that I’d probably want to keep whatever gift I got.
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One year I got a BIKE. Seriously! And I had to give it up (it was worth more than the $25). We all took turns riding it around the office. It was a blast! And then I cried when they took it. Sniff sniff. I haven’t recovered.
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Worst Christmas Party Ever
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Pretty much.
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I just like the extra days off during the holidays…
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You, Mr. Guap, do not get extra time off of blogging because of the Holidays. Your posts have been sorely missed!
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I’m sorry, I’ve got absolutely nothing worth writing down. I’m completely blank.
Meh.
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That’s why I started NaNoWriMo. That’s why I failed it, too, in fact. But it did get me writing.
Rest. Have fun. Jump from something high or do some other controlled craziness … You’ll be back!
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I remembered the New Year’s Eve one, but not the Christmas party one. That’s a pretty cool tradition.
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It’s a blast, actually.
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I’m sure it is. What would 7 year old me want??
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I would get you a Star Wars Darth Vader Bank.
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LMAO…Grown me already has one!!!
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See how well I know you?
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Lol. Indeed.
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I love these traditions! The toy one is fabulous. Lets people enjoy the fun without collecting more things they don’t need and then feel the joy of giving away to charity. What a great idea!
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We really have a blast. And it takes a lot of pressure off the whole do you get your colleagues a present question.
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That office party idea is gold!! I’m using this next year!! Love the ebb and flow of your New Years nite….in with the good out with the bad!!
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I meant to post this a few weeks ago for anyone looking for an idea for this year. Oops…
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