| It's the "other kind" of politics. I bought a box of cards at AcronymCo's company convenience store. Twenty cards - I figured I'd be golden. I'd spend a productive hour at my desk penning heartfelt-yet-coporately-appropriate words of holiday greeting. And feel that much closer to being organized - I've at least got my co-workers covered. Family members whose Christmas cards require postage is another matter altogether. I thought it'd be a good idea to formulate a list of folks who would be the recipients of my Christmas cheer. Get a grasp on things, you know, before I start writing. Okay, I was going to use "denizens of my Christmas cheer" but I just looked the word up and realized it didn't mean what I thought it meant. "Inconceivable!" "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Spot the reference and win my everlasting admiration (and nothing else). So I started writing down these names. My former boss. Lunch girlfriends. My current boss. Other folks in my department. The factory manager (props to me!). People I work with in task forces. People I *used* to work with in task forces. People who sit near me. Damn if that list didn't add up to twenty pretty fast. So now my dilemma sets in. Who gets a card, and who doesn't? How does the weeding out process work? What are the card recipient criteria? Readers: "Buy another stupid box of cards, Laura! I mean, duh!" Hush, you. Christmas Card Politics, in full force. If I went strictly by those whom I know and work with, well I'd just have to buy five or six more boxes of twenty identically-messaged cards. Those who I worked with *and* liked, that number could be cut in half. Those who I've worked with in the last six months, take off another quarter. Those who give a rat's ass whether or not they receive a card from little ol' *me*, and I could use one box and have half the cards left over. However, Corporate Holiday Card Giving Etiquette must be adhered to. So of those list of twenty, fifteen are going to get a card from me and like it, dammit. But then you have the contingency of folks who observe that *this* person has received a card, and yet *they* didn't. And they get all insulted, and they either a) refuse to give you a card; or 2) give you a card "even though she didn't give one to me, because I'm the bigger person." Unfortunately for them, I'm immune to that kind of crap. Oblivious, even. Completely unaffected. Whether it's because I'm a particularly obtuse person, or are thicker skinned than is commonly believed, is unknown at this time. Anyway, here's how it all shook out. Five actual friends. Seven fellow department members (including the boss). Five acquaintances who would probably be cool friends if I ever socialized with them. Two people I've worked with on especially harrowing projects. The aforementioned Factory Manager (props!). And a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, not really on that last one. Besides, I didn't have enough cards. Writing messages proved to be difficult. Well, let me amend that. The five cards to actual friends were easy - "May the forthcoming holiday bring you the joy of the alcoholic beverages of your choice." "May the holidays bring you the wonder and joy of the best gift you'll ever receive... fuzzy slippers!" "If you don't invite me to your New Year's party I'm taking this damned card back." You get the picture. The generic... erm, that is, *friendly holiday greetings* to the rest of the folks ran along the lines of "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", "Best Wishes", and other such inspirational messages. I'm banking pretty heavily on the "it's the thought that counts" theory. These typist's fingers just aren't used to wielding a pen like they used to be in the hand-written journal days. A lot of journalers have requested addresses from their readers in order to send them Christmas cards. Rest assured, dear readers, you are in my thoughts and prayers this holiday. However, I can't even manage to get a Christmas card out to my Grandmother, let alone my millions (heh) of loyal readers. You understand my predicament, I'm sure. Nothing personal. I wish sending cards out via Blue Mountain wasn't considered so cheesy. I did it last year and it was considered cute. I wonder why it fell out of favor this year. It's a Hallmark instigated conspiracy, I bet. |
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Your Mission, should you choose to accept it...
This is actually going to have to be a mission for next year, for me. I've seen some beautiful examples of hand made Christmas cards and would love to try my hand at it. Unfortunately, I've left things so late this year that I'll be lucky if the Hallmarks I'm sending out reach their destinations in time. Anybody out there making their Christmas cards?
Results From Yesterday's Mission I know you're out there, I can hear you breathing. Hello? Is this thing on? Hello? I grabbed the design idea for the box thingy from Anna.
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