Strange Behavior at Holiday Parties

Not everyone enjoys going to holiday parties. Most of the time, people force themselves to attend these events just to make a brief appearance. Once you make an appearance, you are free to leave. If you force yourself to stay, you may show some strange behavior because you really don’t want to be there at all.

The Cookie Exchange

The purpose of the cookie exchange is for the participants to make several dozen homemade cookies to swap with each other. If you can’t bake decent cookies, don’t bother to participate. When home bakers become part of a cookie exchange, one of the benefits is sampling other cookie recipes. The worst thing you could do is show up at a cookie exchange with store bought cookies or a pink box of bakery cookies. A cookie exchange only accepts homemade cookies worth taking home to share with others. If you don’t have some delicious cookies to swap and be proud of, skip the project until next year. Or at least when you learn how to bake.

Drinks and Appetizers

If you don’t have a 2-drink minimum during your party, some people will have no control over the amount of liquor they consume. If you know there are people in your party who do this on a regular basis, it is stressful to any host or hostess to keep an eye on these people during the evening, wondering if they’ll turn into sloppy drunks long before they leave.

Serving appetizers is easy and quick. Watch for the guests who linger at the same platters and consumer the same type of food and get them to move. The worst thing anyone can do is double dip their vegetables or crackers. Slobs think nothing of dragging pieces through dip, taking a bite, and then drag the bitten end back through the dip.

Being at a party gives people reason to leave plates, napkins, and half-finished drinks on any flat surface. Unless you have hired help, guess who gets to clean up behind the party goers?

The Potluck

Some people like bringing elaborate dishes to a potluck, and there are others who don’t bring a thing. There is a difference between someone who takes the time to make a homemade dish to feed 8-12 people compared to someone who buys a plastic container of potato salad from a mini mart, takes the lid off, and then places it on the serving table. The attendees who lean towards cheap will find ways to cut corners by bringing paper plates, cups, forks, and spoons. Sometimes, 1-2 liters of soda will be enough. To prevent 25 guests from bringing 25 different salads, make someone in charge of a list. At least there should be a menu of main dishes, salads, side dishes, desserts, and drinks. Otherwise, everyone brings the same thing. It makes for a very boring potluck menu, and no one will want to eat.

The worst potluck offenders will attend potlucks and eat all they want without contributing to the meal. I once knew of a man who attended every potluck scheduled at work. He was one of the highest paid analysts in the company, but he never contributed a dish. He thought it was perfectly all right to attend a potluck or party. All he had to do was find out about it. Didn’t everyone want him there?

Some will take home leftovers or spend the rest of the work week raiding the office refrigerator for free food. Eating free leftovers means these people don’t have to bring lunch from home or go out to eat.

Dinner at the Restaurant

When the boss is picking up the tab, everyone at work makes it a point to show up. Everyone is encouraged to order what they want. The boss in a jovial move and has been a regular at the restaurant so many times that the owners allow him to walk behind the bar and make drinks. There are drinks for everyone whether you want them or not. The boss will spend the rest of the evening sitting on the secretaries’ laps.

The Gift Swap

Everyone shows up with a wrapped gift, and everyone is supposed to go home with a different gift. But wait! When you open your gifts, and everyone is ready to go home, it is time to “steal gifts.” You can look around the room and pick the gift that you really want to go home with. Your gift is swapped for the gift you want. If you want to be real heartless, take the stuffed toy from a child and swap it with your first gift.

If you were satisfied with your gift the first around, you have to give it up to the person who “steals” it. Unless you steal a gift from someone else, you’re going home with a useless gift that you don’t want. It will probably end up in another gift swap or donated to a charity.

This is only a few samples of strange holiday behavior observed in some people. The holidays throw people together, but it doesn’t mean these times will end up in disaster. Be on your best behavior during the holidays. Keep in mind the season doesn’t last forever, so make the best of it while it’s h