My family never had holiday parties, but we did have Christmas Dinner with lots of relatives. The only holiday party I remember attending was when I was working for a company in Golden, Colorado.

Interpex had a Christmas party for the employees and their spouses or significant others as the case might be. We had a lovely meal at a resort in the mountains west of Denver with a beautiful view. I wore a green blouse with a black skirt, which was usual for me because I like black and I wear it often. Anyway, one of the wives was from South Africa and she asked me if my husband had been in the military because wearing a black skirt was traditional for military wives. I thought it was sort of strange but also an interesting piece of trivia. Strange that’s what has stuck in my mind over the years.

Oh wait, I remember going to a Christmas party when I worked at the University of Denver! I remember really wanting to go, then not being able to find anywhere to park, so we had to walk what seemed like a long way because it was so cold. It was cold inside the building as well, we didn’t stay too long.

Christmas parties are a really big deal in Ireland, and companies go all out and having that new and special Christmas outfit is extremely important for most people. The one thing I have never liked about these parties is that the spouse is very rarely included, it’s just the employees! During the holidays, many restaurants are booked for Christmas parties so it’s difficult to get reservations.

by Marsha Hanson-Smith

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