Party time

Many would say that Christmas is just one day, so what’s all the fuss about - but it’s not really just one day is it? What about all the parties? Office parties….dinner with friends…..family get togethers..... most evenings throughout December there are lots of people dressed up and out enjoying themselves.

So, not to miss out, I’ve had 3 Christmas evenings out in the last 2 weeks!!

1. ‘hen party’ at The Deep, Hull.
2. Dinner with the HR and Reception staff (5 in total) last Thursday. It was a quiet, civilised and pleasant evening at a good fish restaurant in Beverley. Nice.
3. Company Christmas party in York last Saturday.

About 250 staff and their partners attended the Christmas party. A traditional turkey dinner was paid for by the company (!) AND we each got 6 free drinks vouchers (!!) AND we could book a hotel room and breakfast which the company would pay for (!!!!!!!!!!!!!). How could we not enjoy ourselves?

We had our party at the Royal York Hotel, next to York station, so I checked in at about 4pm Saturday evening (yes of course I booked a room!), and then wandered into York for a bit of shopping. The city was looking wonderfully festive with twinkling lights, Christmas decorations and loads of gorgeous shops tempting everyone to part with their money. I managed to get a couple of gifts, and then went and had a browse in Habitat, which always makes me feel happy!

As I said, partners were invited, but being the eternal singleton and having no partner, I decided to book myself a single place, and a single room (sad, but indulgent). Then, a week before the party, Toni suggested I ask my nephew Benji if he wanted to come with me. I was fairly sure he would not be keen – let’s face it how uncool to go to a dinner dance with your old aunt? However, as a student, the offer of free food and drink is always tempting, and he lives in York anyway, and indeed I got a reply text saying “yep sounds good to me! Am I your plus one?? Whats the dress code”. Obviously I told him that wearing a dress would be inappropriate, but mine was red if he wanted to co-ordinate his shirt. I asked at work if I could book a last minute place and that was ok. I also checked if I could have a twin room in case he wanted to stay over. I decided not to tell anyone who it was I was bringing, only that his name was Ben. People never like to ask, do they? I’m sure they like to speculate, but it’s bizarre that they are happy to assume, but not to ask! So if a middle aged man can bring a 20-year old pretty girl who he refers to as his ‘niece’, then I thought it completely appropriate that I could bring a good looking, 20-year old young man who I could refer to as my ‘nephew’. Lol!

We had great fun, and Benji was a complete star! He did me proud!! He even joined me on the dance floor…..well, I guess none of his student friends were watching. Then, just like Cinderella, he left at around midnight, to go home, and I managed to stagger my way back to my hotel room alone but happy.

Usually when you stay in a hotel, you are an anonymous, transient person who knows no-one. So, it did feel a little weird to go for breakfast and see so many familiar faces of people who I work with and were partying with the night before! I was invited to join one of our Directors, Eugenio and his wife at their breakfast table, and although I felt a little like Shirley Valentine joining Douggie & Jeanette, I did manage to enjoy a delicious full cooked breakfast, before heading off back into York for some sightseeing and more shopping…… I almost felt like I was on holiday!

*sorry, we were so busy enjoying ourselves we forgot to take a photo!