Christmas.. already?!

I can’t believe 2005 is almost over. Where did it all go? At work we’re rolling into the part of the year where we begin our strategic and operational planning for the new year. It’s a pity I’m feeling tired and a bit flat at this time of year and haven’t got many ideas. I’m also realising that I’m going to have to bite the bullet and do some work at home if I’m going to finish those articles I’m supposed to have written. I wonder if The Boss will accept that I have been writing – just not what he expected.

I know it’s still only October, but we’re all planning our Christmas functions already and I’m doing my best to avoid getting invited to too many of these – I find them exhausting. I’m sure people inviting me can see through my lame excuses about why I can’t go to their Christmas do – I must be the only one on campus with a heavy work load three days before Christmas?! I dislike parties and large social occasions and especially hate being around drunks. One of the most liberating realisations for me was when I acknowledged to myself that I’m no good at big social events (and many small ones!) – my name is CW, and I am an introvert.

Thankfully my work unit has an unusual tradition. Instead of going to some restaurant somewhere and subjecting ourselves to Northern Hemisphere Christmas food on a 40 degree day (soup, turkey, ham and Christmas pudding does not work when you’re sweltering), we take a picnic lunch to the small lake on campus, sit in the shade of lovely trees and eat, drink and be merry with a game of bocce after the feast.

The bocce game is always a source of much hilarity and fun. I have yet to win our Annual Bocce Tournament but will be the first to admit that it’s highly unlikely I’ll win unless I play less erratically. (I’m too fond of doing wild flings that land the ball waaaaaaaaaaaaaay away from anything at all.)

I have no idea why I’ve started thinking about Christmas when the Melbourne Cup hasn’t even happened yet…

Categories: culture, celebration, Australia