There is just something special about being invited to a holiday gathering. I've known about it for awhile. How you might ask? Well, because it's been almost one year (less than 2 weeks shy of, actually) since I started my new job. Last year, I had heard all about the one I had just missed, but this year I got to experience it.Since many of you haven't known me very long, this will be news to you. I am not much of a social butterfly. In fact, when you get right down to it, I'm the person that people go to when they want something done, not the person they want to invite in order to socialize. I lived my life in the background and have grown accustomed to fading into the walls. I was taught young the valuable lesson of being "seen and not heard." Little did I know that my entire life would be more like "being seen, not heard and then really not being seen."
I have few friends at my work, being in HR doesn't lend itself to making friends with others. I'm okay with that. As such, I normally don't go to events like these, as I don't have anything to say and what I do have to say, most people are interested. So I went to observe and I brought my husband along so I wouldn't feel so lonely.
After quickly finding the one person who I knew would be there and waiting for us to arrive, we introduced our respective mates and then stood back and watched the groups gathered together. I felt like I was in high school all over again - "the outsider looking in". But there was something different. I actually felt good about myself! I haven't felt like that in a long time. What a wonderful revelation!
I had a new party dress, my hair done and I finally got to wear the pearls my husband gave me a few years ago. I liked playing dress-up! I forgot what it was like to wear nice clothes because the last five years I had been working on a farm. No time for pretty dresses there.
And you know what else, it didn't matter that I wasn't a social butterfly. It didn't matter that few people spoke to us. I had my friend and her husband. A few people came up to us and said hello. We talked for a bit and then they went on. My husband even saw someone from his work there. What a small world! We had a nice meal that for once my husband didn't have to cook (he was happy about that!)
My only disappointment was that I didn't take a picture of me in my new party dress. I guess I will just have to put it on again, get my hair done and wear my pearls again! Christmas won't be sad this year, because things are starting to turn around. And I have great plans for 2012!
As the writer/editor of employee communications, I always heard, "You aren't going to put this in the paper, are you?" : - ) Like you, I prefer to observe. But that can be fun, too. Glad you felt comfortable enough to enjoy it, and, yes, do get gussied up again and let us see a pic!
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