5th Annual Tobin Last Minute Christmas Party

I took a break from my WoW play with Klisch to organize the 5th Annual Tobin Last Minute Christmas Party. For those of you that don't know, I always organize a Christmas party in the week leading up to Christmas. I try to time it so it is midweek and coincides with what is most likely to be everyone's last day in town before they head out to see the family. But after the last Christmas shopping weekend so everyone is pretty much wrapped up and ready to get on with the revelry.

Me preparing the decorations:

Pics from last year's party:

More of an 'after' picture. Seems Porfy was enjoying himself.

Now we normally don't have a gift exchange, but since we missed the 'did not exist in 2006 Annual Sobolewski Christmas Party' we decided a white elephant gift exchange was appropriate to keep traditions alive.

Now this created a dilemma as the rules of the White Elephant Gift Exchange are fuzzy and somewhat dynamic, but the basic premise is that you can change gifts with someone if you like their gift better. But the same gift can not be exchanged more than twice and no one can own a gift twice.

The crew at the party, a somewhat casual affair:

The dilemma is created when you realize that with only two people I could basically get a white elephant gift and then take it for myself.

As I have been wanting one of those Irish hats that all the cool really old Irish dudes wear and Paty is NOT interested in my owning of said hat, this is the PERFECT opportunity to get one.

But in the interest of maintaining matrimonial harmony throughout the holiday season, I resisted the urge. This is what I ended up purchasing, a real hit!

NO, it is not a table runner, but a stylish scarf that could conceivably double as a woolen table runner. On top of that is a friendship ball that is essentially a mouth blown glass ball you hang in your sun exposed window. An Irish thing. Or more like a County Galway thing.

In the true essence of the White Elephant party, Paty regifted me a bottle of wine or three that her coworkers gave her. Good call on her part as most likely I would have drank the wine myself. Plus, she did get me a new bottle of Irish liquor, Bailey's, to replace the one I drank that was supposed to be for her.

All in all, a great night! The champagne, Spanish Cava actually, was really good.

Tomorrow we head out to Rome. Five nights in the 'Eternal City'! Should be great. We plan to see the Pope do Christmas blessing and we are going to an Italian Serie 'A' game on Saturday. We are both really looking forward to one of these events.

I might not be able to post pics from Rome, but I have figured how to remote post text only. So I will try to keep you updated. And there will be a large post with many pictures once we return.............

To those of you that I am not going to talk with over the ensuing week:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS (the Irish version of Merry Christmas)

And for the Non Irish:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!, we miss you all.