Christmas At The Office

Hard to have a Christmas party with just my tiny office, and only two employees here, but we were invited to the building Christmas party. My office space is rented from the local Band, and many others share office space here, including Income Support, Probation, Community Council, Territorial Services, etc. So yesterday we all gathered in the Band Council chambers for a big party. It was potluck and everyone brought something for the feast, as well as one unisex gift to exchange. There were games to be played (pin the hat on Santa, match the riddles with the visual clues, and collect the stockings - if you said Christmas, you lost yours) and a draw for a HUGE stocking of stuff. The food was excellent, though not as traditional as I would have expected. Someone did bring moose roast, but there was no fish, bear, bison, bannock, etc that I might have expected. I brought a Figgy Duff, and managed to fool a few people (completely by accident) who spooned my brown sugar sauce onto their turkey and vegetables as gravy...

While I was very aware of being one of about 5 white people in a group of 40, I was never made to feel like an outsider. The people here are very warm and friendly, and I was chatted up and made to feel very welcome at the party. We all laughed and played throughout the games and meal. What a treat! We even had Santa arrive to hand out the presents...but I did not sit upon his knee. Instead, when he disrobed (to jeans and a t-shirt), we swapped military brat stories as he too grew up on military bases across Canada. My gift was an Obus Forme pump-up lumbar support, which is GREAT for my aching back.

Today is our departmental Christmas party, for Health and Social Services, however I shall be the only social worker there. The rest will be Home Support workers, Nurses, and of course, the Community Coordinator that I work with. We have a gift exchange there as well, and with nowhere to really shop for this kind of stuff here, I had to get creative. The gift I'm bringing is a little Christmas box with a ball of yarn, a set of 4 needles, my mitten pattern, and a pair of completed mitts. I also chucked in a tiny book about relaxation. I wonder what Santa will bring me today...

On another note, I have been busy this week, unpacking and settling into the trailer. I will have internet at home after work today, so will be able to get back to regular posting and get some photos of the town up this weekend. It is a cute little town, untouched by commercial tourism (which is GREAT), and the lake and horizon at sunrise/sunset is just amazing.