At 6:55 this morning, I found myself standing in line at the grocery store wearing rhinestones on shoes, sequins on my sweater, and my fur (faux of course) evening jacket. Why the festive attire so early? The traditional firm holiday breakfast--and of course, I needed just one more Christmas card.
Some firms have parties. Some even have Christmas parties--how politically incorrect! We, on the other hand, gather at 8 a.m. as the sun peeks over downtown, typically on Christmas Eve day. We don our holiday finest, share hugs and hearty holiday greetings, all while surreptitiously looking for the coffee stand and hoping futilely that the omelet bar will make a reappearance this year.
We join in the Pledge of Allegiance and applaud those who have survived another five years. We munch on biscuits and eggs and sneak quick peeks at our phone e-mail under the table.
This year was no different. Santa visited. And some elves too. We hugged. We holiday-ed. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and thanked my legal assistant heartily for the hot tea she managed to find for me (she really is magical!).
And, when it was over, I, along with my fellow lawyers, traipsed back to the office in my evening finery at 10 a.m.
I've been at this firm for a little over six years. This is my seventh holiday breakfast. I am not a morning person. I am a 9:05-er. And yet somehow, this tradition has become a part of my traditions. I look forward to the singing and the greetings (not necessarily the eggs). I take R.J. to visit the office afterward, and he greets my friends and colleagues. This year, he gave out candy canes and smiles.
Tonight, my little one sleeps in bed at his grandma's house. And today, for a few hours anyway, I struck the perfect balance.
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