That Christmas Feeling

Only three more sleeps until Christmas. All of our decorations are up, both inside and out. The food shopping is mainly done, with only a few bits and pieces left to get. The TV channels have their Chrimbo logos in place and nearly every advert is Xmas themed.

But I don’t have the Christmas feeling yet, and I’ve been wondering why that is.

This is the first Christmas that I can remember where there is no ‘holiday’ associated with it. I’m retired, every day is a holiday! Every year before, whether it was school or work, there was always that break to look forward to; that ‘last day’.

At primary school there would be parties, nativity plays (I was a shepherd, washing my socks by night), taking board games in to play and making decorations. Taking cards in and putting them in the special postbox so they could be handed out on the last day. Secondary school had carol concerts, and doing voluntary stuff for local charities. Teachers were chilled, especially in the sixth form, and lessons were fun for a change. Eventually it was the last day again; no more school for a fortnight was part of the attraction.

Then I started work and, in the 1980s and 90s, it was fun leading up to Christmas. The health and safety police hadn’t blocked decorations (I was once wheeled around the office while standing on a two-tier trolley in order to reach the ceiling tiles), we had mince pies and wine each afternoon. People still wrote cards and gave presents to their friends. And then of course, there was the office party. When I first started at an office in Richmond, these were held in the basement with do-it-yourself disco and food.

On one occasion I was providing loudspeakers and a colleague had the DJ decks. While crouching to put the speakers on the floor, there was a loud rrrriiiippppp and my suit trousers split from fly to waistband. I had to run to M&S, like a cowboy in chaps, before they closed.

Of course everyone would be well behaved at these parties. At least, until the management went home. After a few years I started working in a bigger building, which meant team meals, department meals and whole building parties, which just extended the whole pre-Chrimbo period. Working in the City was different as parties were more frowned-upon, but there were the Christmas lights in Canary Wharf, crowded pubs over-spilling onto the pavements, ice skating rinks and train parties.

If you were a real glutton for punishment, you could offer to arrange the team meal. Finding somewhere to go that catered for all tastes and dietary requirements, was central enough for travelling home and met everyone’s budget. Getting the menu options and circulating for everyone to pick what they wanted. Chasing people to respond, chasing people for deposits, chasing people to decide whether they were coming or not. Booking the table and then people dropping out, people not remembering what they ordered. “Never again,” I said, every single time.

Even during COVID, we worked around not being in the office by having virtual events; games and quizzes; virtual drink-ups (you might have to bring your own booze, but no waiting ten minutes and frantically waving money to get served); silly hats and Christmas jumpers for video conferences.

Then there were the negotiations over who wanted time off and making sure everyone got some time out. Deciding whether it was better to work when there was bugger all going on anyway- a waste of holiday entitlement - or take time away when it all kicked off again in the New Year.

There was so much time spent getting ready for this, that and the other but safe in the knowledge that around the corner was a time to relax. Catching the last train home (aka the ‘vomit comet’), or missing that train and having to get a cab, or staying with a colleague who’s so pissed they can’t remember where they live anyway. Still, once you have your beer coat on, it doesn’t matter if you have to walk 10 miles in -6 degrees.

I never realised or appreciated just how much those things are part of the build-up. Those days may be gone but I’ve got a lot of happy, funny and occasionally embarrassing memories from those years.

I’ll get used to not doing all those things, in time. If you’re still working, make the most of them.