Christmas in the Office

Christmas is a distraction anyway you look at it. I don't think I'd be any better off in a home office like JoAnne and Susan, because with my kitchen down the hall I'd want to bake or I'd want to wrap presents.

Here at the office I've been playing Christmas music since before Thanksgiving.

December 1 started off our stocking gifts. Everyone in editorial and marketing hangs a stocking on their door and takes turns leaving a small gift in them.

December 9 we had our company Christmas party catered at a secluded lodge. The menu was mainly Italian food. Most all employees attended with their spouses.

Speaking of food, nearly every day some new food shows up either as gifts or from someone's home-baking experiments.

Three of our departments that are located in cubicles had a decorating contest last week. They went all out. Some even wrapped their cubicles in Christmas paper, ribbons, and bows. The trade customer service team won. Individual cubicle decorating was also judged. Did you know that a bookshelf could be made to look like a fireplace? It was fun to see and to enjoy the treats set out to the bribe judges.

In Sales business, we are going over the Christmas 2009 product list and preparing the reps with information so they can start selling those the first of the year already.

In Editorial business, we are starting to aggressively fill in the 2010 list of books. Spring 2010's product list will have to be finalized before we know it. There will be lots of meetings the first of the year for this.

We are also feverishly working on our schedule so that we don't fall behind on work while away for the holidays and so that we are off to a good start in 2009.

The office will be closed down the full week of December 22. I, personally, will be taking some vacation time the next week, so that I'll be out of the office two full weeks. I'm not sure I'll be in the mindset to stop by and blog. So in case I don't have another opportunity -- have a very merry and blessed Christmas celebration wherever you are and however you choose to do it.

No matter how we decorate it, bake it, wrap it, gift it, or even write about it, may our celebration of Christ's birth be something He would be happy to be a guest at.