Company Christmas Party

This weekend was Eric's company ADULT Christmas Party. [They throw a great family party next weekend.] Last year was Eric's first year at this company and we didn't go. After the party he heard about the door prizes they give and made it a priority for us to go this year.

I'm going to honest... Even under the best of circumstance it is just not my thing to want to go to a company Christmas party. I'd much rather spend time as a family with my kids. The draw of potential big door prizes (like flat screen TVs, laptops, Ipods, etc.) isn't enough for me to want to go. But for some reason Eric really fixated on that.

My wonderful hubby is not very insistent about very many things. So when he does feel very strongly about something and "puts his foot down" I certainly respect that. This silly party was one of those things.

I asked him if he wanted to go to spend time with friends. No. Did he want to go to "keep face" with the company? No. He just wanted to go so that maybe we could win one of these prizes. I have struggled with that, but said of course I'd go with him if he wanted us to go.

Yesterday before the party Taevy kept bugging Eric saying, "Daddy, are you going to win a TV? If you win __________ what are you going to do with it? Can I have it?" This was over and over yesterday. Eric got more and more frustrated and finally told her not to mention it again--that we probably wouldn't win anything and even if we did it had nothing to do with her. He was very grumbly for a bit. [Later he told me that grumbliness was conviction!]

Fast forward to the party.... Eric and I sat there for 3 hours bored out of our minds! There was nobody to talk to. Eric couldn't see anybody very well because it was so dark. It was hard to maneuver in a crowded space with a blind guy! As we sat there wondering how close to midnight it would be before they announced door prizes I leaned over to Eric and said, "I love you, but I don't think it will send the best message if you win anything." He agreed. We talked about how Taevy was just following her daddy's example with being so concerned with THINGS THINGS THINGS earlier in the day.

Eric is a FABULOUS man! But he's not perfect. And free electronics? Well, I'm sure most men would be weakened at the thought of free electronics. He just lost his priorities with this company party thing.

The drawing for prizes began. Eric and I joked that if he did win anything it would be something like a coffee maker (since we don't drink coffee). The only thing he's won in his life is a hunting excursion (wanna go hunting with the blind guy?!). The prizes were about 2/3 of the way through when his name was called. What did he win? A new laptop computer! Can you believe that?

Now...I just can't help but wonder....if Eric wouldn't have examined his motives and agreed that he got a little out of control with going to this party for one purpose only...would he have won?

Of course, what a blessing! When Eric's kidney transplant comes along he'll have a computer he can work on from bed or the hospital. But I think Eric would be the first to admit that it feels a little "dirty." A new laptop is not a NEED. It's just a "nice to have." The motives for going to that party were just so WRONG. It's exactly what we are trying to teach our children NOT to do. "Kids, don't care about "stuff." Kids, think about giving, not giving. Kids we have everything we need and almost everything we could even ever want! Be thankful!"

But what did they SEE mommy and daddy do? They saw mommy and daddy drop them off for the night at grandparents; go to a party where 1/2 the people were drunk; sit at a table having no fun for 3 hour sjust for a chance to GET something; then actually win something. So what mommy and daddy did "paid off", right? THEN we came home so late and STILL watched the OU Football game. We didn't get out of bed for church the next morning because of the night before.

Yeah...we were great examples for our kids this weekend. Yuck.

Thankfully next year Eric said we can stick with FAMILY oriented company events.

Anita