If I was on one of those team building raft constructing weekends with work colleagues I’d collect my own log, stash it in my hotel room, and then head for the spa. I could have it (the log and the spa) all to myself whilst my peers fought for survival and made friends for life in the freezing water. Yes, they’d probably be a bit pissy with me over dinner but would warm up soon enough after a couple of glasses.
This time of year the most thankless job to have must be as the organiser of the work Christmas Lunch or Dinner or Social. When it comes to Christmas cheer you can’t please any of the people any of the time.
Working things out in a group is mostly a lose/lose situation. Last night at my writers group the subject of where we should go for our celebratory Christmas meal was discussed. The question was simple enough. Which restaurant?
The answers were a right rubik cube ; I’m kosher/vegetarian/don’t eat carbs after 6/ don’t eat carbs after January/ only eat raw food/it has to be cheap/it has to be local/it must be the West End/can’t eat spicy/only enjoy spicy/love vietnamese/sushi/sri lankan/south indian/let’s try fusion/must be nut free/suitable for lactose intolerants/organic/how about Nandos?
And after our mass debate is was decided that’ll we’ll have dinner at home, meet in our usual room in the library at our normal time to eat mince pies, drink mulled wine and play games. Democracy in action.
ps: When a colleague told my husband that his work Christmas dinner was all booked at a gluten free restaurant he was thrilled with that. He said that as the gluten was free he planned to order a lot of it. He thought was either a complimentary dessert or a speciality liquer !
