All Those Christmas Events

December is probably my favorite month of the year but it is a month that seems to just fly by. There are so many fun things to do and only so much time.  

Obviously I decorate my house but working full time I probably spend almost as much time (if not more) awake at work so it makes sense that I make my desk festive. I strung up lights and garland across my desk to make it nice and festive.  I put those fun window clings on my glass wall but they are really hard to get a good picture of without having half the office in the background of the picture so you are out of luck on that. We even have an office Christmas tree this year because we are in a temporary space and have the extra room. You can see in the background that even my guard dragon has some festive "snow" under her.

Every year Nordstrom has a fancy holiday shopping night for people who have Nordstrom cards and spend enough money to be at least level 2. Even though I have never had a problem spending enough to be level 2 as an employee I was never able to go as a guest since I was working. Last year I was eligible to go but ended up not able to because of some illness in the family so this year was my first year actually being able to go.  This year I took my glass of wine and wondered around the store doing a bunch of my Christmas shopping and it was lovely. It didn't hurt that I got bonus points on all my purchases for the evening.

The weekend after Thanksgiving my husband and I went with his family into the Santa Cruz mountains to cut down a tree. The drive up there was quite the adventure due to some very narrow and curvy roads but it was beautiful once we got there.

Since I work for the government we don't have fancy cocktail parties to celebrate the end of the year but we do manage to celebrate anyway. My unit the other smallest unit usually go out to a holiday lunch together and we have some sort of gift exchange. This year we decided to go with a tacky holiday ornament.

I found a squirrel wearing underpants and decided that it was a perfect thing for me to bring. Isn't he hilarious? He was a big hit at the lunch.

Last week we had our whole department annual holiday meeting.  This meeting consists of a big potluck, a talent portion where people perform and we play games, a ugly sweater contest and then a white elephant exchange. I of course took the opportunity to dress up.  I couldn't wear my outfit all day because I had afternoon meetings besides the fact that it was itchy as all get out.  I left the fun antlers on all day but the rest of the outfit only lasted for the party.

For the ugly sweater contest I decided to go all out head to toe tacky. You can't really see it in the picture but I am even wearing some fabulous jeweled tights.  I ended up winning the award for most festive!

We set up a photo background to take funny pictures throughout the party.

The best part of the party by far is the white elephant gift exchange.  There is even a theme song to this exchange. People go all out to bring the most random and funny things for the exchange.  This year I brought a Hot Dudes Reading calendar and a package of bacon and egg gummies.  They were a big hit and were stolen the maximum number of times.  I always leave this party with my abs killing me from laughing so much! I am sure I will be seeing that calendar at someones desk all of next year!

Last Friday night I had a little date night with my husband and after we went to dinner we headed to our city's Christmas in the Park. I love looking at all the different trees so we took a little detour into a hotel to look at their lobby all decorated up for Christmas.

Such a fun evening look at all the pretty lights and decorations.  The weather was cool enough to get all bundled up in our coats but no so cold that we were actually cold.  

After so many fun Christmas events the next week is full of birthday events not just for me but for my brother in law and niece too.