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Monday,
And now, the Swedish Office Party Season begins.
Have I mentioned that European holiday allowances are VERY generous? We get 5 weeks per year plus any flexitime we store up, which is why Lyndon is currently lazing about the house in his boxers and socks, working on the computer -- he has flexi coming out of the ass AND a free flight back to the States on air miles from all the Atlantic hopping he's done this year).
And then there's the chocolate from assorted grateful contractor companies. I don't mean an economy bag of Goobers and some M&Ms-- we're talking boxes and boxes of the good stuff, both local and from a country south of here that's famous for its neutrality and cuckoo clocks (we can't blame the Von Trapp family on them -- they just used Switzerland as a "Get Out of Nazi Germany Free" card). So that's the food -- then there's the booze. Glögg (aka Swedish rocket fuel -- my mother used to make it from port wine, cinnamon sticks, blanched almonds, raisins and pure grain alcohol) is popular around Christmas, as is aqua vitae (I don't have the faintest idea what's in it apart from brandy and "herbs and spices," but I suspect the vintners could teach Appalachian moonshiners a thing or two), and one of my project managers just brought a jeroboam of Möet et Chandon to our last meeting as a thank you for pulling it together at the last moment. Needless to say, Mellie almost took a nice nap on her keyboard this afternoon -- the only thing keeping me awake was the thought of Mike's slightly panicked face when I told him he might not get his webpages until January. I can't go to sleep yet anyway -- tonight is our departmental Christmas party in the fikarum (coffee/lunch area), with open-faced sandwiches, more glögg, white whine, a variety of beer, the aforementioned choccies and lots of talking and singing. I suppose I could always sleep on my desk if it came to that. . . |
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Not that you'd ever be able to guess (ha ha -- that's a laugh of cynical amusement after downing a glass of glögg and two glasses of champagne this afternoon. Okay, maybe it's just drunken amusement), but the Swedes are very serious about enjoying the holidays. I'd say about 40% of the department will be gone next week on vacation -- there are already a lot of dark offices where people have decided to get a jump on the break, and the rest of the folks are scurrying around trying to get any loose ends tied up before they head home for the holidays.
For those of us who are sweating out the countdown to Y2K, I can't honestly say that we're being put upon. For one thing, there are mounds of food in the coffee area -- baskets of fruit, platters of luciabolle (saffron-flavored Lucia rolls -- very nice) and bowls of snacky stuff just waiting for someone to come and graze.