The Office Party

Tonight is the night our little office of car nuts, new media mavens and code monkeys gather together to exchange gifts (the Veep is a HUGE The Office fan, and we're recreating something they did on the show — a Yankee Gift Swap. Um ... ok.) We weren't allowed to be cheap or buy a gag gift, nor were we to go nuts.

I bought an awesome chopstick bowl set and silk-covered chinese takeout box, filled it with packets of green tea and fortune cookies, and decorated the box with origami made from chinese takeout menus. That last part was Superfly's inspired idea, and who knew he could fashion a gigantic, flapping crane out of the Xing Wong menu? Take that, chia pet gifters!

Thanking all that is holy, our holiday party will be relatively Xmas-free. Budget constraints mean we're meeting at our favorite restaurant (where we hold departmental meetings) and drinking however many tequila shots our boss tells us to drink. We're working all day on deadline beforehand, so fancy cocktail wear and couture makeup is out of the question.

A casual updo, red velvet Earl Jeans, a yummy black turtleneck sweater, and high heel boots. A sparkle necklace. When I do my telephone interviews this afternoon and when I eat my sad lunch at my desk, I will look so fabulous, so amazing. By party time I should be quite feral and ready for those tequila shots. Which, by the way, our boss does not himself imbibe &mdash he's a teetotaler! Which, by the way, means the tequila he chooses is the cheapest, most Windex-tasting stuff in existence. He means well, right?

You know what's weird? I really like everyone I work with. They are awesome. I hope they have the best holiday, whatever variety they may celebrate, and I hope the person who gets my gift likes it a whole bunch.

Any funny work holiday party story you want to share?

UPDATE: The party was a blast, several long-tme interns/probationary employees were brought on full-time and our hard-working Assistant Ed. was promoted. The gift swap? There were a lot of copies of The Office on DVD. I happily got a bottle of my favorite bub, Veuve Cliquot, and the recipient of my chinese takeout package genuinely loved it. Shots of tequila: four Dinner: delish (and paid for!) Tipsy, stumblin', fumblin', mumblin' subway ride with a giant champagne bottle? Priceless.