Annual Christmas Parties You Dread

[mccoyrj]

Do any of you have a party a neighbor throws every year that you dread going to? For instance, we have these really great elderly neighbors who just happen to be Mormon. Nicest people you would ever want to meet. Every holiday season just before Christmas they invite a select group of neighbors (that live next door or across the street) to get together at their home. Problem is that every year it's the same agenda...

Come over at 7PM with an appetizer/dessert. Take off your shoes at the door. Do not prepare your appetizer/dessert until everyone is here and the prayer is said. Prepare you appetizers/desserts. Stand in line to have the hostess ladel out soup to everyone. Select an appetizer/dessert. Eat then dispose of your plates. Sit down and listen to what is the Mormon's belief in Christmas. Play Christmas carols on bells that are numbered for each person following the numbered music. Go down stairs and watch the host run his model train (I actually enjoy that part ). Grab the dish your appetizer/dessert came in, put on your shoes, say thank you, go home. Same thing each year, but what makes it even more dreadful is that they are Mormon and don't allow alcohol or even caffiene! But, they are such nice neighbors I can't bare to turn them down.

Oh well, gotta go thaw out my appetizer.

 

[navychop]

I'd go. You could always have a sked conflict & not go.

 

[mccoyrj]

I'd go. You could always have a sked conflict & not go.

I pulled that once.

I think if I could just smuggle in a flask or something without getting caught, it might be more fun.

 

[lakebum431]

Haha, I'd go for the flask. Just kidding. Their house, their rules. I don't think I'd be going to that one more than once though.

 

[yorktown]

I'd only have gone once.

You shouldn't have to sit and listen to the Mormon's belief in Christmas if you don't want to.

It's kinda funny you even mentioned take off your shoes at the door.
That's pretty much a given when you walk into someones house.

I know some people don't allow alcohol, but the no caffiene thing is kinda goofy.
Do they think anything with caffiene is the drink of the devil ?

 

[Bobby]

I'd go the first time. Anytime I'm invited to a party that turns into religious witnessing I have learned my lesson. Mind you, I realize that this is part of that religion, and I respect that, but that doesn't mean that I have to continue to go along with it....

 

[mccoyrj]

...It's kinda funny you even mentioned take off your shoes at the door.
That's pretty much a given when you walk into someones house...

Not always. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind taking my shoes off when I enter someone's home, and I usually ask if they want me to do that. However, I don't always require someone to take their's off when coming into my house, especially when they have on nice shoes and it's obvious they haven't been tramping through the crud. I think people can be anal about things like that at times, and I respect that. I just don't always see the need for it. I don't know, maybe I'm the only one like that.

 

[lakebum431]

It's kinda funny you even mentioned take off your shoes at the door.
That's pretty much a given when you walk into someones house.

I don't agree with that at all. I don't ask people to take off their shoes when they come in my house unless there is a reason to (mud, wet, etc.) and I can't remember the last time I took my shoes off before I went into someone else's house. I find that very odd. Maybe it is a southern vs. northern thing?

 

[dfergie]

I don't agree with that at all. I don't ask people to take off their shoes when they come in my house unless there is a reason to (mud, wet, etc.) and I can't remember the last time I took my shoes off before I went into someone else's house. I find that very odd. Maybe it is a southern vs. northern thing?

Same thoughts here...

 

[yorktown]

I don't agree with that at all. I don't ask people to take off their shoes when they come in my house unless there is a reason to (mud, wet, etc.) and I can't remember the last time I took my shoes off before I went into someone else's house. I find that very odd. Maybe it is a southern vs. northern thing?

I guess it's just me... and everyone else I know... and everyone's house I've ever gone to.

 

[HD MM]

Do any of you have a party a neighbor throws every year that you dread going to? For instance, we have these really great elderly neighbors who just happen to be Mormon. Nicest people you would ever want to meet. Every holiday season just before Christmas they invite a select group of neighbors (that live next door or across the street) to get together at their home. Problem is that every year it's the same agenda...

Come over at 7PM with an appetizer/dessert. Take off your shoes at the door. Do not prepare your appetizer/dessert until everyone is here and the prayer is said. Prepare you appetizers/desserts. Stand in line to have the hostess ladel out soup to everyone. Select an appetizer/dessert. Eat then dispose of your plates. Sit down and listen to what is the Mormon's belief in Christmas. Play Christmas carols on bells that are numbered for each person following the numbered music. Go down stairs and watch the host run his model train (I actually enjoy that part ). Grab the dish your appetizer/dessert came in, put on your shoes, say thank you, go home. Same thing each year, but what makes it even more dreadful is that they are Mormon and don't allow alcohol or even caffiene! But, they are such nice neighbors I can't bare to turn them down.

Oh well, gotta go thaw out my appetizer.

You should get all liquored up BEFORE the party.

 

[mccoyrj]

You should get all liquored up BEFORE the party.

LOL! I did that once as well. My host made a little joke about it to everyone, at my expense. I felt a little paranoid after that (may have been my buzz), but I did enjoy myself more.

Actually, to our surprise, they changed things up a bit last night. Soup was still ladeled out by the hostess to all of us in our smelly socks, but it was more of a sitdown dinner with nice conversation (still no liquor, coffee, tea, cokes, etc). Then things went downhill as expected. Our host put on a video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's rendition of the Joseph Smith Christmas and asked everyone to stop talking and listen if they would. The kids looked bored, the grownups sat there with fake smiles, and all I could do was think about that Mormon "South Park" episode (the one that had the song with the chorus "Dumb Dee Dumb Dumb Dumb" after lines telling the story of Joseph Smith). My son was thinking the same thing and kept looking at me trying not to crack up. Anyway, since my wife stayed home with a hurt back (she seemed fine this morning ), we used that as an excuse to leave...even before the model train. So, just like taxes, it's done and I won't have to worry about it until next year.

 

[mccoyrj]

I guess it's just me... and everyone else I know... and everyone's house I've ever gone to.

Do they provide you with those little paper booties that the realtors use?

 

[HD MM]

LOL! I did that once as well. My host made a little joke about it to everyone, at my expense. I felt a little paranoid after that (may have been my buzz), but I did enjoy myself more.

Actually, to our surprise, they changed things up a bit last night. Soup was still ladeled out by the hostess to all of us in our smelly socks, but it was more of a sitdown dinner with nice conversation (still no liquor, coffee, tea, cokes, etc). Then things went downhill as expected. Our host put on a video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's rendition of the Joseph Smith Christmas and asked everyone to stop talking and listen if they would. The kids looked bored, the grownups sat there with fake smiles, and all I could do was think about that Mormon "South Park" episode (the one that had the song with the chorus "Dumb Dee Dumb Dumb Dumb" after lines telling the story of Joseph Smith). My son was thinking the same thing and kept looking at me trying not to crack up. Anyway, since my wife stayed home with a hurt back (she seemed fine this morning ), we used that as an excuse to leave...even before the model train. So, just like taxes, it's done and I won't have to worry about it until next year.

You should've broke out your Magic Underpants and started dancing around to lighten the mood!

 

[TNGTony]

I can guarantee that there would be something, ANYTHING that I would have to do the next time these people had a "party". Sounds perfectly dreadful!

 

[mccoyrj]

You should've broke out your Magic Underpants and started dancing around to lighten the mood!

LOL! Where do you get those HD?

 

[mccoyrj]

I can guarantee that there would be something, ANYTHING that I would have to do the next time these people had a "party". Sounds perfectly dreadful!

I'm thinking of scheduling a colonoscopy this time next year.

 

[yorktown]

LOL! I did that once as well. My host made a little joke about it to everyone, at my expense. I felt a little paranoid after that (may have been my buzz), but I did enjoy myself more.

Actually, to our surprise, they changed things up a bit last night. Soup was still ladeled out by the hostess to all of us in our smelly socks, but it was more of a sitdown dinner with nice conversation (still no liquor, coffee, tea, cokes, etc). Then things went downhill as expected. Our host put on a video of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's rendition of the Joseph Smith Christmas and asked everyone to stop talking and listen if they would. The kids looked bored, the grownups sat there with fake smiles, and all I could do was think about that Mormon "South Park" episode (the one that had the song with the chorus "Dumb Dee Dumb Dumb Dumb" after lines telling the story of Joseph Smith). My son was thinking the same thing and kept looking at me trying not to crack up. Anyway, since my wife stayed home with a hurt back (she seemed fine this morning ), we used that as an excuse to leave...even before the model train. So, just like taxes, it's done and I won't have to worry about it until next year.

I can't believe you've gone back after the first year you went.

 

[mccoyrj]

I can't believe you've gone back after the first year you went.

I don't know...it's one of those things where the wives like to get all the families together and see each other (we're all so busy these days that we don't party like we used to) and they drag the husbands along. You know how it goes. I get called a Scrooge when I balk at going each year.

 

[TNGTony]

I'm thinking of scheduling a colonoscopy this time next year.

Oddly enough, some would find that much more enjoyable than the "party" you described!