Making Your Christmas List

Almost everyone who celebrates Christmas knows all about Santa’s good list, as well as his naughty list, and most people do their best to avoid being placed on Santa’s naughty list. While the concept of Santa’s good list and naughty list is a fun way to convince children to be on their best behavior during the Christmas season, the concept of a list should be one that all Christmas shoppers adhere to while they are doing their Christmas shopping. In fact, Christmas shopping should be filled with all sorts of lists. You can create lists of everyone you plan to give gifts to this year, lists of potential gift ideas, and even lists of the actual gifts you select. All of this list making may sound tedious, but lists can be very helpful.

Making a list of everyone you plan to give a Christmas gift to should be the first step in any Christmas shopping expedition. This list is important because it gives you a handy reference to all the people you should keep in mind while you are shopping. It also gives you an idea of the total number of people on your Christmas list. Knowing how many people are on your list is important for setting a budget.

After you make this list and set your budget, it is a good idea to make another list of potential gift ideas for each person on your Christmas gift list. It is a good idea to brainstorm and try to come up with a few good gift ideas for each person on your list. When you are out Christmas shopping, you will have some idea of where to start your search and you will have a few choices if you are having difficulty finding one of the items on your list of suggestions. You may find items which are not on your list but are perfect for the person you are shopping for, which is fine. It is important to remember your list of suggestions is just a starting point and if you find a more appropriate gift that is not on your list, it is a good idea to purchase this gift instead.

While you are Christmas shopping, you should also keep a list of the items you actually purchase for the people on your list. If you have a particularly long list, you may have difficulty remembering all the items you already bought. Keeping an updated list of the gifts you’ve already purchased will minimize this problem. This list also comes in handy when it is time to start wrapping all the Christmas gifts you purchased. You may have a closet full of gifts, but you may have trouble remembering which gift goes to which recipient. If you’ve kept an accurate list while making your purchases, this should not be a problem.

Holiday Parties at Work

During Christmas and the holiday season, the festive spirit and relaxed mood extends into the workplace where the pace is likely to slow considerably as the volume of work is lessened. By having parties at work, everyone can unwind a bit, have some fun, and enjoy the satisfaction from the results of a year of hard work. Colleagues at work can celebrate goals that have been accomplished and look forward to an even more rewarding year.

Parties at work during Christmas and the holidays may include a voluntary gift exchange and individuals have to make a decision whether or not they will participate in it. In a situation where an individual may not know other colleagues very well and is unsure what Christmas present to give, it may be better to opt out of exchanging gifts. If the party and gift exchange is among a fairly large group, such as company-wide or with several departments, it may not be noticed if someone doesn't participate in the gift exchange. If it's a small group however, it is likely to be noticed. To eliminate the possibility of any negative talk regarding non-participation, it would likely be better to be among those agreeing to exchange gifts.

A basic thing to remember in selecting gifts for Christmas gift exchanges at work, which are usually called Secret Santas, is to not choose anything that could be considered inappropriate or offensive. Although the sender won't be revealed, it won't leave a good feeling and it will become the topic of conversation among everyone.

Separate from the 'Secret Santa' Christmas gift exchange at work, it may also be a good gesture to give Christmas presents, which can be small tokens, or even just candies or treats, to colleagues in a division or department, especially if you are the leader or manager. Such a gesture shows thoughtfulness and that the work of the individuals has been appreciated. It will be a good note on which to end the year and on which to start a new one.

Another important thing to observe during Christmas parties at work is good behavior that is considered casual but still business-like. Although there will be much fun and laughter, it will still be occurring within a work environment or within the parameters of work. So, individuals will still be observed by their colleagues. It is of utmost importance that one is careful about how much drinking is done, or how much alcohol is consumed, because drunken or offensive behavior will not be tolerated and could have negative repercussions on one's career.

The consideration of good etiquette is also something to be remembered and observed at holiday parties at work. As examples, talking and laughing with food in one's mouth, emptying a platter of delicious hors d'ouevres, or bagging candies, cookies, or treats to take home, are all considered poor etiquette.

A Christmas party at work can also provide an opportunity to have a brief conversation with supervisors, managers, and other company officials with whom one may not come in contact frequently. It can be the ideal time to leave a good impression on a key decision maker. By introducing yourself and striking up a conversation, it is also putting a face to a name or making yourself known and standing out among fellow colleagues. For those who are strivers, and who want to advance, such interactions at work holiday and Christmas parties can be beneficial and advantageous.

It is, therefore, important to keep in mind that while Christmas parties at work are fun, there are still ways to inconspicuously seek some benefit while you laugh and enjoy a break from the stress, competitiveness, and daily routine of work.