Office Potluck and Gift Exchange

Today was the big office party day. Lots of good food, and a huge pile of beautifully (often deceptively) wrapped presents. Traditionally, the gift exchange is one of those where everyone draws a number, and on your turn you can either take an unopened gift or "steal" one that's already opened.

Here's Betsy, one of my Corporate & Foundation Relations team members with her briefly-held gift - a foot massager for your tired "dogs."

One fellow stooped so low as to put a dollar bill into the frame of the "key-holder-box-with-picture-frame-on-the-lid," in an effort to attract a thief.

Una bella dama! This is Esther, our receptionist, sporting her gift, a Christmas sombrero. This is one of the gifts that has a reputation for showing up year after year.

I, myself, held a winner for a short time - a box of Alaskan smoked sockeye salmon! But after losing it, I ended up with a collection of (I think you might actually be able to sing this to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas):

Three plastic squeeze bottles for ketchup, mustard and mayo,
Two zipper pockets for a three-hole notebook (one complete with pencils),
And a strange ceramic picture frame with straw flowers.

Luckily, I was able to stealthily slip my treasures into the bag of a co-worker when he wasn't being as watchful as he should have, so they didn't have to come home with me.