MetaChat - Holiday Party Guilt

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13 December 2008

Holiday Party Guilt So, we're invited to a get-together tonight, and I don't want to go for a variety of reasons, to wit:
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1. Party is quasi-outdoor b/c the girl's husband is afraid her friends will harm his precious TV. I find this annoying and assholish and I don't have an intention of standing around outside freezing my ass off so that his inanimate object is "safe" from people who are not going to destroy it, anyway.

2. Even though these people are not destructive, some of them are jeezy-creezy annoying. I'm not sure I'm up to it.

3. This is basically the only weekend this month we don't have a social obligation and I really, really want to stay home, roast sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts, and pet my cats.

However, this girl is a very good friend, and I hate to disappoint her. Also, someone else is going to the party who, I am pretty sure, will make a Big Freaking Deal out of us not being there. This is a person who will say things about our absence that will definitely make my life not-easy later. The first is a perfectly good reason to go somewhere, but the second I really hate to even acknowledge. SIGH. I have no idea what to do.

post by: Medieval Maven at: 16:15 | 16 comments

the girl's husband is afraid her friends will harm his precious TV
Jeeze louise, that's messed up. Can you just make a cameo? Go for 5 minutes and roast brussels sprouts as soon as you get home? Cause roast brussels sprouts rock.

posted by Stewriffic 13 December | 16:21

Yeah, I'm all for putting in a brief appearance, with the excuse that you have another gathering to attend "you know how it is at this time of year ... so many parties, so little time ..."

posted by essexjan 13 December | 16:25

Sheeez, that sounds crazy. I have The Office Party tonight, and my husband is sick. I hate to have to go, but since I already RSVP-ed, if we DON'T go, I will loose my eligibilty for randomly drawn FABULOUS PRIZES at work. And he agrees on the importance of eligibility for FABULOUS PRIZES. Plus, my cubies expect me and it'll be learnful to see everyone dressed up, and to point out people I tell work stories about to said husband. We'll stay for like an hour. MM, since you have no potential ineligibility consequences, I'd go ahead and send regrets.

posted by rainbaby 13 December | 16:25

I never want to go to parties I'm invited to either. Once I'm there I'm glad I went.

The TV thing is bizarro world. If you're forced to mingle outdoors, it's a good chance to escape early. "Thanks so much for the invite. It was great, but we're really cold and need to get home." Tell them the truth. Garden parties aren't held in December. Reasonable people will understand that you're not going to stand in the freezing cold.

posted by LoriFLA 13 December | 16:36

Yes! Good one LoriFLA. Absolutely tell the truth, trying your best not to sound bitter. "It's a bit chilly for me! I'm going to go back and roast some brussels sprouts!"

posted by Stewriffic 13 December | 16:43

it'll be learnful to see everyone dressed up

This is both absolutely true and absolutely hilarious.

Reasonable people will understand that you're not going to stand in the freezing cold.

This! Yes! With the addendum: and unreasonable people are unreasonable, so don't worry what they think.

posted by Elsa 13 December | 16:52

Since I hate brussels sprouts, I could go to the party in your place.

posted by Ardiril 13 December | 17:27

HA! At this point, the husband is sleeping off an allergy attack and I may have a genuine out. Be careful what you wish for, right? Oh well, I would genuinely rather be home tending to my allergy-tastic spouse than braving the FREAKING FREEZING OMG weather. We'll see.

posted by Medieval Maven 13 December | 17:38

Party is quasi-outdoor b/c the girl's husband is afraid her friends will harm his precious TV.

I'm trying to wrap my head around this and I'm not succeeding.

I can't imagine myself issuing an invite saying: "Hey, come over to my apartment for Christmas. I'd love to have you. And, oh, by the way, as soon as you arrive, I'll escort you to the fire escape because I'm afraid that your klutzy ass will break my stuff."

The word "boorish" doesn't even begin to describe this.

posted by jason's_planet 13 December | 19:12

Quasi-outdoors? I forget, where do you guys live again? Making party outdoors in December is crazy, but crazier the farther north you go.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 13 December | 21:04

@TPS - in Georgia, but it's freaking freezing, esp for here. As an update, we ended up not going - the husband slept off his allergy attack, mostly, but did not feel up to going out and standing around a firepit in 39 degree balminess.

posted by Medieval Maven 13 December | 21:13

40 degrees, give me a break. And did they actively advertise why they were holding the party outdoors? "We're afraid you're going to break our TV"?

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 13 December | 21:40

@TPS Actually, yes.

posted by Medieval Maven 14 December | 10:59

I know the party is over, but I wish you could have shown up with an enormous roll of bubblewrap in which to encase the TV.

posted by lukemeister 14 December | 15:17

Mmmm, roasted veggies. I think it's weird when people won't let you in their house. Why invite people over?

posted by theora55 15 December | 11:21

This is hilarious! I wonder how many people showed up?

someone else is going to the party who, I am pretty sure, will make a Big Freaking Deal out of us not being there. This is a person who will say things about our absence that will definitely make my life not-easy later.

Oh, hell no. That would be my #1 reason not to go right there. Well, maybe #2 after not wanting to freeze my ass off. Those people who talk about you are going to talk about you anyway, no matter what. It's what they do; without that, they'd have nothing.

posted by taz 15 December | 11:32

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