Our Christmas Party

On Friday night I threw a church Christmas dinner party for 150 people. It was a success, but I'm still so tired. Some people get energized by throwing parties. I guess I do too, but only if certain elements are in place:

1) I have people helping me whom I trust to get things done
2) I feel like there's a really good reason for the party
3) I like all of the activities we're doing at the party
4) I have enough money to afford the party
5) I know and love all of the people who are invited to the party

So, for example, when I threw a surprise party for my husband's birthday, I loved every minute of it from the invitations to the food ordering to the quick cover-up when the babysitter wrecked the surprise at the last minute ("have fun at your surprise party!") Same thing when I threw parties and socials at the law school. By my third year, I'll tell you what, I had law school pizza parties down to a science, and I loved it, loved it.

None of the elements were in place for the party on Friday. This didn't mean the party was doomed to failure--it just meant that, instead of enjoying it, I stressed my guts out putting the party together. I didn't know the other people on my party-planning committee very well; I didn't feel like there was any particular reason to have the party exactly the way we did last year; I wasn't jazzed about a lot of the things we were doing; I was constantly worried that we were out of money; and I only knew the names of about 30% of the people there.

But like I said: it was a success. We found free decorations at the last minute, extra people came to help set up, we got a discount on the food, the other people on the committee turned out to be completely dependable, the numbers came out right for seating and food, and my parents had paid for eleven years of piano lessons so I could fill in for the background music when we forgot to bring a CD player (this also served to soothe my nerves while everyone arrived). Everyone left satisfied.

But it's all worth it for the one really cool thing that happened. I hadn't managed to get a Santa Claus to come to the party, which I was really sad about because I knew a lot of people wanted to have one (even though the traditional Santa's lap sitting is one of the things I think is unnecessary at a church Christmas party). Anyway, three minutes before the party started, Husband flew in with an S on his chest and found a Santa, a costume, candy canes for the kids, and a photographer. For free. While I was tinkling away at the piano. Did I mention that I'm married to him? And I love him wildly?