Column: 'Tis the season to be tacky?

The COVID-19 outbreak has been hard on us all. But as we slowly return to our in-person office jobs (assuming we do at all), don’t make it any harder than it already is by dressing like you’re still working from your makeshift at-home “office.”

“'Tis the season to be Tacky,” according to an invitation to an old college friend’s Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I chuckle my way through the lobby of the post office as the invite alone brings me great joy. My friend and I had recently discussed the possible implications of her party correspondence. She sends out the same declaration each year. 

This year landed differently.  She first worried if we should continue calling the annual gathering a “Christmas” party so a few years ago we started a planning committee extended to an interfaith group. This year the group was especially sensitive since the origins of Santa’s ethnicity are also a matter worthy of a news debate. *That’s right, nothing is safe from scrutiny in our woke AF meetings. * While the organizer fretted that none of the recycled paper invitations options were sustainable enough for our little giving circle... I made the mistake of asking about compostable plates and cutlery.

After hours of overanalyzing dozens of products, our committee decided that Christmas was getting nauseously complicated. But we couldn’t cancel. After all, our coming together wasn’t simply a matter of celebration; we recently started a tradition of chipping in each year and selecting a charitable organization that would receive a check for at least $2000 (2000 being symbolic of the year some of us graduated from college). But our friends are an eccentric group of passionate professionals and until this year, I had no idea how challenging it was growing to please this crew. 

With the Omicron variant on the rise we found ourselves strolling down the aisle of thought that perhaps we should cancel our gathering this year. Or we could go virtual, right?

Thankfully, we were saved from our Scrooge-like moods when we giggled about all the creativity people extend putting together outrageous outfits. People spend the entire year making their clothes merry and bright for our gathering. My costume includes a handmade lighted facemask. 

The party will go online and prizes will be awarded for the most outlandish light-up and sparkly apparel. I, quite *FRANKincensely {a word I made up at one of our parties}, voted against another party on Zoom.  I was overruled by our doctor friend. I get it. This year’s debate was less about the wording of the invitation… it was centered around safety.

Plus, the idea of tacky Christmas parties isn’t as intriguing when people are wearing athletic wear and holiday PJs to the home office. My tacky grinch inspired outfit can wait until next year.

Have a safe holiday season!