Right off the bat I'm going to apologize for no pictures. I received an invitation to a Christmas party that got me to thinking about this subject. If you are interested you'll just have to read about it. Over 30 years ago I had the responsibility to plan a church youth activity (for college students). We had decided to go camping. My publicity director called me with the question, "what are we going to do?" She obviously wanted detailed information so she could put out a flyer inviting everyone. I answered with a short, "we are going camping."  Her rebuttal was, " Ya, but what are we going to do?" I knew what she was asking for, but again I simply answered, "we are going camping." After the third time I said, "I'm going fishing what are you going to do?" It seems like we always have to be entertained, or at least that is what people who plan parties think. I grew up in the 50's and 60's. As kids, we didn't need our parents or anyone else to entertain us. We'd get together with friends, head off to the woods, or trade cards or something and not come home until dinner. We had a ball and solidified our friendships. No where does this seeming need to be entertained rear it's head more than Christmas parties! It drives me crazy! Every year it's the same old thing. We show up, sit down for dinner, then as the conversation starts up someone announces, "it's time to come over and listen to some choir sing or the kids entertaining us with a song or two. As soon as the entertainment is done everyone starts cleaning up and we find ourselves headed home without having any meaningful conversation with our friends and neighbors. Aside from a free meal, the only reason I go to Christmas parties is to socialize and very little of that occurs. If you are going to throw a Christmas party start out with good food then let people enjoy each other. If you are going to have entertainment, make it a piano playing in the background. If I want to be entertained I will take my wife to a movie or a play. Parties are about socializing, just be quiet and let it happen. Of course I'm a people person of which I will speak about in my next blog.