01 December 2006

Traditional "julebord"

Julebord = [literally: Christmas table] Christmas party, Christmas dinner. Usually with colleagues, sometimes with friends. Sometimes with Christmassy food, sometimes not.

You haven't had a traditional Norwegian Julebord until you've been totally plastered / sloshed / [fill in equivalent of choice], told off your boss in public (just before you barfed at his shoes), made out with his / her spouse in the back room and shown up at work at noon the next day (to find noone arrived before you) with a severe headache and total amnesia.

Ours was last night.

But it wasn't that bad. Really. And I don't drink*, so I was fit as a fiddle this morning --- inasmuch as I'm ever really fit for anything at any morning... (I remind you that Oscar Wilde spoke the truth about this: "Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast".)

I had my fears, before it all began.


Firstly I hate having to dress up. Always have done. I feel like a transvestite! Only I don't look as good. I'll see if I can't find one of those lovely photos taken of a very grumpy me at some stage.

Secondly, as I mentioned, I *don't drink*. Well, it happens, and it's not a principle. But I don't like the taste of beer, or most wines or spirits, so I much prefer a traditional coke... (I do like stuff like cider, but we haven't got that here, so it was me and the waitress keeping up the sober rate.)

Thirdly, we were going to start the thing off by "playing games" at the office. Adult games usually involves a great deal of drinking and not much sense. Actually, this one wasn't so bad: Everyone had brought 2 presents, and we threw dice about who got what, then "stole" them off eachother with a lucky 6 etc. But I didn't get what I most yearned for:



The faster you type, the quicker the hamster runs. (And no, it's not a real one, animal lovers...)

Then we were off for the meal. Excellent food (five courses - none of which had anything to do with Christmas, luckily), good company, general goodmoodiness (is that a word?) and less inebriety than expected...

Tonight it's hubby's turn - and then we won't have to do this for another year...

3 comments:

Devil Mood said...

Cute gadget! :)
Boy, I was worried there for a second...I don't think I'd survive a traditional Julebord!!
I'm glad it was fun but like you I feel mostly relieved when these things are over...
Oscar Wilde was a true genious (I'm sure he was only brilliant after lunch haha)

Anonymous said...

Well, I was right there with you, my comment ready...let me try it out on you..'Oh, a Norwegian julefrokost, right?'...and then you totally lost me with the part about dressing up. Yick!

Though Thor tells me that sometimes people do dress up. Actually he says also that, 'that's the problem with those Norwegians, they steal all Danish traditions...no actually, they aren't stealing, because they're really part of Denmark. Yes, they have their own renegade king and all, but they'll be back'. And then my Danish imperialist boyfriend didn't believe me when I said I was putting it all in my comment. Teehee! :-)

Just D said...

well, julebord or not - I love a good party with dressing up and drinking...as long as it's at MY house! I feel more comfortable in my own element. We do a swap party every year too, sans dice, and that hamster looks so cute!