Having had a rough few weeks, I was definitely feeling the spirit of the season. Oh yes. Definitely feeling the HUMBUG. My friend decided that no matter what I wanted he was going to cheer me up, so he took me as his third to a holiday party the other night. I knew many of the people at the party so I did not actually qualify as a stray he picked up on the streets. He wanted to makes sure I fit in so he gave me the heads up that it was an Ugly Sweater party (I believe that is the new rage in holiday parties this year), and that there would be a prize for the Worst Sweater.
Since my family and friends have good taste (read that as I am Jewish so don’t often get Christmas sweaters) I don’t really have any Ugly Sweaters to work with. A quick look at a local discount store … forgetting the dangers of entering any store the weekend before Christmas … found only one sweater of the appropriate ugliness (there WAS a Hello Kitty shirt that sparked some interest, but sadly they did not have one in my size), and it was too much to pay for a few hours of revelry. Technically it was too much to pay for any sane person, but I am not judging here.
Fortunately being the clever lad that I am (read that as I have a creative sister and mother) I came up with a substitute that worked for me. I took a shirt that my sis brought me back from one of her worldly adventures, and with mom’s help made a few adjustments. I was content with the creation, despite my friends insistence that I should really have a proper Ugly sweater. Besides the creation was much more comfortable than any sweater could have been:
!["You]("http://ninjacatjournals.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/20121224-131337.jpg?w=224")
The party started around 6:30. My friend picked me up about 4:30. So of course we got there about 8:30. I am not sure why roughly twenty minutes between destinations took quite so long. I think I was traumatized by the whole entering a store thang. Anyway the party was in full swing by the time we got there. It was quite festive. A house fully of happy chatting people.
And not an Ugly Sweater in sight.
That’s not completely true. There WAS one, but that was pure coincidence. I should have recognized his insistence that I should really have a proper Ugly Sweater as a warning sign. Fortunately explaining my shirt to folks generated a good laugh. This is a warning for anyone who is ever in a bad mood during the holidays … Beware friends bearing invitations!
