all the time
My Boss is a funny guy. In September he told us, that the second half of November provides ample time to check off a big part of our ever growing collective to-do list. Back then we already warned him about possible sick days, injuries, and other obstacles, which of course happened. This lead to a seemingly endless amount of hilarious comments that suggested to leave things until January.
In my 18 years i haven't attended a single christmas party -- because i'm not religious, and i'm spending more time at work than at home --, and it was a good idea that i wasn't in the attendance this time as well. The director announced that he's proud to have personally booked a show on christmas eve. Although i'm not religious, and we're not celebrating in the traditional way -- of course Kirby gets a gift, other than that, we treat it like any day we spent together -- it's one of the few days a year when people are in a different state of relaxed, and that is a time i'd rather spend with my Wife and Kid.
The Wife and i had a falling out about her wanting to spend the evening with her sports crew and i acting sullen about that. Then they took a rain check, and i celebrated having the time to just cuddle up and fall asleep to whatever. Five minutes later, it was on again, and i was upset. Yes it's petty of me, the only justification i have is: i want to spend time with the Wife in a semi relaxed situation -- there is still Kirby sleeping in the same flat, and he tends to have vivid dreams and a smaller bladder these days.
Perhaps this is the time to mention it: i love Kirby, at the same time i don't want to be his father; he wasn't a planned kid, rather a miracle child. I never wanted kids of my own, and becoming a father didn't change it for me.