Years ago, in the secure, undisclosed location where I work, we used to keep beer in the machine room refrigerator. And after a tough day in the machine room, we'd knock off and have a brewski. Of course the rule was no drinking on the clock. (Not that we had a clock, but we had to all agree that we were done working for the day before we partook.)
The company got a little bigger and spawned an actual HR department, and those fun and games were no longer tolerated (although for a long time there was still one token bottle of beer in the fridge, for tradition's sake).
Of course, I'm a telecommuter. I rarely am in the office on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, but generally I have to work on Christmas Eve — and some years I don't take the week off between the holidays and have to work both. But I have my own tradition...oh yes.
Every Christmas Eve, after 3PM but before COB EST, I break out the crystal tumblers and pour a couple of fingers of The Glenlivet. And I toast my friends and co-workers wherever they are around the world. As the longest-sufferingserving member of the staff, I think I owe it to them :)
So friends and co-workers:
Here's to you and another successful year in 2010.
Have a great set of Holidays and be safe my friend.