Up to God and Back: Christmas Parties

After returning from Austria, we enjoyed several Christmas/year end festivities ...

First up was the ExxonMobil Christmas Party. It was a great way to return from vacation ... see friends, kids could decorate Christmas cookies and make ornaments, family pictures with Santa, huge buffet for brunch and an early Christmas gift from Santa!! Santa's arrival on a camel was definitely the highlight!!

Later that evening, our compound threw a holiday party with Shawarma, Christmas carolers, face painting, and more! Not having to cook lunch or dinner was a special treat!

And the last party was a formal year end event for Ken's group at work (RasGas is a joint venture between ExxonMobil and Qatar Government). It was held in a beautiful ball room at the Diplomatic Club. Muslim women wore abayas, but expat women were in formal gowns. First thing I notice upon arrival?? Bowls of DORITOS on the table?!! A formal event is typically NOT where I would serve Doritos!! Then for dinner, they served TACOS!!! Again, is this formal or not?! I was so confused! I haven't been so dressed up since my wedding day, and I was eating bean tacos with Doritos. It just didn't feel right. Unfortunately I forgot to take any photos at the event, so you'll just have to take my word for it. It's not like I could make this stuff up!!