my first X'mas party in four years

I attended my first company X'mas party since 2007, tonight.

It wasn't my employer, curiously, but it was excuse to break with the usual routine of work->home->work->home that makes up life in Toronto when you're middle aged. Actually, given the free booze, an oyster bar, and the chance to see four hundred people behaving like 2008-2010 hadn't happened, it was rather pleasant indeed.

I realize that the good times aren't coming back, but found tonight's affair a civil thing worth doing even in lousy times.