Christmas ties, a personal decoration

Mixed in the Christmas decorations dragged down from the attic last weekend were a stash of Christmas ties, which had been purchased over the years in after-Christmas sales, some for as little as a dollar. Beginning around the first of December, I would wear a Christmas tie to work every day as my little personal celebration of the Christmas season. As the years passed and my tie collection grew, I was able to wear a different tie almost every day of the week.

Now those ties site in my closet, awaiting an opportunity to be worn. This is one of the unexpected consequences of being laid off: Far fewer opportunities to wear a Christmas tie. Instead of the coat and tie that was my uniform of the day through most of the past thirty-some years, I now usually pull on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt to do the things I've done the past couple of months — odd jobs around the house,  job hunting on the computer, job applications, and writing (such as this).

There are many things I miss about the working world — the camaraderie of the office, the conversations and relationships with co-workers (who become your friends) with whom you spend the bulk of your waking hours, the sense of purpose and accomplishment, the satisfaction of achievement. I also find that I miss getting dressed for work, putting on the uniform of a white-collar worker and carrying out that function in society.

I look forward to the day, perhaps a year from now, when I'll have the opportunity (and a reason) to wear Christmas ties again daily.