The Annual Christmas Gathering

Yesterday after exams were finished the school put on the annual Faculty Christmas Party. The name is somewhat misleading because it is actually for all the school staff, not just teachers.
The gathering is an opportunity to talk with people you do not get to see every day throughout the year. A luncheon was served; roasted pork, rice, salad, and desert. I found myself at a table with one of the Physics teachers, a good friend from the Theology Department, two women who work in development, and the two others who I don’t know—though I have seen them around the building. About 15 minutes into lunch the choir performed Christmas carols (this lasted about 30 minutes), names were drawn for prizes related to the school fundraiser, and someone led the gathering in a satirical version of “The 12 days of Christmas.” The chairman of the faculty committee that organized the function spoke for a few minutes thanking everyone for coming, and then we were told the party was over. I still don’t know who the two women at my table are.
All everyone wants to do is mingle and talk to each other, while all the planners do is fill up the gathering with activities that prevent conversation. I’m just not going to attend next year—the meal was not that good anyway.
When I began teaching the Christmas gathering was very informal. We all gathered in a common meeting room and enjoyed Christmas cookies, punch (always spiked with something), and conversation with anyone we wanted to talk with. The party was the only time all year I had a chance to talk with some of the staff. Back then there were 50-60 staff members, and I knew everyone. Now we have close to 200 people who work in the building and I don’t know the names of probably 1/3 of them. If someone is not in my department, has a different lunch period, or is free a period when I teach, I will have virtually no contact with them on any regular basis—unless we work together on some committee.
As a general rule, other gatherings of this nature are handled in a similar manner, making me think that we are an excellent educational institution, but socially retarded.
Take the alumni gathering organized after each homecoming football game for example. The Development office sponsors this event which is attended by anywhere from 100-150 former students each year. As a rule it has been set up in the gym where drinks and food are available. The alumni want to find their classmates or former teachers, some they haven’t seen in years, and talk. This would work out great if the Development Office didn’t hire a DJ to play music at 140db in the gym. The only way you can talk to the person next to you is to scream at the top of your lungs.
Oh well---maybe it’s just me.