Merry Christmas from FirstWord
Sorry, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar can’t be there, but can you send a Teams link? And then maybe we can grab a coffee IRL in the new year?
We’re indebted to Kathryn Lamb again for our annual specially-commissioned Christmas greeting (Click to enlarge this year’s card HERE), perfectly capturing the ongoing tediousness of people not rocking up for work. Yes the flexibility is marvellous, and we’re so delighted about your work/life balance, but, well…
Videocalls are a modern marvel, and in the pandemic they kept the economy going. But in 2024, employers are going to increasingly demand you haul your backside into the office. And rightly so. Us humans play better when we’re together. At work, the youngsters need the oldies around otherwise how else can they learn and develop? The oldies need to be there to help the team grow too, or they’ll just be sitting at home watching Countdown and reruns of Inspector Morse.
Could you do Christmas lunch this year remotely? Of course not, although it’s probably very tempting. And while you’re sitting around the table, have a think about what our card next year will need to show, to capture the spirit of the times. Perhaps the White House will be preparing for a new occupant, or 10 Downing Street. The Paris Olympics will be sure to have sent us tales of heroism, or Just Stop Oil sprawled over the running track. Write to us at info@firstword.co.uk with your predictions and we’ll send a bottle over if you’re close.
In the meantime, from all of us here at FirstWord, we’d like to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful new year.
Revisiting Christmas cards past…
Click to enlarge: Santa’s staffing shortage | ‘I was on a Zoom call…’
‘We come bearing Gifs’ | e-sleigh
