It’s a Mafia Christmas!
By Anum Arwani
Dec 30, 2015
On the eve of Christmas Eve, the undercover mafia of the Toronto GTA gathered at a secret location high, high above ground. Special ‘inconspicuous’ guests came with an array of colourful items and some very suspicious black bags. What were in these black bags, fellow companies wondered, each already excited about the potlucks items unravelling in front of their eye. It was going to be a shambolic night.
So before making you more uncomfortable, I shall break the suspense by telling you that the above prologue was dramatically describing none other than our Mafia themed potluck social. My very first HOL social I may add. As for the items in the many, many bin bags, donations for our upcoming HOL Rummage Sale.
The evening started with all sorts of awesome people trickling in with their potluck items. Note that when part of a team with some of the nicest and most generous you have met, you are going to have a very satisfying evening. With hoards of all food imaginable, we relished in mounds of KFC, Pizza, Homemade Pasta, Chips, Dips, Crisps, Desserts, the list goes on and on. With Jingles and family dinners in the air, everyone was wall prepared for the sizeable seconds, thirds and fourths we all indulged in. (It couldn’t have been just me.)
With our tummies satisfied and maybe bulging slightly, the games began. Mafia was of course first on the list. Never had I heard our team more silent than when trying to hear the sounds of people nodding their head or shifting their weight with guilty anticipation. We may work great as a team but in a hierarchal society where people keep mysteriously dying even the best of us can turn a little, erm, accusatory. I got to be the Joker. For those of you don’t know a Joker’s role- the aim is basically to get killed so to sabotage and end the game. Even though I was one of the last ones alive (may have been the only one left alive) I definitely think I made the town loopy. So I was a better Joker. Ahem.
As the night went on, where some of our fellow team members got to showcase their artistic abilities through Telestrations, others demonstrated their primal warrior instincts through Avalon. Through yet more food (yes, this is a recurring theme), uncontrollable bouts of laughing fits, most wonderful secret Santa exchanges and generous appreciation presents, every one went home that evening not just with their tummies filled, but with their hearts warmly filled too.
Whether it was the overwhelming amount of team charity donations for our upcoming rummage fundraiser or the fact that each person brings with them a distinct warmth and positivity, I for one feel very happy to be part of such a bright and determined team that can not only work together, but can laugh together too. To an influx of many more gatherings and Potlucks galore! A very happy 2016 to you.