Rituals of the Season

The Christian Science Monitor notes that holiday office parties are back in vogue after being shunned due to the post 9-11 economy. But, instead of a mere recitation of more corporate holiday lore, the CSM acknowledges the indexical symbol these festivities mark for both employers and employees:

In some ways, the party's comeback parallels the rise and fall of the national economy: excursions to exotic locales in the halcyon days of the 1990s contrast sharply to celebrating on someone else's tab. But it's not just a night of toasts and rubbing elbows. It's also a window into the priorities of top management, a barometer of morale, and a chance, however fleeting, to let gratitude ring.