I hate

People moving meetings to the Friday afternoon just before Christmas. Fucking jokes.

Should have blocked out the afternoon with "meetings".. (but yes, dick move on their part, who does that?)

I have to take a ½ day this week. Was meant to be Mon but had to cancel. Asked if it could be today - just got ghosted. Now it looks like it'll have to be Friday when everyone is just going to take a half day anyway.

I do all my food “telly” consumption on YouTube. Matty Matheson ftw!

Presumably no-one sane is going to attend that or take any notice of anything said in it, or do anything in response until the 3rd Jan, so you can probably safely sack it off (obviously I have no idea what your job is or how important said meeting might be)

Full disclosure, it's my partner that has had the meeting dropped on them - they have about 1/20th the fuckyouness that I have (as they are, generally, a much, much nicer person) - and working in retail, everyone is shitting themselves for the Christmas rush that just isn't happening.

I'm usually the meeting setter, and have everything weighted towards the beginning of the week. Even if we're doing agile, sprint reviews are on a Thursday / Friday morning.

Take a half day in the morning and then the half day that everyone else is getting in the afternoon.

Friday is a day off for you!

I sort of want to do this, but idk how it will land.

Who gives a fuck? You won't be there and everyone will have forgotten by the time you get back because they'll have been pissed or more pissed off at their families.

Gifts from adults to adults because the calendar says so (Christmas, birthdays, whatever).

I've received a £15 National Trust voucher from my aunt. I need to get something in return. Chance of the voucher never being spent is quite high. Wasteful and pointless.

I'm not with this idea that because someone got me a gift I have to get them one.
I give a gift because I want to and enjoy that. It's not a bloody exchange and I don't expect anything in return.
I agree with the adult gift thing mostly, because it just feels like scrambling around trying to work out what someone will like and worrying that the thing you got isn't right. It's why I rarely give gifts. Plus I don't have many friends.

How about sending her a gift card for National Trust? Perhaps for around £15?

'oh, they must have crossed in the post, how funny!'

Surprise mandatory unpaid holiday time

Chance of the voucher never being spent is quite high

Ride to your nearest NT property and have a nice sandwich and cake

This^

That's quite a nice idea but there aren't any obvious destinations starting from North London. I shall look at their list of coffee shops some more.

Obscurant medical terminology. If it's the Muscles and Bones Dept then just put that on the door not Orthopedics

There are loads in Bucks and Herts.

It’s got to be 2 Willow Road in Hampstead. Goldfinger’s house, he who designed Trellick Tower and got name checked in James Bond.

If you like that sort of thing.

Not sure it has posh cake potential though

I think Fenton House is slightly closer but according to their listing neither have food & drink. George Inn is the closest with listed food & drink but may not take NT vouchers for payment. I've only ever visited Osterley Park once, and that was for a meeting, so that would be good but the obvious route is no fun at all. A back lane route to the Ashridge Estate could be good.

Especially when it is even more esoteric.
Fluoroscopy anyone?

bribe one of the staff with the £15 voucher to run to nearest tescos/boots and grab you a sandwich meal deal?

Christmas family tension already starting, Brother-in law flying over from Jersey tomorrow earlier doors, plan to pick him up and go climb in Exeter, then go and get the mother-in law for a surprise brunch at the Ivy.

He's just phoned the wife, to say he's rebooked his flight for later in the day as he decided after he booked it a few months back that its now to early, then in a text after they got off the phone, mentions he told the mother in law about the brunch. Wife very much unimpressed

He can be such a dick at times, only got him for 4 (long) days.