The following is the fourth in a series of journal entries a member of the CareerBuilder.com community is writing about losing his job and searching for a new one. At his request, his name has been withheld so he can relay experiences with his former company and potential employers with impunity."Joe" (his nom de blog) is 45 years old and was let go from a management position at a major consumer products company. He had relocated with his family to take the job a little more than a year ago.The thing about getting fired near the holidays is that there are more social opportunities and gatherings than at any time of the year. This can either work to your advantage or be extremely awkward."Hey, how are you doing?" people ask. I cheerily say fine and make a little small talk. Inevitably the conversation turns to what I do for a living. Without self-pity or rancor, I reply that my company is reorganizing and I am looking for other opportunities. The response I get falls into one of four categories:Thinly veiled revulsion: Some flinch and back away -- as if afraid that the state of being unemployed is a virus they might catch.Gloom and doom: Some launch into a tirade about how bad the economy is."It's all Bush's fault!" "Recovery? What recovery? The only growth market I see is servicing the unemployed!" "We're all going to hell in a handbasket, and there's going to be trial and tribulation like we've never known."About this time, I make a hasty retreat to the buffet table.It could be worse: Others play a game of one-upmanship, assuring me that my plight could be much, much worse. I find this reaction preferable to the previous two yet still not much of a pick-me-upper.It begins: "You think you've got problems ..." and ends with some poor sap who lost his job and either dies of a heart attack under the stress or chucks it all and winds up living in a van by the river.I've been there. ... How can I help?: Fortunately, the most common response I get is empathy -- and offers of help.I am not alone. Nearly everybody -- or their spouse -- can relate to the pain of the pink slip. (Though for many in my Westchester County, New York, neighborhood, that pain is anesthetized by a golden parachute.)Those who have been through this tell me it takes many months and not to get discouraged. Nearly all say their search followed the same dramatic trajectory: a promising start; some setbacks and disappointments, including several "sure things" that just seemed to fade away; a slow period where the phone didn't ring and they actually looked forward to getting spammed; and, finally, the simultaneous receipt of multiple job offers and the angst of having to choose the right one.Despite what statistics of the unemployed and underemployed show, many say they landed either a better job or wound up in a more satisfying career. (Though that may just be bluster or the hot toddies talking.)For my part, I always act relaxed and upbeat. I am careful never to portray myself as a victim or directly ask for help. (It's a party, for gosh sakes.)Though I admit I was dreading the thought of holiday gatherings and having to admit publicly that I am without a predictable professional future, I've actually enjoyed myself. I've even met three solid contacts and lined up two informational interviews.Not only that. I've gotten out of the house, replenished my supply of jokes and been reminded that, despite getting fired, I really have a lot to celebrate after all.