Company Christmas party -- is it free?

[erincon23]

DH and I both started new jobs in October. I'm pretty sure his new company doesn't have any kind of party. Mine (a commercial real estate firm) has a party at the owner's home, which is supposed to be very nice. There's no "charge", but everyone brings an appetizer or dessert, and spouses are invited.

The nicest parties I ever heard of were several years ago -- one of my friends' husbands worked for (still does, but they don't do parties any more) a large cellular phone company, and they'd rent out the Shedd Aquarium or Field Museum and have the party there.

 

[mrsheppo]

We are having a holiday party at work next week. It is free but employees only and the only time you can attend is on your lunch break. They want you to spend "quality time" with your co-workers.

 

[Rylee]

DH's is free, very fancy, open bar, hors d'oeuvres, full meal, at an historic old inn, (where the Clinton's and celebs stay when in town.)

BONUS #1 - Some years, the company hires DH's band to play at the party so he gets PAID to be there!

BONUS #2 - They hand out the Xmas bonuses at the party.

(This year, DH's band was already booked for another Xmas party, so we won't be attending.)

 

[elaine amj]

DH is a nurse. The staff organize and pays their own.

Last year my boss paid for us and our spouse for an hors d'ouerve(sp) and open bar type party. This year its a fancier party with buffet dinner, DJ and dancing. He paid for us, but spouses are at cost - $75 each. My spouse is staying at home LOL. I'd prefer a simpler party where my spouse is paid for. Oh well.

 

[Jennasis]

DH's company Christmas party is tomorrow night at a LOVELY (and pricey) restaurant. There will be about 50 people there and the company pays for it.

 

[Albort]

Realty company here. We have a potluck. So bring enough for like 10 ppl. Not going though.

 

[DebbieB]

I work for a major insurance company, my floor has a lunch that is not company sponsored so we pay. We fund it by kicking in $1 for Friday casual day during the year.

 

[2binak]

We've worked for large corporations & small companies and we've never had to pay to attend an office Christmas party. We've had everything from a simple lunch to full 4 course meal at various levels of restaurants. Some have been employee only while others have included spouses.

 

[shoney]

Pay to hangout with work people after hours...

No..no..no! I am currently a SAHM, but when I worked a Holiday party was company paid. They were held at nice catering halls.

Actually the company did a poll one year...holiday party at night (w/spouses) or company luncheon (during office hours no spouses).....

I voted LUNCHEON! (It would have been held at a very pretty place....Milleridge Inn for any LI'ers out there)

I saw someone from HR a few weeks after the poll and asked her the results...she told me "you were one of the few to vote Luncheon"

I couldn't believe people would rather go out on a Friday night with co-workers rather than a lunch during working hours...

For the record, I would never pay for a company party! I think I would feel a cold coming on

 

[momto2inKC]

My husbands employer does not charge a fee. He's in waterproofing/construction and their party is held at the warehouse/office, no spouses. They have BBQ, kegs of beer and just have a good time hanging out and playing poker. Lots of big prizes handed out, as well as gift cards. I'm *very thankful spouses are not allowed lol

 

[DeaverTex]

Free, with an open bar and tons of buffet-type food and dessert items. But, it's at my boss' house (monster of a place) and he invites all his friends and clients too. The place is like a zoo, with a crappy western band "entertaining" everyone, people standing around bragging about what they're doing with all their money (we're a tiny development consultant company, so most of our clients have money coming out their, erm... ears) and getting drunk.

The only reason that Mrs. Tex and I go at all is because my boss' wife makes most of the desserts -- and she's an incredible baker -- and this is where he passes out the Christmas presents. And he expects everyone to be there. Thank God that this year, Mrs. Tex's clinic party is the same night, giving us an excuse to leave early. (We usually just sneak out the back door after about an hour, carrying several bags full of cookies, fudge, etc.)

I've never worked anywhere that didn't do SOMETHING for Christmas, even if was just an office lunch, and that includes the Army. I never heard of anywhere having an actual party, and charging the employees to come to it. I mean, that's gall. Sheesh!!

 

[mr.bungle]

My first "real job" was at a company of about 20 people. They company would rent a beach house every year and we'd have open bar and big jam session and dinner. SO's were welcome and free. It was always a nice time. The 3rd year there the company was undergoing changes so they just had dinner at a crappy restaurant for employees only.

The last company I had a holiday party at was on a wednesday after work, employees only. 2 drink tickets and appetizers.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

The hubs is a teacher and each year they have to pay to attend their Christmas party. It is held at a restaurant, you get 2 choices for dinner (usually beef or chicken), and it is a set fee (this year is $18/pp). It has always been this way.

When he worked at a bank before this, those parties were free.

I worked for Walmart for about 5 yrs and they would have a party after Christmas with food catered from a local restaurant and served in the break room. It was free and very nice.

I work for another retailer now and there has been no mention of anything Christmasy. When you only have 7-8 employees and you're open 8-10 every day, somebody is going to get left out whenever you have it. How do you make it work with so few employees???

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Nope, never paid for any Christmas party I attended at work. Now, most of them were pot-luck, so I guess that's a sort of payment, since I had to supply the food I prepared and prepare it. But not outright paying for it.

 

[sasywtch]

This thread is timely. I work for the government and today was our Christmas party. It's at a restraunt, we pay $29 each, you can bring spouses if you want and you pay for them . It starts at 1, usually winds down at 3 so people just go home getting 2 to 3 hours free off.

I have not gone for the last 4 years. As a single parent (before 2 years ago), I couldn't really afford it at Christmas time and now, well I just don't want to spend my money in that way. Out of 80 people, only about 5 stayed to volunteer to answer phones/counter which is required by law to stay open.

Management will not entertain the idea to give the 4-5 people who stay behind to man the phones/counter 2 hours off another day. I have known this and just lived with it for years. Other agencies I've worked for were grateful that they didn't have to beg another office to babysit the phones so would give the few who stayed bonus time off on another day but not this place. Two new people started a year ago and are going to complain. Actually, I agree with them because management has always said "you elected not to go to the party". My problem with that is that it's not free and there are people who at $29 might need that money for their kids at Christmas. I have been there in previous years. If management paid for the party, then yeah I'd agree, they elected not to go but that's not the case. But, I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut because any rumbling would cause cancellation of any future parties and 80 coworkers ticked at you is not a good thing. However, these 2 coworkers are going ahead with their complaint.

 

[mamamary]

Never had to pay for any holiday parties for myself or DH. This year (first holiday party at this job) my husband's party is going to be at a country club and the party seems like it will be really nice. Kids are invited too and every child will get a gift (heard it was $50 gift cards for teens and for the younger kids they asked for ideas from the parents so the younger ones have an actual wrapped present to open).

 

[NHdisneylover]

Free or at most pot luck at everywhere Myself or Dh or one of my parents have ever worked.

Tonight is DH's. They are a small department and it will be just six of us having a nice dinner out

 

[tennisfan]

We have to pay for ours too, morale has been poor for years and management know why but refuse to do anything about it

 

[Mokat76]

Was in the Air Force, now work for the AF as a civilian. Never, ever had a free Christmas party. They were either pay as you go or potlucks. Nowadays, usually we do potlucks during the duty day. They're OK.

 

[indimom]

Wow, I'm really surprised how many have to pay for their company parties!

My first job was as a reporter. The newspaper was part of a small chain and the company party involved four nearby papers. Everything was free and the bar was open. Staff only though.
I'm pretty sure the bar tab was HUGE because the editors of each paper initiated a challenge to see which staff could outdrink the others.
(Proud member of the winning paper, lol. I really don't want to think about how much drinking and driving went on that night. )

When working at a church-run day care, we received a free catered lunch during the day.

DH's company had a party for years. SO's invited. Everyone free. Included a sit down dinner, entertainment (which was always pretty good - comedians, magicians, music), drinks, and nice door prizes. That ended in 2009 when the economy tanked. Probably would have looked bad to celebrate laying off 1/3 of their employees in November and putting the rest on rotating work weeks. Since then, they have a catered lunch during the day.