Are spouses invited to your office Christmas party?

[LisaNJ25]

I only had one company invite spouses but there were only 8 employees. Hubby works for the county and they dont have a parties.. My little sis has hers tonight and its employees only. She works at a law firm with 250 employees so potentially doubling it to 500 could get nuts.

Although after what she heard about when what down 2 years ago at the party.. it may end up being a wild night.. heavy drinking and office parties dont mix.

 

[NowaSki]

My company's party is usually over the top. We have about 200 employees and we can bring spouses (or a guest). Plus they invite other business partners/vendors etc. Usually ends up to be about 300 - 400 people. We have had the party in some very interesting places here in NYC:

Public Library
Guggenheim Museum
Museum of Modern Art
The Frick House
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museaum (My Favorite)

Last year they had a spread of food representing several different countries (8 in all I think).

They also have entertainment: Sketch Artists, Palm Readers, Tarot Card Readers, etc.. One year they did a whole Asian theme and had Japanese drummers and acrobats.

Since a lot of us live outside the city they provide car service home for us now. In the past we would end up taking a local train (no express trains late at night), and it would take 2+ hours to get home.

DW has not attended a party for the past three years (baby sitting issues), but this year she is coming. The party is next Thursday night (always a work night which is a bummer, but after 10 year I finally got smart and I am taking a vacation day the following day!)

 

[Bob Slydell]

Unfortunately, yes, spouses are invited to my husband's Christmas office party. I really do not like going. I see most of these people once a year, the conversation is awkward. They always do a theme, this year it was Casino Night. Luckily, for me, they do serve booze.

DW's is Casino Night themed this year as well. They pull that theme out about every three or four years, since it's a popular one.

As far as a zoo being the location -- that's actually not that unusual. One year, my wife's Christmas party was held at our local zoo's Rainforest building (doing an outdoor party in Cleveland doesn't work well ). It was one of the coolest parties they've had.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

The law firm I work at includes spouces and significant others. What's pretty cool about my office party is, my wife has been hired the past 2 years to play the harp for the cocktail party, and this year will be the 3rd.

 

[rgf207]

At mine, spouses are invited and do not have to pay. They cannot win any prizes though

 

[Miss Jasmine]

We have a luncheon and spouses are not included. My husband and I work for the same organization, however. This year it takes place on his day off and I think I may come down with some stomach problem.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Ours is spouses if it's a dinner, and no spouses if it's a lunch. Last year was a lunch, this year is a dinner - I think they alternate it. The dinners are fun because there's dancing and fun. Lunch last year had some fun competitions with nice prizes. I like them both for different reasons, and I don't mind that we alternate from year to year.

 

[UMTerp]

DH works for a large IT firm. Party is on a weekend night at a local large hotel ballroom. Spouses/guests can attend for $50 each! We did not attend. My company is a small business and is having a nice brunch party in January at a very nice local country club. Spouses/guests are invited (1 per employee) at no charge. We will attend this one.

UMTerp

 

[DVC-Don]

This year there is no party at all. Up till last year spouses and kids were invitited.

 

[Missy1961]

Christmas party? What's that? We don't have Christmas parties, holiday parties or even lunch out. So no, spouses don't get to go because we don't have 'em.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

DH works for a large publishing company and their holiday party is for employees only. I work for a start-up company and there's only three of us including the owner, so we are having a holiday dinner out and spouses are invited.

 

[malibuconlee]

For DH's party it's all the project teams working at Fort Riley. Wives are invited. It's a dinner with cocktail hour before hand. We're having it next Friday night. Last year they had it on a Thursday, not sure why unless it was because of the 'travelers' they had that went home on the weekend.

 

[Disney Doll]

Spouses are invited to my unit's Christmas party.
Spouses are not invited to DH's office Christmas party.

Doesn't really faze me.

 

[cybrkitn]

At my previous job (up until last week), spouses were invited. However, the party was never paid for by the company. We had to pay ($25-$35 per person). Last year, it was changed. Spouses could come but would have to pay the full price of $50 compared to the employees paying $35. It has always been at a restaurant.

They are doing the same thing this year. I'm going since it's next week, but DH isn't. I asked him if he would be ok with that b/c this is the last Holiday Party for them and it's also one of the last times I will get to see everyone before the office building is sold.

My new company is having a holiday lunch in the office from 12-1:30 on the 20th.

DH is pretty much in walking distance (and works for a different company than I do). His department has their party in the evening at a restaurant.

 

[LisaZee]

The companies I have worked for in the past (consulting, pharmacy, even the mall!) have invited spouses to the holiday parties.

My husband, on the other hand, has never been allowed to invite me. He works in long term care, and for some reason, they like to keep to themselves. At 2 of his previous companies, the parties have consisted of taking the administration and department heads to a nice lunch - like at Maggiano's. His last company had a big shindig where they rented out a banquet hall, hired a DJ, and had an open bar. But no spouses. Now, who are you drinking and dancing with? I didn't like that at all. It never felt right to me...

 

[delilah]

We had our office Christmas party last night. We are a medical practice (I am one of the doctors), and this party was being sponsored by a drug company, and so spouses were not invited (unless they worked in the office). The irony of the situation is not lost on me. My husband is a pharmaceutical chemist, and he has probably forgotten more pharmaceutical information than my file clerks (and, yes, probably the drug rep) will ever know. I guess he is a threat to the proprietory information presented at the conference that preceeded the party.

My issue in past years has been that the party was on the same evening as my son's Christmas program. Finally, one year I didn't attend at all, because it started at the same time as his program, and I wasn't going to miss his program. So, finally, my office manager took it seriously that I wasn't going to attend if it was the same day as his program. But, last night, I did need to leave promptly. The office opened two hours later than normal, but, I take my son to school, and it started at the usual time.

 

[aprilgail2]

No spouses at our party. Its usually a Friday night out in a bar from 5pm- early morning hours-

 

[HelenePA]

Yes its next Sat. Dinner and a show no booze included but there is a bar. Sunday is the kids christmas party again we are all free but we are not going this year its the rollerskating rink and my kids have 2 left feet and are NOT good on skates! Then in the summer they do a family day at knoebles we each get lunch and tix they also raffle prizes. For each holiday (even the minor ones) they are fed a hot catered lunch. They treat us pretty darn good!

 

[FluffyPumpkin78]

I work for a larger grocery chain in the south (where shopping is a pleasure!), and we do not have a holiday party.

My department is having a little get together next week(we organized it ourselves), and spouses are included!

 

[luvmyboys]

Spouses are not invited to DH's party. International firm, and they go CRAZY for the D.C. area party. Different themed rooms (couple of years ago had a chocolate room-- chocolate sculptures, waterfall, etc...), live bands, circus performers, open bar.

DH comes home raving about it every year, and I have to admit, I'd really like to go! But if the company let spouses go, they'd probably have to eliminate a lot of the elements that make it so cool in order to keep costs down. Then maybe I wouldn't even WANT to go!