Company Holiday Party

[Searc]

We have a few different company functions for Christmas; a formal dinner-dance put on by corporate (attendance at least for management is very strongly "suggested"), a fun-day (this year it's bowling/mini-golf) with food, booze and gifts and an office potluck. I attend all of them with DH as my escort for the fancy thing. The other two are during the work day so there's really no way not to go unless you take the day off.

DH's is the same.

 

[ronandannette]

I do not attend. I've been to a few over the years (at different companies) and I've seen some questionable behavior and not looked at my colleagues in the same light - it made it hard for me to take them seriously. Today I just use that as an excuse to not go. I would rather go home and stare at the wall than to go to some these parties.

Ah, yep - this happens. There's one guy from our field staff that is expressly forbidden to go to the big corporate thing. He just doesn't seem to be able to keep his crap together when he drinks and our regional VP almost forced us to fire him the last time he acted up.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Do you go to your work's Holiday party? Do you bring a plus one? If you go, do you go because you WANT to or because you feel OBLIGATED to go?

My work holiday party is every day if I want (cause I don't work hahaha).

I don't go to DH's work parties. I went for 3-4 years when DD#2 was younger and I was friends with some of the wives. He's moved companies a couple of times since then; he goes because he feels he needs to make an appearance. I do not attend anymore because it's awkward not knowing anyone and not having anything to talk about. (It's clear I don't have much in common with the other wives; most are younger, with young children or way way older, and most of them work.)

 

[disneychrista]

it's awkward not knowing anyone and not having anything to talk about.

I kind of feel this way and I work there. Over half the employees have worked together for 10+ years. And it is very clicky, in that the departments tend to stick together. I know everyone but very much feel like an outsider. Even though I am sure that is partly/mostly me & my social awkwardness.

 

[VandVsmama]

I despise work Christmas parties. There's a mandatory one at work in a couple of weeks. 10 am - 1 pm and the first two hours of it are presentations about how things are going. We've also been told that there are "team building exercises" planned and "fun ice breakers." Gag me with a spoon. I really hate that stuff. I just want to do my job. Then the "luncheon" part of it is go to the company cafeteria and get lunch for free...but you have to stand in an insanely long line of people to get that free lunch and the food is kind of lousy. Then you get to fight over the small # of places to sit, so you get to eat your lousy food standing up.

No thanks. I have to leave early that day anyway for a doctor appointment.

 

[ronandannette]

My work holiday party is every day if I want (cause I don't work hahaha).

I don't go to DH's work parties. I went for 3-4 years when DD#2 was younger and I was friends with some of the wives. He's moved companies a couple of times since then; he goes because he feels he needs to make an appearance. I do not attend anymore because it's awkward not knowing anyone and not having anything to talk about. (It's clear I don't have much in common with the other wives; most are younger, with young children or way way older, and most of them work.)

My DH and I are casual friends with a number of people I work with and their spouses; he's fine making conversation with whomever is around for a couple of hours. I take special care to visit with the wives of my staff members (I'll talk about anything they want to) and trying to get them chatting with one another because I suspect they may feel this way too.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I used to work at another casino where our hotel and ballrooms hosts Christmas parties from November through January... we called that our "crazy" season and had more physicals and arrests during that time than the rest of the year... I won't be going to the party here this year. If I worked that night I'd probably pop in for a plate of free food but I'm off that night and can't be bothered to attend.

 

[sam_gordon]

We don't do a Christmas (or Holiday) party. Our big event is in February and it's an "Employee Appreciation Party". Free food (buffet dinner) and free drinks (for most of the night, I think it turns into a cash bar late). There are cocktails, wine, and beer as well as soda, tea, and water. We recognize people who celebrated milestones the past year. (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40). After the presentations, there's dancing (and the bar stays open). They also arrange for free taxi rides to/from the event if you feel you've had too much. It's at a hotel so there's discount rooms if you want to do that.

I went to two I think until I became a manager. Then, while nothing's been said, I feel I "need" to be there, so I've gone to the last three. DW goes as my "plus one". Neither of us is good at small talk, so we generally leave after the presentations.

 

[Klayfish]

Nope. It's a very awkward thing and truth is that more than half of the people probably have no desire to be there anyway. For my groups, I'm open about that and try to do something different and fun. We went indoor go karting last week (believe it or not, it wasn't even my decision, they decided that on their own). Everyone had a blast and are still laughing about it.

 

[nkereina]

I've only worked for one company that had a formal holiday party outside of work hours where you were allowed to bring a guest. It was banquet style had a hotel with Chinese auctions, a 50/50, etc. It was fun. Since then, the companies I've worked for have done holiday luncheons either on-site or off-site. Its during work hours and only for employees. My current department's party is optional, but I do try to attend. Its usually fun.

 

[MrsDuck]

Not always.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I'm a teacher and have been at the same school for 13 years. Over the years we have done different things. Some years we have had a Holiday gathering at someone's home. A couple years we have just met at a restaurant. One year our principal was retiring at Christmas, so we did a big party at a venue that year. Being a public school, there is no budget for things like this, and so everyone has to pay their own way. I usually go if there is a party, but my DH doesn't go with me - he is totally anti-social

He is a Sheriff Deputy, so a similar situation of being a State Employee and having no budget, so they all pay like $10 each and have lunch in the office one day the week before Christmas.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Different types of holiday parties during most of my working years.

Parties at the home office were in the evening, cocktail dress attire, and plus one. Great source of networking and getting the heads up on the latest "palace intrigue".
Sometimes we had a departmental party as well. Generally, in the evening at local spots after work. Invite your plus one, or not as this was a you pay affair. Try not to get too drunk or have an animated whispered convo w/ your plus one since you will be giggled about until the next holiday party. Maybe even have an office pool started as to what date the wedding will be called off....

Parties at the local properties were luncheons, work attire, and solo.

When I ran my own company I took the people I worked with out for dinner or lunch. No pluses; they'd get invited to one of my house parties.

 

[tvguy]

Our holiday parties are now all in house, catered, so just employees. Usually after I am off for the day, so I haven't gone for the last few years.
My wife's place, they cook up a bunch of frozen Stouffers Lasagnas, and the managers are your waiters, done in house.

Both places used to have big bashes off site with spouses included. I think concerns about liability because alcohol was served killed those parties. I say that because in Broadcasting, "trade out" was common. So the off site parties actually didn't cost much if anything. The current parties actually cost more, for less.

 

[SC Minnie]

Our US corporate office has a fall event at the local greenway. There are games set up for the fall festival and food catered. The festival isn't closed for us since it was on a Saturday.

Our Canadian corporate office has a Christmas party with a band at a club. They have very nice door prizes and such. Our CEO and VP's fly up for the party. They don't bother showing up to the US one and they live here.

I've gone to the fall thing twice. This year DH and I went, had lunch and left.

 

[luvsJack]

We have several.

One is college wide and at the President’s house on the main campus. Beautiful house all decorated for Christmas and lots and lots of food. I went every year for 10 years and now stay back at our office so others can go.

The second one is campus wide for our campus. We all bring food and get to actually sit and visit and a few of our staff make presentations which are actually entertaining.

We will have two during the last week before we close for the holidays. One is whoever is left working (instructors leave about a week before we do) that week and we all bring some dish.

And finally on the very last day, we will have a pj day. That was is just our department. We wear pjs and slippers. And this year we are doing “southern comfort food” so everyone will bring whatever means comfort food to them.

None of it is mandatory but all are enjoyable. And I always take part in the three on our campus.

 

[soccerdad72]

Never gone - at least not at my current employer. We generally have too many functions as it is during the holiday season. We do go to my wife's holiday parties - but she's obligated to go to hers.

 

[RUDisney]

We do luncheons now, so that's easy.

I worked for a place that had a party only for AVP and above. It was a command performance. It was a holiday dinner. DH and I both worked there, so we had to go.

The highest level didn't drink at this dinner, so it made it awkward for anyone else to drink. You didn't get a choice of dinner and the filets were cooked early and kept heated, so they came out as hockey pucks.

It was the most un-fun thing of the whole year. I learned at the last dinner that you could request a vegetarian meal. I had planned to do that so I wouldn't have the hockey puck served that I didn't eat. Luckily, they stopped having that "party."

 

[kimj88]

Never go. Don't feel obligated to go. The whole thing annoys me and I can't imagine why people enjoy it. But hey I am a raging introvert so not necessary objective on things like that.

 

[RangerPooh]

I've spent my professional life working in higher education, so no parties just luncheons. One department had a potluck with a white elephant exchange that was fun. It was for administrative staff and was over the lunch hour. The whole college would usually have an end of the semester social at the end of the day about a week before holiday break. There was always good food and decent wine. My current employer gravitates towards either a pot luck or take out end of the semester luncheon. Low key, no holiday recognized.

Part of me does wish that our employers had an event, but then I don;t know if we'd even attend.