Employers holiday party

[sunshine1178]

Lucky me, I coordinate our company's Christmas parties. Yes, plural. I work for a construction company, so a lot of our employees work for us briefly, as projects come and go. We have a party at a nearby restaurant on Saturday night for "permanent " employees and a guest. (I put their spouse's name on the invite if they're married, otherwise "and guest." Most bring long-term girlfriends, but we do have a few sisters and friends too.) It's an hour of open bar and cocktails, then a sit down dinner, then the bar re-opens. It will run me about $100 per person, plus the gifts bought personally by the owner.

The 23rd, we'll have a luncheon for everyone who is "on-site" that day. One man will bring in Ham he's smoked himself, and I'll buy salads, rolls, cheese, drinks, etc. Very casual. The retirees love coming to the offices to see what we're up to, so its pretty ideal. No invites are sent -- the superintendents personally call the retirees, and I hang signs around the office about it.

 

[disney1990]

I work for a home builder. We are not allowed to have an off site Christmas Party. Instead, we are encouraged to give to others. We had a food drive for Thanksgiving and have a toy drive for Christmas.

We will have an in-house pot luck luncheon Christmas week for employees only.

 

[christineann]

We used to have a Christmas party after work, but now we have a Christmas luncheon for employees only (fine with us, actually). One employee's family members just happen to show up right before the luncheon each year and stay to eat

Most of us employees would rather they take the money and donate it to the homeless shelter or some other worthy cause.

 

[Pakey]

Ours are employee only. Sometimes there is a separate dinner for upper management where our spouses are invited but it's not done every year (most of us prefer not to involve our spouses).

 

[ahutton]

Until a couple years ago the companies I've worked for did a dinner event for employees/spouses, but the last few years it has been an employee only lunch event. This year they are giving us the afternoon off after, I would much rather have that to do errands and such than a big spouse event.

 

[SaraJayne]

DH's company has an elegant Christmas party at a local resort with a sit down dinner and open bar and black tie waiters walking around with hors d'oeuvres, champagne and wine.

Spouses/SO are always invited.

 

[Mrs. M. Mouse]

Both mine and dh's employers have off site parties that include the spouse.

Up until 2 years ago Dh's company would take us out to the mountains all expenses paid for one night. but for the last 2 years it's been a more toned down in city party.

Mine has had their party at the same place every year for the last 10 years I've heard. I've only gone once and we pay $5 per person to go. it's an okay dinner but it would be nice if they'd take the money and donate it somewhere useful instead of at an awkward party where not everyone knows everyone. we're a city wide company with many different sites so most of us don't know the people in the other offices.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Mine is a big shindig with spouses invited. There will be lots of entertainment - Clint Black, a comedy act, gambling, and lots of food and drink. We used to do parties by department, but we found that pooling all of the department budgets together resulted in one bigger, better party.

I once worked at a company that did similar parties and allowed each employee to invite a guest (presumed to be a date). There was a couple that worked their (both husband and wife worked there) and they invited another couple since they could each invite a guest. We had to have a little talk with them about that afterward.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Our place has a holiday employee lunch at a local restaurant. We get two hours for lunch (just the employees) and then have to be back at work. No spouses.

 

[pixiewings71]

DBF is allowed 1 guest, but we rarely go his company parties. We've never (in 8 years) been to one of his Christmas parties. At my previous employer the holiday party was done during the work day, we had a half day at work then got to go party with the company. Obviously since they decided I was no longer needed I won't be attending this year. lol That party was the employee only, no guests were allowed.

 

[tlbwriter]

Neither of our employers hosts a holiday party, but in his previous job, DH's party always included a "plus one." And they were good parties!

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Mine is a big shindig with spouses invited. There will be lots of entertainment - Clint Black, a comedy act, gambling, and lots of food and drink. We used to do parties by department, but we found that pooling all of the department budgets together resulted in one bigger, better party.

I once worked at a company that did similar parties and allowed each employee to invite a guest (presumed to be a date). There was a couple that worked their (both husband and wife worked there) and they invited another couple since they could each invite a guest. We had to have a little talk with them about that afterward.

Clint Black??? Can I be your assistant just long enough to qualify to attend your Christmas party?

 

[Donalds_best_pal]

Here at Disney, we have two parties on two separate days and you can pick which one you want to attend. You receive one ticket for yourself plus your spouse or significant other. Also if you have kids, you will receive a ticket for each of them. My department then also has its own party usually, that party is adults only. You can bring one guest with you.

 

[Maridw]

Hubby's company has a big party. Spouses / SO's are invited. One year we were able to take my DD as a +1 for one of the other employee's.

This year they were going to go with a Luau theme, but were not getting a great response to it. So the CEO sent out an email that said that it was an optional attire, if you wanted to wear dress clothes that was fine. Now they are getting more rsvp's. They usually get a discounted room rate at the resort they are having the party, so that anyone who wants to stay overnight and not drive can book a room. We stayed last year and even though we had a bad experience with this particular resort in the past, we had a nice room and no problems last year. It was nice to be able to just walk to the room and not drive home until morning.

The company that I used to work for didn't do big parties because there was only 7 employees. We usually had a luncheon at the office or at a restaurant for the employees only. After one boss retired (a real piece of work) the interim boss and board chair had a nice dinner party for the employees and spouses.

 

[Tasha+Scott]

Our Christmas party is employees only...but I get my Christmas bonus and a nice meal at that time so I'm not complaining!

Dh's Christmas party is also employees only.

I have had previous jobs where we could bring our SO or spouse and the parties were pretty fun, as a result, BUT I hated those jobs so I'd gladly give that up for a job I actually like most days.

 

[Handbag Lady]

How about the old trick of putting it in a larger box? or find an odd shaped box? but just wrapping it in dark paper or just a brown grocery bag(what I use to use waaay back when to cover school textbooks) would not let someone know what is in the package.

I like the brown bag theory. I'm known for making perfect bows with matching wrap! No one will know! Thanks!