Work Christmas Parties

[marcyinPA]

Is your company or place of business having a Christmas Party this year, or have they cut it out due to the economy?

I teach at a private church preschool, and we always have our party in the parlor at the church. We all bring something to eat, and we do "greed" gift exchange (with nice, but under $15 gifts).

My DH's company used to have a nice party...location changed every year, but it was catered, wine on tables, etc. The company is not doing great and they cut out parties last year.

I'm actually glad that they aren't having one. Everybody took a pay cut and it just wouldn't be right to spend that money on a party.

 

[HM]

We have a luncheon each year. It's changed significantly over the years that I've been at the office, going from a nice-table-cloth-sit-down buffet in a private room somewhere offsite to a nearly pot-luck in our boardroom (Entrees are ordered, but everything else is pot-luck).

 

[Pakey]

Our company had a great year but even if it wasn't, the year end party would still happen. The owners of this company have sincere gratitude for the production employees and would make sure that the party, bonuses, gifts happened no matter what.

The food is a minimal cost; most of the money is spent on the bonuses and gifts for each of the 300 employees.

 

[lecach]

My office party is tonight at the owners home. But we're not going because my husband's party is tonight - at the Great Wolf Lodge! Full buffet, visit with Sir Purr (NFL Panthers mascot) a pass around the lodge (water park, arcade, airbrush tattoos, etc), and we get to use our pass all day tomorrow too!

 

[Dax]

We are having a lunch catered in...costing about $33 a head, but the food should be good...plus its the day before I go on vacation...cant beat a party on the last day of work before vaca!

 

[Bren's Mom]

I work for a municipal service. The chief of the service has a small luncheon every year, that hasn't been cut.

The 'girls' and I bring munchies and cookies in for ourselves and the other people in the building. We used to do a grab bag but 3 years ago I suggested donating that $ to a charity instead so that's what we've been doing. This year it was the Women's Crisis Center. They had a wish list on their website, we all shopped individually according to our budgets, and then had several giant boxes of items to deliver to them. (We delivered yesterday!)

 

[PatsMom]

We used to have a Christmas lunch at a nice restaurant. Then as the company grew a bit it got harder to mesh everyone's schedule. And then they hired a Jehovah's Witness who was rather upset about the whole thing. So we have pretty much gotten to a pot luck/order our combination sometime before the holiday. The company owners pay for the order out part. The company downsized last year (including the JW) so we fit in our conference room - only 9 of us. And then we do a Yankee Swap.

In January when things aren't so busy the owners will arrange for a New Year's Appreciation lunch and take us out someplace nice for a meal.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We are having a much scaled down party. We used to have a fully catered party with employees and a guest. We would switch every other year between having it hosted somewhere or having in in the office. The party was about 4 hours.

This year we scaled it down two 2 hours and employees only.

Also, my team went out for lunch this past week.

 

[AKL_Megs]

We're off to my DH's Union Christmas party tomorrow night. Same as last year, you'd better get there early because only the first something like, $500 worth of drinks are free, and they go FAST. There is always good food, however.

 

[RockAndRollBallerina]

My dad owns a day care center, and we leave that up to the employees if they want to have a christmas party or not. And if they do they are on their own, we wont fund one.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Hubbys place had a party yesterday. They had light snacks and drinks. It was open for spouses but I didn't feel like traveling all the way there and then having to drive back in the dark. Besides wouldn't have been able to drink. I wish they hadn't had the party as no one got raises this year. But I think the lawyers at his firm paid for this party out of pocket so actually the company didn't pay for it.

 

[lakelandgal70]

We're off to my DH's Union Christmas party tomorrow night. Same as last year, you'd better get there early because only the first something like, $500 worth of drinks are free, and they go FAST. There is always good food, however.

Oh wow. So after the $500 worth of drinks is gone is there no more alcohol or do you just have to pay out of pocket after that? Have a good time!!

 

[lakelandgal70]

We are having a lunch catered in...costing about $33 a head, but the food should be good...plus its the day before I go on vacation...cant beat a party on the last day of work before vaca!

Oh that sounds good! Where are they having it catered from?? Eat some sushi for me! hahaha

 

[AKL_Megs]

Oh wow. So after the $500 worth of drinks is gone is there no more alcohol or do you just have to pay out of pocket after that? Have a good time!!

It's out of pocket after that Doesn't stop anyone!

 

[lakelandgal70]

It's out of pocket after that Doesn't stop anyone!

Yeah I am sure. Last work Christmas party we went to they had open bar for 2hrs then after that you paid. Tons of people were paying out of pocket. Not us though lol. Heck my limit is 3drinks and that really is too many

 

[kkmcan]

We just went to dh's union holiday party this past Saturday and it was a total blast! Sit down dinner with a dj and dancing at a nearby hacienda style banquet hall.

Drinks were $3-4 each so way less than at the resorts conference rooms. We danced and had a great time til they kicked us out at 11:30.

 

[annej]

We own a small company - 20ish employees. We have had really nice parties in the past - catered, wine, guests included - but this year are just doing a lunch at a Japanese steakhouse. We have tried really hard to keep everyone employed and so far have been successful with that. Of course we have let people go that needed to be let go but have only had to lay one person off in the past 2 years. We love our employees but would rather keep them employed and the doors open than having a lavish party.

 

[ilovejack02]

DH works for a large oil company and like most there has been cut backs.

Our party has always been a large lavish family party open house type of party on a Sunday afternoon that last several hours so folks could come and go as they please. . No alcohol , as with most of their parties .
Amazing food, location and tons of awesome door prizes. It was always really of the top , but I think it was one of the many perks they gave us to keep employees happy and keep us non union. We have 6 plants total in the area, and we are the only that is non union. We get lots of goodies to keep us that way. ( not saying it is good or bad , just the way it is. )

This year it has been cut down from 4 hours to two hours and the last year I noticed a cut back in the amount of food served , I am sure it will be the same this year. It will still be a great party , they always over spent as far I thought.

The different committees in the plant also have their own dinners for just employees and spouse always held at very high end restaurants, along with open bars. We attended three one year . The last two years these dinners have been cut out or held at a more reasonably priced restaurant .

One of the committees last year gave us a large GC to a local butcher shop, but we did not receive this year either.

I was always surprised at how much they spent on the affairs and am happy to see the cutbacks. I think the extravagance should have never started in the first place.

One thing I will be sad about is if they stop giving us our 3lb box of pecans every year I look forward to them every year and plan my holiday baking around the gift .
I will be glad to give up all the extras just give me my pecans haha!!

 

[tvguy]

Yes, we had one this year, snacks and drinks at a nice restaurant along the river. But this was an election year and TV stations had money.
Also gave everyone a $150 video camera.....very nice surprise.

No party last year, no gift, but we had just laid off 30% of our staff.
What a difference a year makes.

A lot of corporations carefully monitor their tax situation......and if they know that the money will just go to the IRS if they don't give it to the employees, they will give it to the employees.

 

[AustinTink]

DH works for a well-known software company. Tonight is their party at a grand hotel, with dancing, casino, etc. Can't wait!