Work Holiday Parties

[BrianL]

Our party was yesterday evening for 2 hours after work in downtown Boston. I did not attend for a few reasons, one being I am the HR director and no one wants HR at a party with a bar (cash) and I don't want to be a direct witness to employees' drunken stupid behavior. Only one other person in my department was going and I'm not especially social with that person, I like them, but we are at different stages in our careers and don't have a lot in common outside of work. We are doing a small HR department brunch tomorrow during work hours, I will go in for that - plus I can park at that building and not pay $45!

Ah, the no doubt raucous fun of the HR Christmas Party!

 

[Mle8308]

Ah, the no doubt raucous fun of the HR Christmas Party!

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Exactly! The one thing I did like about the covid lockdowns was no follow up issues from office parties!

 

[DizneyFamof4]

Last year our company moved the party to January and I found that to be sooooo much better, getting away from all the holiday rush. It ended up being the most attended party ever. Our company has it on a Saturday night at a hotel banquet hall and will also reserve about 100 rooms for employees (First 100 to reserve) and we only have to pay $15- $30 for them. It is only for adults (employee Plus 1) and each person receives a gift and employees get to spin a wheel that has Hours on it (4 and 8) that will be added to their vacation hours, 2-3 drink tickets, and raffle tickets for the big prizes usually about a dozen(Mega Quest, big screen TV, GCs etc.) They also offer free daycare at the hotel for kids up to 13. Dress code is casual on up. I enjoy going and seeing employees that I rarely see on a normal business day etc. plus I really like the company I work for. They also do a summer event outside for employees and families with water slides etc.

 

[BrianL]

 

[Mle8308]

Last year our company moved the party to January and I found that to be sooooo much better, getting away from all the holiday rush. It ended up being the most attended party ever. Our company has it on a Saturday night at a hotel banquet hall and will also reserve about 100 rooms for employees (First 100 to reserve) and we only have to pay $15- $30 for them. It is only for adults (employee Plus 1) and each person receives a gift and employees get to spin a wheel that has Hours on it (4 and 8) that will be added to their vacation hours, 2-3 drink tickets, and raffle tickets for the big prizes usually about a dozen(Mega Quest, big screen TV, GCs etc.) They also offer free daycare at the hotel for kids up to 13. Dress code is casual on up. I enjoy going and seeing employees that I rarely see on a normal business day etc. plus I really like the company I work for. They also do a summer event outside for employees and families with water slides etc.

I think I would consider going to your party!

 

[Kitty 34]

This thread reminds me of that one movie that I would like to see but I don't think it's on any of our DISH channels. It's that one with Jenifer Aniston and Justin Bateman. I think it's called Office Christmas Party.

 

[mylilnikita]

One of my former companies for several years near Christmas would have 2 parties on different weekends. One was a family party and we would bring our kids and Santa would be there and give them a small gift.

The other party was for the grown ups, drinks, food and a DJ.

Both parties were at a nearby hotel and for the grown up party we could spend the night.

Those were great times!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Just got home from the work holiday party. Yeah, that was not fun.....we didn't get any catered food or drinks. Not even water or soda. No idea why since last year's party was pretty fun. I knew people had to fly in for this so I would be so annoyed if that was me.

If next year's is like this one, I'll pretend to be sick and stay home lol

 

[fla4fun]

Just got home from the work holiday party. Yeah, that was not fun.....we didn't get any catered food or drinks. Not even water or soda. No idea why since last year's party was pretty fun. I knew people had to fly in for this so I would be so annoyed if that was me.

If next year's is like this one, I'll pretend to be sick and stay home lol

If there is no food or beverages, can it even be called a party? What you had was an extra long meeting . . .

 

[soccerdad72]

If there is no food or beverages, can it even be called a party? What you had was an extra long meeting . . .

Heck, even our extra long meetings have food and drink at them.

 

[Smugpugmug]

If there is no food or beverages, can it even be called a party? What you had was an extra long meeting . . .

We had an end of year meeting and then afterwards we went to some facility that had axe throwing, an arcade and go karts. No food was provided so we had to get food from fast food places in the shopping plaza we went to.

So I got paid to go eat at Burger King and go on go karts, which tbh wasn't as fun as I expected.

 

[ronandannette]

Used to love the off site, after work (for most) bring a date Christmas parties where you could dress up. Then about 18 years ago they switched to on site, during the work day parties for employees only.

Two down and two to go for my work; various venues and event styles but all during afternoon work hours this year; no +1's. Covid not withstanding, it's the first time in 25 years that Corporate hasn't hosted a fancy dinner-dance at a swanky hotel downtown. They were always well attended and much enjoyed. DH's company is flying the Calgary staff out to HQ in Vancouver tomorrow for theirs. It's an afternoon on-site also.

Ah, the no doubt raucous fun of the HR Christmas Party!

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Ha! We wish. Our events are open bar (sweet Jesus, why?!?) and it can take 'til March for it to all blow over.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I just got home from one of my holiday parties a couple hours ago. This one was thrown by my University president and included Trustees, VP's and donors. It was an amazing soirée with a live band, good wine and delicious crab cakes. There was lots of mingling and schmoozing but not in a nasty way, it honestly felt festive as my University is in a good place right now after years of administrative trauma.

 

[DCLMP]

Christmas work parties don't exist in my field.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I don't remember anything special about the ones when I worked for a big bank, but DH worked at one place that rented out the art museum, and I did enjoy that one!

When I was substitute teaching, it was hit or miss. If I happened to be there on the day of a Christmas lunch in the teachers' room, I was usually invited to grab some food, but since my schedule wasn't predictable, I wasn't involved in gift exchanges or thing like that.

In general, I think corporate-wide events can be fun, but they should not be mandatory.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I am missing ours this year because it is just a "carry in" type thing during the workday... and I am on vacation.

 

[_19disnA]

We had an end of year meeting and then afterwards we went to some facility that had axe throwing, an arcade and go karts. No food was provided so we had to get food from fast food places in the shopping plaza we went to.

So I got paid to go eat at Burger King and go on go karts, which tbh wasn't as fun as I expected.

Always have to wonder what the person who planned such an event was thinking...........LOL......or perhaps they didn't !!! I'm guessing the boss thought the whole thing including the meeting was just wonderful? If the large meeting is anything like the ones we have, boring and mostly a chance for the bosses to pontificate about how wonderful next year will be if we all work harder (or something like that).

 

[Smugpugmug]

Always have to wonder what the person who planned such an event was thinking...........LOL......or perhaps they didn't !!! I'm guessing the boss thought the whole thing including the meeting was just wonderful? If the large meeting is anything like the ones we have, boring and mostly a chance for the bosses to pontificate about how wonderful next year will be if we all work harder (or something like that).

The owner of the company (my workplace is very small - 20 people total including owner) always wants to be different and unique with his work parties and I'm like, guess that means not even being given a water bottle.

 

[Cadiewampus]

we have ours this Sunday night. Its really just a dinner at a great steak house here in Atlanta. I can take it or leave it.

 

[livih99]

I actually quite like my company's holiday party. It's on a Saturday night at a country club the president of the company is a part of. Pretty much everyone from the office goes and most bring their families. Open bar, buffet meal, lots of bottles of wine to bring home, and usually some type of gift for the employees. Nothing will beat my first year though. The party wasn't held the year before because of COVID so the company used the funds from the year before to buy apple products and every employee drew a piece of paper out that had what they got. There were iPads, Apple Watches and Airpods.