Company Holiday Party

[ronandannette]

I avoid mandatory fun. My company is having a Christmas party at a hotel this year, but I'm working that night, so I have a good excuse. I wouldn't have gone anyway. I like the people I work with, I just have things I'd rather do with my free time and I'm not much of a party person.

That's hilarious - I call them that too. Mandatory Fun Day - attendance is mandatory, fun is optional.

One company for which my wife worked had a great Christmas party. It was held in one of the banquet halls of an area restaurant. Your choices for dinner were fried fish and/or fried chicken, both of which were really good (believe it or not). There was an open bar, of which we did not take advantage.

What made the party great was that you could bring your spouse and your children. And ALL of the children got a really nice, wrapped Christmas present from Santa. I liked how the party was for the families and that the children got presents. The area VP always made a point to thank the employees' spouses and children for supporting the workers.

Awww, that sounds lovely actually! Our company does a separate kids' party for employee's children but I think what you describe, a big, family-oriented event, would be a great idea.

 

[hereyago]

Where I work know it is a luncheon.

But years ago, the company I worked for would have a "family party" complete with appearance from Santa, then the next weekend had the REAL party at a nearby hotel where some of us would get rooms at a discount.
Catered food
Dj
Drinks

I was really more into dancing then more times then not I would go in next morning and work lol.

But when my first boss left and the company got stingy(took away family party, I stopped going. Some of us would go to a house and have our own thing.

 

[indimom]

When I was a reporter, we had a large party with the four local newspapers (all owned by same company). Our goal was to see which newspaper could have the biggest bar tab by the end of the night. No plus ones, the food was so-so, but they were good times!

My husband's company had a more formal event (with a bar) that included plus ones. We went every year. The food was very good, the entertainment was nice, and they had really nice door prizes.

My current employer has parties by department. Dinner and a cash bar, corny games, white elephant exchange and music. It's nothing exciting, but I like the people I work with, so I go, and usually have a good time.

 

[buzznina]

I normally go, it's on a Saturday night and held at a hotel and our company will pay 75% of a room if you want to stay the night, some times my DW will join me. They provide daycare during the party hours, that includes a visit from SC. The food is good and we get 2 free drink tickets. They do some games for prizes and also do giveaways throughout the night and prizes range from $50 - $250. I actually enjoy it.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I work in healthcare, there are no parties given by the employer. Some departments may do their own thing.
Mine DOES not.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I felt that way at first when I started going. If it's one thing I learned since meeting my husband is engineers love talking to other engineers about engineering lol. So you tend to feel left out when that occurs no matter the scenery.

But in the end there's normally something in common with the significant other or at least exchanging pleasantries about mundane things can occur (though small talk isn't everyone's thing to do in the first place). Many of the actual employees end up talking about work-related stuff anyways so sometimes that's the in common thing like 'oh yeah my husband/boyfriend/wife/girlfriend/whatever worked on that project too' or 'oh yeah I heard about that project' or 'did X have to go on site?', etc. Otherwise a lot of what we end up talking about is family life, things about our metro area, home projects one may be doing, etc. But I totally understand how you feel

I get the whole engineering thing (cause, hey, my spousal unit is a civil designer; he just got back from AutoDesk U today). I've tried the talking to spouses thing. Some places, it's clicked, like the place he worked at when I attended their parties. This place, not so much; we've gone to Jags games and minor league baseball games with his office, and even my hellos are met with nods or silence. The spouses ALL seem to just sit quietly at these things, not even cheering, and the guys aren't really paying attention to the games at all, but talking about work or other people at work. I swear they gossip more than the secretaries in years past......

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I get the whole engineering thing (cause, hey, my spousal unit is a civil designer; he just got back from AutoDesk U today). I've tried the talking to spouses thing. Some places, it's clicked, like the place he worked at when I attended their parties. This place, not so much; we've gone to Jags games and minor league baseball games with his office, and even my hellos are met with nods or silence. The spouses ALL seem to just sit quietly at these things, not even cheering, and the guys aren't really paying attention to the games at all, but talking about work or other people at work. I swear they gossip more than the secretaries in years past......

When we went to the football game in the company suite a few years ago instead of the Holiday party (same night, but the football game was a way better deal lol) all the women (both spouses and those working on the project) stayed in the inside portion of the suite boozing it up not caring about that game. I'm outside cheering like crazy lol. I mean it wasn't freezing but it was cold still though. I think the women (though also the men) tend to get boozed up at the events I've been at so they don't stay quiet for too long.

That's too funny about the guys gossiping. I hear a lot of dirt from my husband's coworkers (and most are men) including the very scandalous affair between two coworkers, one of whom was married to someone else, that people still talk about even several years after it happened

I'd say since my husband had worked at this place since I've met him some events or get togethers (some non-company sponsored) have more like your experience of it not clicking as much as others. It's unfortunate though when you don't get a more welcoming crowd.

 

[disykat]

I've never worked anywhere with a big paid for shindig - only pay your own way or potluck. Prior to kids I usually went to everything. Now that my kids are grown, I usually go to everything if I'm in town. When I was in the thick of it with the kids there were too many Christmas things between church and musical groups to want to squeeze in any more, so we didn't go..

Back in the day, we always took each other to those kinds of events. Now we realize that when one of us doesn't know the group it's usually more fun for BOTH of us if we go alone. On the rare occasions one of us really wants the other spouse there, we go as a favor to them.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I hate large company parties!!! My ex-husband worked at large companies that would have to rent out a restaurant or large hall for their stupid parties and I dreaded them every year. Making stupid awkward small talk with people I barely know is one of my worst nightmares.

Small, intimate gatherings are more my style. The only parties I have enjoyed are at 2 workplaces where outsiders weren't invited. It was just the small ( 10 or less ) group that I worked with everyday, no plus ones. We could talk shop with no worries about what others might hear and just hang out. I'm looking forward to this year's party at my current workplace! We usually pick a restaurant and hang out for a few hours after work one day in December--that's our party!!! No gift exchange thankfully, I'm not a fan of those either.

 

[NotUrsula]

Noooo; don't like them. Ours is during the work day, and a very large expense. I really think that most of the rank-and-file consider it a huge waste of money and wish that the company would put that cash into work resources instead.

 

[mikehn]

I love to party, just not with anyone at work

 

[cabanafrau]

when I worked for a corporation, the holiday party was a BIG shebang. Like spare no expense. We were young and crazy and all of us went, mostly to take advantage of "the man's' money LOL. Big name entertainment. Top shelf bar (I don't drink, but still) and amazing food. Always held at the swankiest places. Black tie.

I thought parties like this had gone the way of the dodo bird, until oldest DD started working for a new company this year. Formal attire, band (in the past it's been national acts), dinner will supposedly be spectacular, full bar and prizes. Employees only.

 

[soccerdad72]

I thought parties like this had gone the way of the dodo bird, until oldest DD started working for a new company this year. Formal attire, band (in the past it's been national acts), dinner will supposedly be spectacular, full bar and prizes. Employees only.

I've found that while parties have not totally gone away (although during the recession, many got pared back), a lot of them are now at different times during the year (often in January). It's hard when there's often only 3 weekends in December to work with to find dates when a majority of people are free.

 

[disneychrista]

I love to party, just not with anyone at work

The problem with "partying" with people you work with is you have to see them at work after & they may see you in a different light after that. My office mate is afraid to go to our Holiday Party because of this exactly.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've found that while parties have not totally gone away (although during the recession, many got pared back), a lot of them are now at different times during the year (often in January). It's hard when there's often only 3 weekends in December to work with to find dates when a majority of people are free.

I think if you're a big enough company you plan the party when you plan the party there's no trying to find dates. Whenever my husband's company did it at the Convention Center it was usually second weekend of December and they always had a good turnout. With the split up to doing it on a Department level they still just plan it when they plan it but it has been early December for my husband's department. Last year it was December 1st (which is really early) but that wouldn't have been the case this year just because Thanksgiving is so late they would not have put the party/event a few days after Thanksgiving.

 

[design_mom]

I have (and DH has) worked for several companies who had different traditions.

One company did a nice catered lunch, you were allowed/expected to hang out with co-workers (it wasn't "eat and get back to work") and a company raffle. I enjoyed that -- low pressure, during work time, free lunch.

Several companies have had "happy hour" types of parties after work. I think spouses could come but few did. I did not care for those -- after work, I want to go home to my family. DH's company still does something like this. Both of us attend/attended our own parties out of obligation, and left as soon as we felt we could. Neither of us attended the other's. (It would have been a hassle to get there right after work -- I think they count on that because they didn't really want spouses to come anyway.)

I did work for one company who put on a "gala" as their combined employee appreciation event and holiday party. Good food, good venue, good gifts/prizes, etc. It was a real night out and people looked forward to it. I can only imagine what it must have cost. This was before we had kids and both DH and I worked at the company. I'm not sure if I'd feel differently about it now -- but it seemed like "everybody" went and everyone seemed to look forward to it. I remember our first year, lots of people hyping it up to us.

 

[cabanafrau]

I've found that while parties have not totally gone away (although during the recession, many got pared back), a lot of them are now at different times during the year (often in January). It's hard when there's often only 3 weekends in December to work with to find dates when a majority of people are free.

I think if you're a big enough company you plan the party when you plan the party there's no trying to find dates. Whenever my husband's company did it at the Convention Center it was usually second weekend of December and they always had a good turnout. With the split up to doing it on a Department level they still just plan it when they plan it but it has been early December for my husband's department. Last year it was December 1st (which is really early) but that wouldn't have been the case this year just because Thanksgiving is so late they would not have put the party/event a few days after Thanksgiving.

I do know companies still do have parties, some of them still quite swanky. It's the level of swank and the amount of people attending that I didn't realize was still going on. It will be held at a convention center with over 5,000 employees attending, formal attire, company discount at several nearby hotels -- with booking of rooms highly encouraged due to the alcohol being served. Currently the big buzz is apparently everyone trying to guess what music act they're bringing in this year. My daughter is very curious and far more excited than she expected to be. Instead of Santa she's wishing on coming home from the party with at least a set of AirPods at a minimum.

The way Thanksgiving is falling this year is really messing with a lot of planning and scheduling, so I'm sure things like Christmas parties are really tight this year. We are slicing two weekends pretty thin with several parties next month -- personal ones, low key, not swanky.

 

[ronandannette]

The problem with "partying" with people you work with is you have to see they may see you in a different light after that. My office mate is afraid to go to our Holiday Party because of this exactly.

I concur. Over the years I've seen things I can never unsee…

 

[jaiminee krikit]

Holiday parties are one thing I miss now that I don't work! We wouldn't have an official holiday party, but we'd have a year-end party early the following year (cheaper for the company). It was typically a good time, and I enjoyed spending time with my coworkers outside of work.
DH's work parties were quite amazing (until the company filed for bankruptcy). The last two we went to were at the Field Museum in Chicago. Open bar, unlimited desserts, plated dinner, live entertainment, plus we'd get to wander parts of the museum. The last one, there was a live harpist right next to our table!

 

[OneOftheB's]

My first office had a pot luck lunch and those that wanted to, participated in a Secret Santa exchange. The last office I worked in had a buffet set up with food sent as gifts from companies we worked with. It was very heavy on fruits and sweets, so not a meal but more snack or treat options. Every year one company would drop off a frozen turkey for each employee (there were only 8).

My husband’s office opted out of a holiday party and do a dinner party for the families, usually in March. They decided that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was just too busy. For years the office manager insisted on having a white elephant party at her house during the first week of December and it a sigh of relief when she retired.