Company Holiday Party

[chiefmickeymouse]

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.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We've been going for the most part. Free food, booze, games, prizes, etc. (though in past there were more prizes/better prizes). They decided to break off a couple years ago and do department by department events rather than a large one every year and then every other year (or 3 years I *think*) do the big one.

Last year and the year before my husband's company for his department, admin department and HR department buy out Top Golf. First year it was 2 out of 3 floors but last year it was the whole place. That was a lot of fun but it def didn't go on as late as the big party and the food overall was better when they had it at the Convention Center.

We never feel obligated to go. The first year they did Top Golf we were invited to the football game in the company suite by my husband's project manager at the time so we chose that over the Holiday party. This year is the big party but we won't be going as my husband will be still out in CA and unable to make it home--too busy. Back when they had the big party every year they combined their annual meeting with it and flew the construction workers and engineers from this district back here for that meeting and then the party was a day or two later. Since they split up the parties now they don't do that.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I work for a public institution. We have potlucks at lunch in the staff room. No big party. So yes I go.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

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.)

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

 

[Moliphino]

I haven't been to one in the six years I've worked at my current job. It's usually on the weekend at a location even farther from where I live than work is (so over 45 minutes one way), and I'm a shy introvert who hates social events with acquaintances (close friends and family I'm good). I've also frequently been in Disney World at the time or had my nephew's birthday party the same day, so I had good excuses.

 

[Kennywood]

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.

 

[MGMmjl]

Where I work, we don't have any after hours Christmas parties. The first Friday in December, we have a Christmas "smorgasbord" at work during the morning. People mingle/eat throughout the building, and they have a service pin ceremony. Santa visits that afternoon, and my wife and son will probably come for that. My section does Dirty Santa one day in December during the lunch hour, but again nothing outside of business hours.

 

[disneychrista]

I'm a shy introvert who hates social events with acquaintances (close friends and family I'm good).

Me too. I even feel awkward even around close friends and family. I guess that's why I don't really have a circle of friends

 

[Minnesota!]

My company doesn't do one, but my department does. I don't mind the food aspect, but the gift giving annoys me.

If it was after work...eh, I would probably back out all together.

 

[lovesmurfs]

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?

Yes (it's normally from noon to 3:00 p.m.). No. Obligated. At least it's in our building so I can go up to my office when I've made the rounds and have been seen (and all door prizes called -- nothing worse than having your name called and not being there....).

 

[SharonZ]

Fortunately, we decided to eliminate the holiday parties, and our Firm donates the money to charity instead. At one point we had a Firm party, Professionals party, Staff party, specific Department party, and a Client party.

 

[SteveH]

We don't force anyone, it's a family night and we keep it fun and go bowling with employees and family, Taco bar. Turn out usually sees about 60% of our staff show up. I take my senior manamgent staff out for lunch at Olive Garden after we close the office at Noon a day or two before Christmas. Both have become tradition, but if people don't show it's not big deal.

also hate the dame bullying to give to United Way

OMG this drives me nuts. It's actually backfired for most UW's - our area UW used to raise over $4 million a year, it's down below $2 million now, and much of that as the "forced" donation by employers.

 

[Squirlz]

I went because they were fun. But the last one I went to was in a banquet room with an adjacent bar. You could smoke in the bar and there were a LOT of tobacco slaves in this small factory. They spent all there time going back and forth between the rooms. As soon as the door prizes were given out they all retired to the bar and there was ONE table of us left in the party room with 2 more hours to go.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

They are pretty much obligatory and I hate them. I spend 20-40+ hours with these people all week. I want to go home, chill in my pajamas, and have ZERO obligations to the world when I get off work.

 

[AndreaDM]

I just started a new job as a project manager 2 months ago. There are only 8 of us total, it's a design firm and several of the creative peeps are the very quiet, awkward type. We are closing at 3 one day in Dec., going to an escape room and then dinner at a local brewery. Should be fun and we should be done and home by 7 so not too bad. I'm glad we aren't asked to give up a weekend night to socialize with the people we already spend 40+ hours a week with!

My last job (13 years), we would go out for a nice lunch on the last day we worked before Christmas break and then be done for the day. Again, small office, maybe 6 of us at any given time.

 

[luvsJack]

Dh used to work for a construction company that gave a great party every year. It wasn’t mandatory but it is where everyone got their bonuses so everyone went rather than having to wait until a later payday to get it. But he had it catered and my goodness at the food! The first one I went to there were stations set up with gumbo, jambayla, boiled shrimp, crab legs and all kinds of seafood. We thought it was the meal. We were enjoying it all and the servers came in, swooped it all away and replaced it with grilled steaks, chicken, baked potatoes, a salad bar and lots of veggie dishes. I would have loved to know just how much the owner paid every year for that party. (The company was local owned and employed well over 1000 people.) I think he did it as he gave him a chance to really talk to his employees. Some of them worked in other parts of the state and never went to the main office.

The first trucking company dh worked for would take the entire company to a locally owned steak house. Very good. That one included the free booze.

 

[fla4fun]

I go to maybe one out of four. Sometimes we have the party at Disney, so I go to those. I have gone to a couple at Sea World and Universal. But people just get out of hand, and I am so not a party person, so I prefer to skip it. This year there’s no plus one allowed, and those parties tend to get a little more rowdy.

 

[Funfire240]

In previous employments we have just had lunches during the day. The office I work for now I just started at last fall. They had a dinner after hours at the boss' new restaurant. I did not attend due to scheduling. My weeknights are crazy running around with my kids between dance, tumbling and basketball now for DS where DH and I split who goes where depending on times. I would much rather just have something during the day. DH's is at the union hall and we've just never bothered - again mainly due to the prior commitments and the location of the hall to where we live.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I don't feel obligated but normally would not much desire. I work in Philadelphia and this year mine is at the Franklin Institute, so I think it would be a cool experience!

 

[Turn the Page]

DH works for a company with 4 locations in the region. He has 2 parties. One is the store party where they have pizza and bowling so really low key. Everyone gets a plus one for that and I normally go. SIL and FIL both work there so it is like a family dinner. The second is a managers party held in the town with the company headquarters about 65 miles away from us. It features hot appetizers, shrimp cocktail, a prime rib and salmon buffet, and an open bar AND they put us up in a hotel for the night. Hell yes we go to that.

Mine is a super casual lunch time pot luck. We do not get a plus one for that.

I have never felt pressured to attend any of them. Given that DH is now the store manager I'm sure he sort of has to go to the bowling party but that really isn't a big deal.