Office X-Mas parties - your work having one?

[addyguy]

In this time of tight budgets, companies are cutting where they can. One obvious area is in work 'extra's', like parties or social events.

At my work, our brand-new XD decided that office parties should not be funded at all out of general revenues, so we're still having a party, but everything has to be supplied and planned by staff.

Party starts in about an hour, and it should be good - we're having a potluck, with everyone bringing a dish, and management supplying liquor.

How about you - what is your workplace doing?

 

[Quattro Pete]

We will have one tomorrow, during lunch time. They're providing food and drinks. Sadly, it is the only company-sponsored event for the entire year.

 

[97f150]

Tomorrow night in ballroom of local Holiday Inn. The only thing not provided is alcohol, but rooms are.

 

[94supraonchrome]

lunch potluck tomorrow.....

 

[bdcardinal]

lunch tomorrow, might not be able to go since i have a 101F fever, no alcohol since a few years ago when one of our sister stores had their shuttle van totalled by a drunken employee.

 

[MGregoir]

Tonight we've each got a $35 limit for tab and we're going out for supper/drinks. That's the rule. I'm probably having a steak and a couple of beer.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
lunch tomorrow, might not be able to go since i have a 101F fever, no alcohol since a few years ago when one of our sister stores had their shuttle van totalled by a drunken employee.


Hopefully no one was hurt?

John

 

[Jim 5]

These things are a mine-field. In tough economic times or any economic times for that matter, it's best to limit your drinking and let someone else give the boss reason to be chosen for "cut backs".

I remember a young employee, really drunk at a Christmas party being advised by the kindly grey haired owner of the business that "I wouldn't do that if I were you" as he threatened to pour a beer on the the owner's head. He was too drunk to listen and hey, it was all in fun right?

He was fired on Jan. 1st.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: John_K
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
lunch tomorrow, might not be able to go since i have a 101F fever, no alcohol since a few years ago when one of our sister stores had their shuttle van totalled by a drunken employee.


Hopefully no one was hurt?

John


not sure, i think just the shuttle van and a bruised ego. but the next year we got a check in lieu of a party, and last year we got an "attaboy" pat on the back.

 

[Drew99GT]

I've found that unless your boss is a drinker, it's best to leave the alcohol away from ALL company functions.

Although some people just loose their minds when they get drunk.

 

[Smokescreen]

Alcohol consumption seldom ends well...ever. I'd rather be fully aware and in control of my person to be able to make the correct decision.

That aside, we already had our party a lunch at a restaurant. I am just happy to be employed at a good job and have steady income, the rest is all gravy.

 

[Drew99GT]

Since I'll be leaving my current employer at the end of April, I've been dipping my feet into the waters trying to find a new job, and it's a free for all out there. Haven't even gotten a call back. I'm actually starting to get scared. Although I am essentially trying to get jobs that are thought of as "lesser" then what I've been doing for the last few years.

 

[Gary Allan]

Even where there's no company provided liquor ..I find the parties being part of any cutback is pretty senseless and really unwise by management. For the few thousand dollars that it costs it's not going to amount to any savings beyond choosing a different stationary supplier ..and probably not even that much. Savings have to be built in and one savings is giving recognition and the expression of humanistic goodwill. You can tolerate low or no pay raises and increasing benefit costs if you're not miserable and treated as though you mean something in spite of leaner times. Bean counters may rule our contemporary employment situation, but they really need to learn some wisdom in doing their job in terms of best outcomes.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Jim 5
I remember a young employee, really drunk at a Christmas party being advised by the kindly grey haired owner of the business that "I wouldn't do that if I were you" as he threatened to pour a beer on the the owner's head. He was too drunk to listen and hey, it was all in fun right?

He was fired on Jan. 1st.


Ah, yes.
The Christmas party faux pas.
Quite a few years ago, my wife and I went to a dress-up Christmas party that her company hosted. Her company (probably had about 200 employees) had hired a live band on an elevated stage, and as we entered the auditorium, we could hear them play. As I looked over to the band, I could see an extremely good looking lady singing for the band. She was wearing a really tight-fitting (looked like it was sprayed on to me!) black dress that probably went down about mid thigh and her back was to the employees as she sang. Except the dress was pulled all the way up and everybody caught sight of her derriere as she was singing. I elbowed my wife and said "Holy Cow! Look at the band's lead singer!" To that statement, she replied: "That's not the band's singer. That's our office receptionist!"
The receptionist probably lasted until about January 10 and the OFFICIAL reason for termination was job related.

 

[Fazzone]

Our company ran a couple contests in October and November. As you reached certain goals, we earned $ for a Xmas party. The nice part was, they didn't limit the # of stores that could earn the prize. If you met the goal, your restaurant got $200 for a party. Our boss took the $, got everyone gifts at the dollar store and will be cooking breakfest for the crew. The beauty of it was she was able to schedule it in conjunction with an "employee meeting" so in everyone that shows up gets paid for the first half hour while we quickly go through our required semi-annual MSDS training...

 

[MarkC]

Our company party was last Friday, at the Newcastle Golf Club, up on top of a big hill. Very ritzy, great view, good food, a raffle for prizes which included various $25, $50, $150 and $200 gift certificates for various places, a MacBook, a Touch iPhone, and a Sony videocam.
cash was also donated in our name to a charity that provides microloans to Third World people who are trying to break the cycle of poverty.
Our company had a pretty good year.

 

[97tbird]

both mine and wife's workplaces have one - different dept's have individual ones.

played "dirty santa" with $5 gifts.

 

[greenaccord02]

Our department had one a few days ago, and our building had a big lunch today. Raffles and door prizes and all that. No booze (it is after all a school district) but the boss will likely host one off-site where there's a big bonfire and a much more relaxed atmosphere.

 

[Patman]

My work had it's xmas party last week, at the Glen Abbey Golf Course (home of the Canadian Open) and it was a great time! Nobody got completely wasted as far as I could see. They were giving away prizes too, I won a Canon A480 digital camera and the top prize was a touch screen computer! (probably worth $2000) They are also having another more informal get together tonight at a local sports bar, all the drinks are free as well as appetizers. This is an awesome company to work for!

 

[bigmike]

Apparently, it's not PC to call it a Christmas party anymore. Now, it's a "holiday party." Annoys the [censored] out of me.