Are you going to your work Christmas party?

MissShihTzu

No. Absolutely not. I can't think of anything worse!

r93kaey5p2izun

I knew it would be expensive but was a little shocked to see during the week that the price was €55. It would cost another €60+ to get home, plus drinks. Just confirms my definite no.

ToddyDoody

No.

Reason: terrible.

I went to one a few years ago. It's was 200 men in black suits and me in a hoodie.

Spanish Eyes

Forced jollity is not fun.

Some people love the craic of a Christmas party, and that's fine. But I think once you reach a certain age, ahem, the joy goes out of it. Too long, too boring, too ha ha ha ha, to difficult to get home etc. etc.

And as can be seen from the posts here, a lot of people just want to go home from a toxic environment week to week. Why would they spend time with people they do not get along with. That happens more than we think. We are colleagues not friends or family.

Anyway, I hope those who do go have a blast, and those who are sensible enough to know when NOT to go sleep well on the night!

My tactics always were to go to the pre dinner drinks thing, eat a few canapes, have a wander around, couple of glasses of wine, talk to anyone I felt like talking to and scarper after an hour or so. Job done.

Lissoy

timthumbni wrote: »

Lissoy wrote: »

The invite to our Christmas party was sent out a couple of weeks ago by email and about an hour later an update was sent amending the name to "End of year recognition event". A lot of people now not going. PC gone mad.

That’s mad. Was this in Ireland?

Yep, one of the big multinationals. We have a few non Irish people but none of them were offended by it being called a Christmas party. Seems somebody in upper management thought otherwise.

ToddyDoody

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Forced jollity is not fun.

Unlike forced office party dancing which is a hoot.

NewbridgeIR

Patww79 wrote: »

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkaI48eGch4

Corruptedmorals

Yes, should be good! I get on with my colleagues and one is a great friend so it's not a chore to go to. No charge other than own spending, no expensive meal. That's not to say there's no potential for drama but it's still worth going to.

honeybear

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Really? EVERYONE comments about some fellow worker who chooses not to go to some pub/hotel for a few hours one night a year? Outside maybe about 2 seconds of thought, I find that very hard to believe.

They really do

honeybear

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Primary school teacher here. We have 11 teachers, 1 SNA and 1 secretary. And we usually invite some of our former staff. I’ve gone to 1 out of last 4 parties. Last year. The biggest load of boll*x ever. People in the staff room who make the make the most noise about it and where it should be held dont even go. So now I just say straight off the bat when it’s mentioned that I wont be going.

Rather have a few pints in my local

Teacher here too, so it’s prob that environment where pressure comes to go. As I said already, I always go to leaving doos but hate XMAS night out

Richard Hillman

Not a fan of the organised working meal. If it's during work hours you are pretty much obliged to go. Even if it's an after work meal you still have to stay there until it's done. At least with the traditional book-a-room/get pissed, you can turn up, sketch the situation and do a quick runner after a drink.

I'm working for a new company (about 250 employees) this year and although plans for the night are sketchy, it sounds like they usually just book a pub out and give drinks vouchers. Can't say I am too interested as from previous reports it sounds a bit overcrowded.

LewisR

Company organises nothing so about 10 of us go on a night out in the local pub. It's always good craic. There's two bosses are neither of them get invited, two of the tightest fcukers you'd ever meet.

Heckler

My last job was grand. Only 5 of us. The owner would turn up for a meal then chuck enough money for the rest of the night and head off.

Now theres 150+, place rife with team leaders, supervisors, the owner and people willing to sell you down the river at any chance. I've been to the last few and will go to the christmas one just to get as much free stuff from the miserley minimum wage paying guy that I can. Normally involves supervisors controlling the drink tokens. Brown nosers drink free all night. The rest of us smuggle booze and drugs.

Like someone mentioned earlier its good to know when to quit. Nothing worse than facing a monday morning after a saturday blackout when the last thing you remember is talking to a manager you hate......

Also a pain in the ass becoming drunk best friends with someone you haven't spoken to ever despite working with them for 3 years. Then monday morning dawns..

Specialun

mfceiling wrote: »

I'll go with my work mate for a bit of grub and a few pints in dublin.

Was working for a fairly big crowd last year and we went to galway. Never again. Lads coked off their head and whatever else they were on. Boss lad hired strippers who had lads on the floor like dogs and whipping them with their belts. Lads openly cheating on their other halfs and telling stories about their infedelity.

I'd worked with these lads over the years and it was then that I realised I had nothing in common with them.

Any jobs going there

Autosport

We don’t do organised parties anymore but a few of us who are friends outside of work get together and go for a meal and join some of the others on the 12 pubs.

fmpisces

Kailani Helpful Poster wrote: »

I'll just be showing my face at mine for an hour or so. It's drinks and platters of gougons, sausages etc in a pub in town. Not really my cup of tea anymore, I'd prefer to go for a meal somewhere.

What is your workplace organising and will you be going?

No, ours is an overnight thing in Galway....a meal/drinks and a murder/mystery thing. I'm up for the laugh but can't justify spending the guts of €200 so close to Christmas on a night out and I'm also only working part time....so nope, not this year!

Rossi IRL

Would love to get out of going.

I work Mon-Fri and ours is on a Saturday night.

Atmosphere has been toxic the last couple of weeks as it is.

Now just to find an acceptable reason.

appledrop

No not going this year. Too far away + have young baby so staying over not an option. I think Christmas parties are over rated anyway.

Spanish Eyes

A relative of mine worked in retail.

Their Christmas party was always held in January for obv reasons.

They loved it. Well it was paid for in the dark penniless days of post Christmas. Win win.

Butterface

I'll be missing the company party this year because it clashes with a weekend away I had already booked. If I wasn't away I'd definitely go because no matter who you're socializing with, after enough free drink is consumed, the craic is had.

My team had a night out a few weeks ago that I was dreading (some on the team are just toxic), but it turned out to be a brilliant night.

SCOOP 64

My boss just bookeds the cafe across the road, yes books it! normally lunchtime, always on last day before xmas break so we go home as soon as we finished, he knows if he booked a evening meal none of us would be arsed.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

I only started in my new place recently, so I'm not invited :P I might crash my old place Christmas party (which I was actually invited to when I was working there0 and tell my supervisor what a cunt she is. :P 99.99999999999999% of people would agree :P

OldMrBrennan83

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Gerrup Outta Dat!

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Numbers are booked etc, it's nothing personal :P I joined with 10 others. I was told I can come for the after drinks, but the dinner is booked on numbers. It's fine :P It's a huge American company which employs thousands of people in Ireland.

Mister Vain

mfceiling wrote: »

I'll go with my work mate for a bit of grub and a few pints in dublin.

Was working for a fairly big crowd last year and we went to galway. Never again. Lads coked off their head and whatever else they were on. Boss lad hired strippers who had lads on the floor like dogs and whipping them with their belts. Lads openly cheating on their other halfs and telling stories about their infedelity.

I'd worked with these lads over the years and it was then that I realised I had nothing in common with them.

Now there's a Christmas bonus. :pac:

Nettle Soup

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Numbers are booked etc, it's nothing personal :P I joined with 10 others. I was told I can come for the after drinks, but the dinner is booked on numbers. It's fine :P It's a huge American company which employs thousands of people in Ireland.

If it's a multinational, they will have the clout to add an extra meal. They will get 5-10% dropout too. I would be insulted if not invited.

biko

For us it will be dinner and drinks after, it'll be fun

razorblunt

Nettle Soup wrote: »

If it's a multinational, they will have the clout to add an extra meal. They will get 5-10% dropout too. I would be insulted if not invited.

Sounds like its booked by the Dept Battleaxe who loves the power of organising these things, they generally came back then with about 2 days notice and say "oh you can come now" as there's been drop outs and there's a per head charge already paid so her boss will know they've overspent.

Happens, every, singly year here.

Corvo

Have only attended 2 of the previous 5 Christmas parties but may very well attend this years one. Depends on my mood really. In fairness its always a decent bash and the boss is very kind.

Doesn't mean I don't want a lot of the other attendees dead, mind.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Numbers are booked etc, it's nothing personal :P I joined with 10 others. I was told I can come for the after drinks, but the dinner is booked on numbers. It's fine :P It's a huge American company which employs thousands of people in Ireland.

I got the exact lowdown today. My company employs about 5,000 people in Ireland and several thousand across Europe.

In my particular department, there are roughly 600 people. They paid for 120 places in my department, but that was increased to 200 after demand but they refuse to increase that. 200 places were promptly snapped up. So no pace for me :P

OldMrBrennan83

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Chancer3001

Been off the drink for a few weeks in anticipation of a drunken December.

Can't wait for the Xmas party so I can have a nice pint of Guinness again

Beechwoodspark

Heckler wrote: »

My last job was grand. Only 5 of us. The owner would turn up for a meal then chuck enough money for the rest of the night and head off.

Now theres 150+, place rife with team leaders, supervisors, the owner and people willing to sell you down the river at any chance. I've been to the last few and will go to the christmas one just to get as much free stuff from the miserley minimum wage paying guy that I can. Normally involves supervisors controlling the drink tokens. Brown nosers drink free all night. The rest of us smuggle booze and drugs.

Like someone mentioned earlier its good to know when to quit. Nothing worse than facing a monday morning after a saturday blackout when the last thing you remember is talking to a manager you hate......

Also a pain in the ass becoming drunk best friends with someone you haven't spoken to ever despite working with them for 3 years. Then monday morning dawns..

There's wisdom in this post. It's never worth going ott when surrounded by work colleagues.

Beechwoodspark

Radiant Cool Crazy Nightmare wrote: »

About ten years ago at the main party, I was the guy that was out of it super early on the free bar, whiskey no less, stuffy crowd all looked on as I was out dancing on my own on an empty dancefloor, and I know I cannot dance. Going around like a lunatic for the night in front of the whole place, I am cringing typing this. Havent gone to one since, its better for my mental health as I was depressed for a long time after that party.

I know someone who went one better years ago.... Got sick all over his shirt as he was extremely drunk. So drunk that he didn't even realise there was sick all over him until he got pulled aside and sent home in a taxi.

The mad thing is, this guy was the quietest meekest type of person in work. Don't envy the fear he must have had coming in to work the following Monday.

Martina1991

Beechwoodspark wrote:

I know someone who went one better years ago.... Got sick all over his shirt as he was extremely drunk. So drunk that he didn't even realise there was sick all over him until he got sent home in a taxi.

Reminds me of a couple of years ago. One of the maintenence guys is quite attractive and charming. Well known around the hospital by the ladies.

Puked violently under a table onto a carpet floor. I've never seen so much vomit. He should have gone home but he spent the rest of the night trying to pretend nothing happened nursing a glass of water.

Still can't look at him the same way.

Mister Vain

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I know someone who went one better years ago.... Got sick all over his shirt as he was extremely drunk. So drunk that he didn't even realise there was sick all over him until he got pulled aside and sent home in a taxi.

The mad thing is, this guy was the quietest meekest type of person in work. Don't envy the fear he must have had coming in to work the following Monday.

A guy I work with is as quite as a mouse yet he got up and danced on top of the tables at the party. Although it was the same night a group of women from Harvey Norman stripped me to my jocks which was probably worse.

hot buttered scones

Radiant Cool Crazy Nightmare wrote: »

About ten years ago at the main party, I was the guy that was out of it super early on the free bar, whiskey no less, stuffy crowd all looked on as I was out dancing on my own on an empty dancefloor, and I know I cannot dance. Going around like a lunatic for the night in front of the whole place, I am cringing typing this. Havent gone to one since, its better for my mental health as I was depressed for a long time after that party.

I have more storied like that than I care to remember. I don't drink whiskey anymore.

readyletsgo

We pay for our own every year, dept is tight as fook. So yeah I'll go along for a couple hours.

PTH2009

mine is tonight and looking forward to it. half payed and half self funded kind of thing 4 course meal and all that

remember one year I got very drunk and when I was walking home I fell and split the back of my head open and they had to call an ambulance but they said id be ok and just put a bandage on it. I lost so much blood I wasant hungover the next morning lol

it's the one time a year where you can let loose at the backdrop of crap but addictive Xmas songs (that will last the lengths the time). Can be a sad time of year too.

never done a 12 pubs and never will. hate when the ****ers come in to the pub and take over the place and think there the legends

Xmas party night is my NYE in the sense of I look back on the year (sporting achievements from my fav teams, what I did for the year, what concerts I have too look forward too etc) and I celebrate a lot. 2017 was pretty solid in fairness

hot buttered scones

Well I didn't disgrace meself this year. Yay! Because I missed it due to being sick as a small hospital all week and on antibiotics. Boo!

Galwayguy35

About 20 years ago I was the guy who got out of his head drunk and made a fool of myself at the xmas party, I was ashamed of myself for a long time afterwards.

I look back on it now and I was young and didn't know how to pace myself when drinking, there's no point beating yourself up over it, as long as a person isn't rude or being a bit of a dickhead annoying other people then it will be forgotten in a few days.

Although maybe not in 2017 when everyone has a smartphone...