Being a DOD Contractor, to another DOD Contractor to an Agency that works for the Pentagon, I've ended up with invites to 11 different XMAS get togethers (so far). Shotgun Christmas Spirit too, BTW. The average out of pocket expense is about $25 for each. If, it were practical to go to all of them (some scheduled on he same date) it would cost nearly $300.00. People really expect you to go, too. Seriously. It's like one of those "suggested" things that you know is really an order.
I'm not going to any of them, but I know people that feel as though they have to. $300 bucks to wear a suit and tie out to something you don't want to be at anyway is pretty damn unreasonable.
Anyone else running into this crap?