work Christmas parties.........love em or hate em

[Sweats]

I just had my work Christmas party last night and i honestly hate them every year.

 

I don't particularly like my coworkers and i really despise my boss, so to hang out with them on my time and pretend to enjoy their presence is really not at the top of my list.

 

On a side not - the office "bike", got wayyyyyyyyyyy too drunk, hit on every guy at the party and slammed her purse against my chest (she had her cell phone in it cause that's what cracked my sternum)........and why would she slam her purse against my chest, you might ask? It's because i didn't act on her advances.

 

You see, sometimes ole Sweats can be a decent guy.........my wife was with me at the party, so the timing wouldn't have worked out for me anyhow.

 

Work Christmas parties........love em or hate em.

[muppy]

when they were done they were very elaborate corporate huge parties at first. Trip door prizes etc

 

As time  went on they became smaller Nothing like before

 

For me as I recall they were a swanky night out dress up occasion. So my memories are good. But we're retired so it's been a while

[Another Fan]

They are just something of an awkward thing in general to me 

 

When our company had them in more fancy locations it was like Aah man now gotta hang out with work people outside of the office kind of thing

 

When our company stopped it was like aah man this place doesn't care about its employees kind of thing and having fun.  

[qwksilver]

Prefer they use the cash on bonus not a party.

[Mike in Horseheads]

Leave them, never liked mixing my work friends with wife or GF. Those two worlds might collide in a bad way and cause issues

Edited 15 hours ago by Mike in Horseheads

[BillsPride12]

Been awhile since I've gone to one.

It really comes down to if you genuinely like your coworkers and are people you enjoy seeing outside of the office. Seems like that feeling is much more rare nowadays. I've never felt obligated to attend them at places I didn't feel like hanging outside of work with work people.

[Bad Things]

Hate 'em.

I like my co-workers, but 40 paid hours is more than enough time to spend with them each week.

[Augie]

Forty plus years ago I was going out for pizza and beer after tennis. I ran into a guy from my bank who was with his cousin. They were headed to Yvonne Goolagong's night club upstairs for free taco night. (We were all poor.) She invited me to her office Christmas party, and we have our 41st anniversary coming up. 

 

Put me down as a yes. 

[PastaJoe]

Our Christmas party was basically an all day affair at work. Everyone would sign up to bring in a dish or contribute a few bucks. We’d walk around in the morning to different departments to snack. One always had breakfast pizza. Then at lunch we’d go to the large conference room and have a buffet. My specialty was chili. There was also a cube decoration contest. There would be leftovers to snack on for the next couple of days. So overall it was an enjoyable experience.

[davefan66]

Enjoyed a office Xmas party or two when I was younger.

 

Now? Absolutely no interest to see people I am not fond of off the clock…at least at work I get paid to deal with these inept narcissistic people.

 

 

[Just Jack]

Ours was just this past Friday. The usual routine, morning is a meeting in the conference room to go over the good and bad from the previous year. Then in the afternoon we move to a back room at a local restaurant, where there is a never-ending buffet, free drinks, etc. And we get paid for our time there, plus it's where the bonuses are hand out. But when you're a small company, about 10 employees that you see almost all the time, it's hard to make small talk for 4 hours. 

[boyst]

Rented out all of top golf, catered it... Etc

 

And we get a normal Christmas bonus. 

 

Still, just hung out with 5 people and didn't leave my little area!

[Draconator]

My last Christmas party at Yahoo, my band played and I made money. Good Christmas party. 

[US Egg]

In the ‘80’s, new boss thought he be nice, shut down the shop for an on site Xmas party for a bunch of us blue collar grunts, who most didn’t get along with at least someone and that was without alcohol. Boss thinking he might even unite some of his minions.
 

Well, a little brouhaha broke out, the boss was one of the “combatants”, and as far as the Xmas party itself? It was a one and done.

[Sweats]

Back in the day, the one company i worked for used to go all out for the Christmas parties..........everything paid, presents and gifts for everyone, etc.

 

We used to call these parties the "marriage enders", where people would be falling down drunk, puking in the corner, fighting in the streets/parking lot, banging spouses (usually someone else's spouse) in the bathrooms, etc.

The establishment (a real high-end place) refused to let us have parties there anymore cause it would get too out of control.

 

Ah, good times

[teef]

we just did out office this saturday.  we don't do an actual party.  instead we have the staff and their significant others out to dinner.  some drinks, a good meal, and christmas bonuses are given out.  last a few hours, and it doesn't rub anyone the wrong way.

[The Jokeman]

We haven't had one in ages but I always enjoyed them. The last one I had I wish I could relive and take up on an offer to go bar hopping afterwards to see what it could have lead to. Yet ultimately probably best that I did pass. 

[Augie]

7 hours ago, US Egg said:

In the ‘80’s, new boss thought he be nice, shut down the shop for an on site Xmas party for a bunch of us blue collar grunts, who most didn’t get along with at least someone and that was without alcohol. Boss thinking he might even unite some of his minions.
 

Well, a little brouhaha broke out, the boss was one of the “combatants”, and as far as the Xmas party itself? It was a one and done.

 

I had a buddy who was a great guy until he hit a tipping point with alcohol. I had seen him lose is stuff trying to “protect” my wife at a Bucs/Packers game in Tampa one time, starting a brouhaha that cascaded down several rows in the stands. 

 

This guy was super smart and the head of the investment department. He had too much to drink, beat the crap out of some guy in the bathroom at the annual holiday party….and that was his last Christmas at the bank. I ran into is lovely then ex-wife a couple years later. He was living with a girl half is age and had several domestic violence charges against him. 

 

It’s incredibly sad to see up close, but some people just can NOT process alcohol in a responsible manner. 

[DD4Bills]

Hate 'em...but I hate all "forced corporate fun."