Does anyone else dread their company Christmas party?

My last job had them and they were torture. I finally jusy stopped going. The owner was not happy about it, but I dont need my work life impinging on my personal time. They were always activities in the beginning- bowling, laser tag, etc. Later they switched to shows and casinos

Dh and I's first official date was our work Christmas party. After we left, someone go super drunk and table-danced. After that year, we were given 2 drink tickets per person. 😂

I wouldn't go. I was so glad when my company changed from a party to staff lunch. So much less pressure.

I had to attend a party, now I can't remember why.

Yes! And I have to plan mine as well. I work part time, just until 3. On party day I have to extend my hours in the office until 5. I just hate it. I want to go home, put my PJs on and be with my family. I wish companies were more sympathetic to people who don't need or want this kind of event.

A former coworker tried to get me to go to the company Christmas party for a job I left last February. Actually she said my sister is going to be my guest but if I can find someone who doesn’t have a plus one will you come?
I said that’s really sweet but I would feel awkward because I don’t work there anymore.
She responded with nooo we love you you’re one of us still.

I didn’t respond!

This is kind of funny?  Pull up a chair.

Back when I was a baby professor, we were hiring, and I was put in charge of a candidate's visit by a senior faculty member known to be vindictive.  I knew my husband was out of town for a conference that day (so did the senior faculty member, we're all on the same faculty), and so, since I had a toddler and a five-year-old and had recently moved to this city where I knew no one, I asked to be switched to a different candidate.  She told me it wasn't her problem and that I had to do it, and since I was untenured, I didn't do what I should have done, which was to tell her I wasn't doing it that day and that was it.  Anyhow, for reasons I will never understand, the candidate decided he wanted to go to the office holiday party, and for reasons additionally unclear to me (it's a drinking party and I was not planning to drive), that senior colleague told me I had to go pick the candidate up from the campus apartment where he is staying and drive him to the party.  So I've now left my small children with a neighbor I barely know and driven over to pick this guy up.  I ring the apartment buzzer.  No answer.  I call his cell.  No answer.  I email my senior colleague, who says he is coming to the party and it's my job to get him there.  I have no idea what I am supposed to do, so I keep ringing and calling.

A solid twenty minutes after the time I'm supposed to pick up the candidate, he comes to the apartment door.  From the outside, where I am standing.  "Oh, I went for a run -- it's been a long day.  I'm going to go in and take a shower, and then I'll be ready to go."

**Scene.**

(And then I had to wait at the party until he was ready to leave.)

We used to have our office party at noon - three in the afternoon. We got out of work and could go home afterwards instead of going back to the office. Those were great!

Now, we have new upper management, and they want a party on Friday night, after work, from 6-10 p.m. You want me to spend all day with these people, then all night too?

Nope. Not doing it. I like the people in my office, but enough is enough.

I haven't gone for years. Nope!

The ones when I worked at the bank were insufferable. For one, they gave half the office at a time a paid half day off to go to a very expensive restaurant for lunch, only they didn’t pick up the check. So broke-ass college kid me ended up ordering the cheapest thing on the menu, a bowl of French onion soup that I didn’t even like and a glass of water while everyone else there was living their best life ordering whatever they wanted and several alcoholic drinks, because “It’s Christmas! Why not!” When the check came, I had to cough up money I didn’t really have because they split the check evenly by the number of people there, so I was basically subsidizing everyone else’s expensive food and liquor tab. 🤬 Yeah, that was awesome.

I don't mind mine because it's just the 4 of us on staff and our spouses going out for dinner. I usually "like" DH's party because its during the day and I don't have to go! Every few years his department/area will have a party/dinner/outing that I dread going to because I don't know anyone and am not an outgoing conversationalist with strangers...so not looking forward to the one in two weeks...

I can't remember any work parties that were officially sanctioned for me, but when we lived in PA DH's company put on THE BEST Christmas parties! That's also where I made pretty much my only friend in PA, a fellow nurse and wife of DH coworker.

They had a professional photographer set up at the entrance every year so we have some very nice photos of us dressed up for the event.

Lots of wine, dinner, dessert, prizes, nice gift basket. Every year I managed to snag a centerpiece too 😁

We just went to his party here but it's always just a dinner, nothing fancy. I don't mind it at all.

Oh hell no! That is terrible!!

Self employed now, but the last company I worked for had lots of parties and open bars. They were usually at hotels in our city and they would get you a hotel room if you had more than a 20 minute commute. I did, but we had kids at home and DH and I are not big drinkers anyway. After spending 8 hours a day with those people, I wasn't interesed in more time with them. LOL!

There was always lots of pressure to drink so I used a trick I learned from my Grandma! LOL! I would mosey up to the bar and get a 1/2 orange juice and 1/2 pineapple juice and sip on that. That way, I would have a bar drink in my hand. When poeple would ask what I was drinking I would say, a little of this and a little of that, with a wink! Worked every time!

The parties would always get crazy after I left and I would hear lots of stories the next day!