Holiday work parties

[tootsie]

Our office isn't doing anything for Thanksgiving, but we're having a luncheon a couple of weeks before Christmas. There's usually close to 50 people at the luncheon, which includes our department and employees from other departments. There will be the same old lasonia, cake and prizes too. I won "Bugsy" last year, lol! It is a pretty good movie.

Does your employer do anything special for its employees for the holidays?

[saltyveruca]

I work for a tinytinytiny blogging company (seriously, there are like 5 of us). Most of us work from home, so we see each other like 3 or 4 times a year, tops. Last year, we just had some beers and food at the small office we have.

This year? Is a TOTALLY different story. We're having our party at St. Arnold's Brewery. This is actually the place where I had my wedding reception, and they saw how cool it was, so they wanted to have the party there! We are inviting a bunch of people since the place is so big. I am soooo excited. It should be a lot of fun.

[tootsie]

I work for a tinytinytiny blogging company (seriously, there are like 5 of us). Most of us work from home, so we see each other like 3 or 4 times a year, tops. Last year, we just had some beers and food at the small office we have.

This year? Is a TOTALLY different story. We're having our party at St. Arnold's Brewery. This is actually the place where I had my wedding reception, and they saw how cool it was, so they wanted to have the party there! We are inviting a bunch of people since the place is so big. I am soooo excited. It should be a lot of fun.

That sounds like so much fun!

[MrsPopetobe09]

Well my old job. Which i love and miss. We were like a HUGE family. Everyone knew eveyone and their family etc etc.

We have like 100 give or take ppl there and everyone brings something.

We have a big long list by the clock out thing that you put down what you are bringing so that no one brings double unless its needed.

We have something like SNL funny comic stuff. Kareokee. Prizes. Dirty santa.
its so long and fun.

[EarlyBird]

i miss our old company parties. when my dad and i had the business the party was hosted at my parents and had about 100 people. we had SOOO much fun. last year i worked for the company im with now and they did some picnic thing where nobody showed up and it was not HOLIDAY at all.. just a picnic/bbq... :( looks like they will probably do the same thing then/

[sweetvenus]

I LOVE our annual Christmas party. It's usually a few weeks before Christmas. We have about 20-30 people at our local branch, so they rent out a room at a local restaurant for everyone and their significant other. We have dinner, drinks, and then they clear the room for a casino night. We play with fake money, but there are prizes you can win at the end of the night, depending on how much you win at the casino games. FH is great at poker, and last year we won two gift cards to some restaurants around town. They also provide the option of transportation or hotel rooms, so no one drinks and drives. We always opt for the hotel, since it's kind of like a mini-vacation.

[Katie-ryn]

My company has 2 Christmas parties, one lunch and a supper. The supper is December 6th, and it's at the country club. Everyone dresses up and brings their SO, and the company pays for supper and wine. Last year it was some sort of beef tenderloin. They give out prizes ($100, $200 (which I won last year), $500, LCD TV, etc).

The lunch is on December 22, and the company pays for the ham and turkey, and everyone else brings a dish. They give out prizes at that party too. It was smaller stuff, like gift packs. I won a gift pack of peanuts from one of the peanut farms/companies. It had like chocolate covered peanuts, candied peanuts, etc.

[NurseLau84]

My husband's company has a really nice xmas party every year. A few years ago everyone went to FL for the weekend (all paid for by the company!), but that was before DH even graduated from college. This will be his third xmas there, and we all (about 20 of us) usually go to a nice restaurant and then out for martinis, etc. I'm dreaming of the filet mignon already....:chimp:

[Brian's Bride]

Our company pretty much canceled Christmas this year due to the economy. They had a lunch catered in (for 500 employees) last year with a local high school chorus providing the music. Now we're being told to share "Kind words of Christmas cheer" this year instead. Bah humbug!

[NOTKT]

We don't have a party, there is way too many of us even at our complex. Plus then they would have to do something at every location.

We just have a holiday meal. We have a cafeteria on site and basically they serve the typical turkey, stuffing and pie and we don't have to pay for it. Yay Christmas!

[scarymary48]

I work in retail, and there are two shops in my town, so we all get together for a christmas party every year. Because there are so many stores across Australia, the guy that owns them just gives each area manager a certain amount of money per employee, and we pick our own party. He's pretty generous actually, since there are so many employees and he doesn't actually believe in christmas! We're heading to a really fancy resturant then to the casino on saturday- I can't wait :)

[sandy03]

I work at a small church, so we don't have the "corporate" stuff. The pastor usually takes each of us out for lunch at some point leading up to Christmas and we often have church-wide stuff but nothing for staff only.

I know FH is having an office Christmas party (his first year at new job) at someone's house and I am expected to attend. I know better than to ask questions about details because he doesn't have a clue!

[Ginger]

We're having our holiday party at the W in Chicago (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=2005). Bummer I can't go.

[Scrwballsgrl]

Our main office does the everyone bring a dish for Thanksgiving thing, only problem I'm stationed at a satellite office. So we are just gonna order in and put it on the office tab:winktongue:

Fh company doens't do anything, the first year he was there all the employees got together and decided to go out to dinner with the kids, wives & g/f's.but it wasn't work santioned just per the employees. The next year not that many people said they were interested so no one went. And I asked him if they'd planned anything for this year and he said no. Bummer:(

I love holiday parties and any excuse to dress up! :)

[Jacklynn]

The Academy has a big dinner closer to Christmas that all employees. This will be our first year going, but at the opening of school dinner, it was a good dinner complete with drinks (of all kinds... soda, mixed, water, beer). So they do put a lot of money into it.

[Kfancii]

We have 2 each year- one for the faculty and one for the staff. Since it is my job to plan them, I always try to make sure I can get the nicest party possible for my budget

For the staff, we have a very nice catered buffet in one of the ballrooms in the student union. The food is always wonderful and the centerpieces become the door prizes. This year I have beautiful metal reindeer pairs that will be in the center of the table with artificial garland, and pinecones. I will be having the tables clothed in a forest green color with a tan overlay so that the deer and the greens pop against it.

For the faculty and special guests we have a very elegant party with heavy appetizers, wine and beer. There are 10 rounds set up for folks to sit if they like, but more cocktail rounds around the room since this one is more of a smoozing type party. I will have a chocolate fountain flowing, cold peel and eat shrimp, a couple of carving stations, fruits and cheeses, and probably a pasta bar this year. For the decor everything will be clothed in a navy blue, with a possiblity of a silver lame' topper around the vases. The centerpieces for the cocktail tables are bubble bowls with irredescent shred in the bottom of it, a blue floralight, and a floating white casablanca lily. The large tables will have a clear 24" Eiffel tower vase with blue floralights in them, the crystal gel that looks like ice cubes, and a stem or two of white casablanca lillies cascading over the top of it with some soft plumosa greens. We will also have the food set up on illuminated boxes that will lit with the blues. It should be spectacular.

[tootsie]

We have 2 each year- one for the faculty and one for the staff. Since it is my job to plan them, I always try to make sure I can get the nicest party possible for my budget

For the staff, we have a very nice catered buffet in one of the ballrooms in the student union. The food is always wonderful and the centerpieces become the door prizes. This year I have beautiful metal reindeer pairs that will be in the center of the table with artificial garland, and pinecones. I will be having the tables clothed in a forest green color with a tan overlay so that the deer and the greens pop against it.

For the faculty and special guests we have a very elegant party with heavy appetizers, wine and beer. There are 10 rounds set up for folks to sit if they like, but more cocktail rounds around the room since this one is more of a smoozing type party. I will have a chocolate fountain flowing, cold peel and eat shrimp, a couple of carving stations, fruits and cheeses, and probably a pasta bar this year. For the decor everything will be clothed in a navy blue, with a possiblity of a silver lame' topper around the vases. The centerpieces for the cocktail tables are bubble bowls with irredescent shred in the bottom of it, a blue floralight, and a floating white casablanca lily. The large tables will have a clear 24" Eiffel tower vase with blue floralights in them, the crystal gel that looks like ice cubes, and a stem or two of white casablanca lillies cascading over the top of it with some soft plumosa greens. We will also have the food set up on illuminated boxes that will lit with the blues. It should be spectacular.

Sounds wonderful! We're supposed to have our own department party, which includes the students, faculty, and staff. Don't know if we're having one this year though because of budget cuts. I'm looking forward to the luncheon (for all the departments) though.

[amisteratwisterandme]

We have a Christmas Party every year. The last few years we have had the party at the owner's house, with the food catered in. We like this better than a restaurant because then we can mingle when we like, and also leave when we like.

Every year they also have a caricture who does everyone's pictures. There are ony 8 employees, so this goes fairly quickly. It is fun though to have a new charicture to put out every year.

[SerendipityCrafts]

Since I was laid off from my day job, I guess there will be no holiday party for me but I can always open a bottle of wine and have a home biz holiday party :rofl:

DH's office does a holiday party but spouses and significant others are not invited. There are company "perks" throughout the rest of the year for the families. Last night we went to see the new Bond film, on the company.

[*Lisa*]

I work in a small law office - 1 lawyer, his wife (book keeper), 1 law student and 5 law clerks. It's really nice having such a small staff since it allows us to do some pretty neat things for parties.

This year, our staff & all of our significant others, are being taken into Toronto, and we get to eat at what is called the "360". It's the 360 degree rotating restaurant that is at the top of the CN Tower. The food is all high class, so we'll have a ton of fun dressing up and just hanging out in the city.

Last year, the ladies of the office, got to take a limo to eat dinner at a funky Italian restaurant downtown Toronto and then we all went to see Dirty Dancing the musical/stage production

[arlene]

Husband works for the school that my son goes to, so we're going to his work party. It should be fun talking to my sons' teacher and other admin staff of the school. Bad thing about it though, its on a Friday, so I have to rush home from work, get ready, take my son to the babysitter and head to the party. I'll hardly have time with my son that night....but its still a night out!!! which i hardly ever get.:whoohoo:

[Nekochanpurr]

Well, depending on the manager, we'll get free lunch on Thanksgiving and Christmas eve. Something tells me we won't get any free food this year. I just hope i won't be working all freaking thanksgiving. >.<
No parties though! Though i'm sure the higher ups do.. :snide:

[Kirby]

My company doesn't do holiday parties because of "liabilities". Probably half the people who work there are under 21, and the company thinks that they would drink at the party and get hurt and that the company would get sued. That's what I was told anyways. (it's a restaurant)

Last year, a bunch of our employees planned our own holiday party. We all met at a restaurant (not our own) and had dinner and drinks. Since it wasn't sponsored by the company, they couldn't do anything. I hope we do that again this year.

The last job that I had threw fun holiday parties. We usually went to a bowling alley and had dinner and drinks and bowled. It had a bar so that those who were of age could drink. We were a tight bunch so we used to have a blast! After a few drinks we would play "silly" bowling, making up rules that we had to bowl backwards, granny, sitting down, etc. That was too funny!

[Jacklynn]

Since I was laid off from my day job, I guess there will be no holiday party for me but I can always open a bottle of wine and have a home biz holiday party :rofl:

haha Create your own holiday party.... I mean you do work from home, and invite all of your customers ;)

[Katie-ryn]

My company doesn't do holiday parties because of "liabilities". Probably half the people who work there are under 21, and the company thinks that they would drink at the party and get hurt and that the company would get sued. That's what I was told anyways. (it's a restaurant)

Earlier this year my work has a beer and wings day, where at 4 they gave us all, well, you can guess, beer and wings. At work! During working hours! I thought it was weird/funny.

[tortoisegirl]

I started this year at a small company. We've been expanding so fast some of the perks have got cut back (lunches out, fun activities). We usually go to the pub on Fridays and the guys have beer, so fun is part of our job, lol. My number one favorite thing about my job is the fun working environment.

Apparently the holiday party is pretty sweet. This year we're going to a party space at a restaurant for dinner and drinks. Apparently as well we get holiday bonuses (we don't get 401(k) matching or any other big perk like that). I'm looking forward to the party because I'll get to meet a bunch of people that work for our company off-site. Definitely a lack of girls in my industry so it'll be neat to meet a lot of the guy's wives and hopefully set up some double dates and such. Haven't met many people since moving here yet.

[ChibiAiChan]

i work for myself so no but!!!! I get to play with babies so thats good enough for me =) And I am guaranteed the holidays off =)

[Dani]

We have office luncheons. Tomorrow we are having honey baked ham and turkery with a bunch of side dishes. We usually have something for Christmas as well. Years ago, we had REALLY nice Christmas parties, but the new president doesn't like Christmas parties.

[RosieAngel]

DH's work is having a super-formal party on a cruise ship... I seriously do not know what to wear for it.

I work for a community college and am participating as a Christmas Elf for the charity party for the welfare parents' kids. My boss is going to be Santa. He looks like Santa, LOL!

Other than that, we usually have a potluck Christmas party near my office! I think, this year, I will bake my delicious yogurt bread and bring a variety of jams to it.