If you work in an office, what day of the week is your holiday party? (If you don't know yet, answer based on what your company normally does).
If you don't work, are self-employed, telecommute from such a distance that you couldn't go to your company's holiday party, are President/CEO/CIO/COO/CFO of Caden, Madyson and Tayler, Inc., etc., you are a special snowflake but please don't answer
Extra credit: How do you feel about when it is? Are you allowed to bring a spouse?
It used to be on a Saturday night--dinner plus open bar at a fancy restaurant, spouses welcome. A couple years ago it was switched to a cocktail hour kind of thing in the lobby of our office at 5pm on a Friday. No spouses invited. People were not pleased with the change.
We used to have parties on a Wed afternoon at an offsite location. Wed chosen because that's the day no one is supposed to wfh out of the week. We haven't had a holiday party in a few years, though.
Our all school party is a Wednesday night. Yes we are allowed to bring a spouse.
I like it, because I don't want to waste a Friday or Saturday night at a work holiday party. I might prefer Thursday, though.
I don't really get drunk or anything at that one, but it does include an open bar and dinner with "stations" in a cocktail party type set-up.
Then we often do a second holiday party for lunch the last day of work before christmas. That one is generally a Friday afternoon. Last year we did it at my house and it was awesome.
It's usually on a Thursday and definitely during the day, yay Government. No one would show up if it was after work. Spouses are invited, but few come.
We used to have it at Great Wolf Lodge, but then people got pissy about having to drive to it. The nice part about having it there was the discounted hotel rooms people could do for the family with the indoor water park. Last year it was at the local Mariott and they wanted like $25/person for a freaking lunch buffet. No thanks.
Basically it boils down to if you pay and go to the holiday party, you get to leave earlier than a 59. I would rather take leave at this point.
I like it, because I don't want to waste a Friday or Saturday night at a work holiday party. I might prefer Thursday, though.
This is why I am asking. Ours is usually Thursday, which is ideal I think. My old firm did earlier in the week, and it always ended up being a laaaaaate, very drunken night, so the rest of the week was rough.
This year's is Friday, which I don't want to waste my Friday night on work events. I want to spend it with friends. And our summer party was also a Friday! Grr.
No spouses are ever invited to anything, which I think is good because being a spouse at one of these things is awful and it isn't as fun if you have to make sure your spouse who knows no-one is having fun -- but it is kind of weird to not invite spouses to a Friday event. But alas, they aren't invited.
It's always been on a weeknight, usually a Thursday night. Since I'm in a new office location, I have no idea but guessing it will be similar. Spouses were never invited before but my current office is small so there is talk of bringing spouses.
When I worked as a case assistant at a law firm, I was SHOCKED at how wild the holiday party was. It was held in the W hotel ballroom and man, everyone seemed to be drunk and many were gyrating on the dance floor. Ick. I can't remember what night of the week that was though, but it wa open bar and people got car service home. Heh.
We used to do holiday parties (with spouses), which I always enjoyed. Now we just do a lunch during the week, and we get presents and big holiday bonus checks. No one has really complained.
I like it, because I don't want to waste a Friday or Saturday night at a work holiday party. I might prefer Thursday, though.
This is why I am asking. Ours is usually Thursday, which is ideal I think. My old firm did earlier in the week, and it always ended up being a laaaaaate, very drunken night, so the rest of the week was rough.
This year's is Friday, which I don't want to waste my Friday night on work events. I want to spend it with friends. And our summer party was also a Friday! Grr.
No spouses are ever invited to anything, which I think is good because being a spouse at one of these things is awful and it isn't as fun if you have to make sure your spouse who knows no-one is having fun -- but it is kind of weird to not invite spouses to a Friday event. But alas, they aren't invited.
Yeah Thursday would be perfect. Spouses are invited and do come, which I like at ours. I like to talk to the husbands of my team members. My H loves to come and get the free booze.
Our holiday party also includes free childcare for children ages 3-12 with dinner provided (pizza) for the kids in a separate area.
Ours is a Saturday night every year. Spouses are included. I think everyone likes that it is on Saturday, but we are a small firm and everyone is pretty friendly and social, and all spouses know everyone too.
Ours is a Friday night. Party starts at six pm with an hour of mingling before dinner. Normally, our office closes at 5pm, but we can all leave around 3 to get ready. Spouses are invited.
You didn't ask, but ours is an open bar. The office provides taxi slips for free or discounted rooms in the hotel where the party is held. There are usually around 500 people in attendance.
Mine is always on a Saturday night. It's a huge event in a hotel ballroom that is like an adult prom or wedding reception minus the ceremony and happy couple. Every year, at least one person ends up hammered and does something stupid and potentially career limiting. It's amazing how many professional adults cannot control their alcohol. Spouses are encouraged.
We don't have holiday parties anymore because they aren't company sponsored, so it was just up to someone to have it at his/her house. We had it the last couple years (after much cajoling by others) and people were terrible about not rsvping/rsvping and not showing up, nobody brought anything good to share, etc. It was a big flop so we won't be doing it again. It was on a Saturday night both times, so maybe that is why!
It's always been on a weeknight, usually a Thursday night. Since I'm in a new office location, I have no idea but guessing it will be similar. Spouses were never invited before but my current office is small so there is talk of bringing spouses.
When I worked as a case assistant at a law firm, I was SHOCKED at how wild the holiday party was. It was held in the W hotel ballroom and man, everyone seemed to be drunk and many were gyrating on the dance floor. Ick. I can't remember what night of the week that was though, but it wa open bar and people got car service home. Heh.
The only people gyrating on the dance floor at any law firm holiday party I've been to are staff -- associates never feel comfortable dancing in front of partners, and the partners who were dancing were doing, like, wedding-type very G-rated dancing.
At both firms I've worked at though, parties are always very, very drunken and fun, and there are always great stories. And yeah -- fancy venue, open bar, big afterparty, car service home... people wouldn't tolerate any different
Something I like about working in a smaller office is that our party doesn't have to be in a huge ballroom to fit everyone (those get boring and stuffy after you've been to a ton of them... and between summer associate welcome parties, summer associate farewell parties, first year associate welcome parties, holiday parties, etc., you end up going to a lot of them), so we can go to cooler places (in the past we've done Beauty & Essex and Buddakan, and I'm excited about this year's venue).
No parties here, but in a previous life - DHs firm party was always on the first Friday night of December. My work party, the whole 2 years they did them, were Friday afternoon into the evening.
My company never hosted holiday parties, so our managers would do a potluck during lunch hours just so we'd have some thing fun around the holidays.
My husband's holiday parties are always on a Thursday and most people take the next day off. I've only been to a couple, but I have fun at them. I know enough of his coworkers, so I enjoy hanging out and talking with them. Plus, free food and drinks..I'm good with that.
We work until 12 then go to a low-key banquet hall nearby for some apps and a buffet dinner and drinks. There are a few games with prizes (small gift cards), and last year they randomly gave out two iPads and cash gifts ($100 and $200).
ETA: Spouses are not invited. I'm fine with that, especially since it's during the work day. I worked at one place that allowed dates, so I brought him (back when we were still dating).
If you work in an office, what day of the week is your holiday party? (If you don't know yet, answer based on what your company normally does).
If you don't work, are self-employed, telecommute from such a distance that you couldn't go to your company's holiday party, are President/CEO/CIO/COO/CFO of Caden, Madyson and Tayler, Inc., etc., you are a special snowflake but please don't answer
Extra credit: How do you feel about when it is? Are you allowed to bring a spouse?
Our holiday party is held Friday evening at bossman's house. One of our assistants and her husband cater (--> subpar food). Open bar (bossman's son generally serves as bartender, lol). Spouses are welcome and encouraged to attend. Aside from the food, I have no problem with how the party is handled.
Thursday 5-8, no spouses, offsite restaurant location for heavy apps and drinks. It was open bar in previous years but last year they gave one ticket to each person for a free drink then cash bar after. Over-indulgers that made asses of themselves the previous year ruined it for everyone. There is usually a crowd there til late
It was on a Tuesday night last year. There is plenty of alcohol, but I don't recall people getting sloppy. I can't drink much anyway since I have to drive home. Some people brought spouses, but I'm not sure I can convince my H to drive 70 miles rt on a Tuesday night to hang out with my CWs.
It was pleasant last year. Not something I look forward to for the entire year, but a nice time.
My husband's work party is always on a Saturday night and spouses are welcome. It includes a cocktail hour, a very nice meal, dancing and more drinking, an overnight stay, then brunch the next morning. Everyone looks forward to it all year.
Mine is always on a Saturday night. It's a huge event in a hotel ballroom that is like an adult prom or wedding reception minus the ceremony and happy couple. Every year, at least one person ends up hammered and does something stupid and potentially career limiting. It's amazing how many professional adults cannot control their alcohol. Spouses are encouraged.
This almost exactly, except on Friday nights. They have an open bar for the first 3 hours and by 10 most of the people left are hammered. Some people get hotel rooms and there are always interesting stories that come back on Monday morning.
I'm not going. It's semi-formal and nearly 30 miles from home. I'd have to either drive a 60 mile round trip to get DH or have him drive out and both of be painfully sober. Neither sound like fun to me.
Generally it's a big shindig on a Saturday night. I used to work for Deloitte and when times were good they rented out a big venue and full open bars, paid for taxis for everyone, decent bands, etc. Then when the economy crashed it was literally subs and chips in the office on a weekday afternoon. Whomp whomp.
Post by kittycatlove on Oct 24, 2013 8:23:44 GMT -5
Ours is always on a Thursday. Depending on how the company is doing (making money or not), it's either during the work day and a lunch, no spouses. If we are doing well it's at night with spouses.
This year is going to be at a fancy country club in the evening with spouses (still on Thursday).