Post by exploding people on Dec 12, 2019 11:36:13 GMT -5
My company does a private cocktail hour (open bar) and a nice dinner, paid by the company. DH's company rents a space, usually a club of some kind with different activities, caters dinner, and everyone gets two drink tickets. Both of these parties happen in January, usually in the same week. "Plus ones" welcome at both parties.
Post by starburst604 on Dec 12, 2019 11:43:26 GMT -5
We close the office early and do a happy hour at a nice restaurant with drinks and heavy apps. It’s always a nice time. This year we’re doing it after the holidays in Jan. I work for smallish medical practice and employees don’t pay for anything.
I am the only employee of a small nonprofit, so no party. The board did give me a $1500 year end gift though. When I worked for a large consulting firm we had a group party each year. It wasn’t company wide but instead with your particular team. We would go for a really nice dinner and you could have anything you wanted to eat and as many drinks as you wanted. We would also get a present specifically picked for us by our boss. I also got an annual bonus there.
Post by sotally tober on Dec 12, 2019 12:07:17 GMT -5
We have them, but they have definitely changed over the years. I've been with the same company for 11 years, though moved over to a completely different side of the business.
When I first started, we rotated between Friday and Saturday evening parties. They were full open bar, dinner with a DJ/dancing and guests were invited. We did tons of drawings/giveaways at those events.
When I switched parts of the business, those events were usually Thursday evenings - dinner, drinks (beer and wine only) and guests included...part of my role included planning them, so I always did them at a place where people had other things to do than just mingle, if that makes sense. So, museums, zoo lights, etc.
I'm in a different role, same org and the events are much different now and have been for the past few years. We don't get to bring a guest and usually the holiday event follows a meeting. This year, it was offsite and had drinks and heavy apps - it was really well received and well done.
I miss having a reason to get dressed up, bringing my H and mingling with my coworkers - but I also appreciate not having to give up my evenings this time of year when we have a ton going on. I've never had to pay for a holiday party.
H’s work usually has a lunch pot luck in December where the company caters in the main dishes and people bring sides/desserts, but they are doing an adults only dinner this year instead. We’re not getting a sitter to go to a work party so will be skipping, I told H he was welcome to go solo but he would rather be home with us. They usually do a family friendly bowling party in January, we will attend that if they still have it- it’s never cost us anything to attend.
I work at a bookstore. The district manager organizes the party and all four area stores attend. It is free for employees, we can bring a guest, and they cater (burgers and pizza and the like, although one year they did Chipotle and it was amazing). They give everyone one free drink ticket, and then you have to pay. They usually have it somewhere fun, like a bowling alley or an arcade. Last year it was at the zoo in the penguin house, which is cool in theory, but it smelled like fish, which put a damper on the evening.
The penguin house is a cool idea but yeah, smelly.
My husband’s is huge. They rent out the conventiom center for it. Food is not great because it is convention center food so we often go out to dinner first, then arrive late for drinks, dessert, entertainment, and prizes. Wine/beer is free til 8pm then cash only.
They always have skeeball and pinball, and plinko! I love it
Post by somersault72 on Dec 12, 2019 12:57:33 GMT -5
Our doctors are having us one tomorrow at one one's house. We are supposed to bring a $20 white elephant gift, but otherwise they are paying. 60 bucks would be a hard pass for me.
Post by litskispeciality on Dec 12, 2019 13:19:01 GMT -5
I found out DH's work has 2 parties, one family friendly, then one for people in his group. Thankfully he doesn't want to go. It's on a Sunday afternoon at a bar. They have to work around their weird schedule, but I work a "normal" job, so I can't go drink a lot on a Sunday and go back to work on a Monday. I need to get a $10 gift for a swap here, I have no idea what to get. They promise laughs, so I should ask someone what kinds of gifts people get that are so funny?
$60 for a swap is crazy. I get doctors have higher salaries, but man that's nuts. I"m sure you have other swaps and things to budget for.
I am the only employee of a small nonprofit, so no party.
My H works out of a home office for a company based in the Netherlands, so a couple of days ago he asked me where I thought he should hold his office Christmas party. I gave him a weird look and he said, "What? It will be very small since there is only one employee at this office, but I can invite my spouse." lol
As the person running this office, he would also be paying for the party, but he promises that it will be fun and that I won't get stuck sitting next to someone that I can't stand. He is so weird.