We went out for a big curry. It was nice, although the food was so nice and provided in such large quantities that I over-ate and actually had to leave at about 9:30, before the real drinking started as I was too full and starting to fall asleep.

It is much better than my last job, in that a)everyone I work with is nice, and b)we go for a decent curry rather than some stupid horrible 'christmas meal and disco' ripoff.

Joe

xmas do in January? methinks someone doesn't "get it" 😉

As the boss I donate a decent wodge of cash to the local rescue helicopter instead of Xmas cards and client parties. Took the crew to the pub for beers and then for dinner, pretty low key. What they don't know is that the missus and I are helicoptering over to a flash hotel on Sunday for a champagne three course lunch and then flying back – thats my personal christmas treat to myself thanks very much. But i suppose I am paying for it , being my company and all 😀
We've seen a massive drop in Xmas parties etc this year which is good as we try to not attend or if we do its only for networking reasons. Saying that we have a new office space we're moving to in Jan and everyone has chipped in for the new Fusbal table, coffee machine and it being directly attached to a hi-fi shop we have co-erced them into loaning us a lossless IP streaming sound system for the office in return for rack space in our server rack. Should be party central in there, oh and it has a hanging bike rack and a parking space for my new 911 😀 What recession ?

Ours is normally a good crack, mainly because lots of the people who work for us are a laugh. I have fond memories of the chaos caused by a batch of unbelievably strong organic grass a few years back. We get a good lunch, a free bar for 6 hours and then a buffet. Might have to sabotage the kareoke this year though. We also get the aftoon off, so technically we get paid to get hammered 😀

COach from the office into That Manchester on friday. Sit down meal at some trendy place (we've been to Stock before now, which is bloody nice), with a free bar. Few more free drinks afterwards, then we'll venture out into the Northerb Quarter ending up, as though gravitationally attracted, in Fab Café. I have *NEVER* heard of a night out involving more than 5 employees (past or present, paid for nor not) that did not end up in fab Café. and it's shit.

I enjoyt the earlier part though, maybe I work with nice people or something

Maybe see you on the train home on friday, james. Wake me up if I fall asleep

Just in from my first Christmas party, at a Mexican place above a goth shop. I'm sober and in before 10:30, which probably means that I'm getting old.

we had our xmas bash a couple of weekends back – everyone+partners off to a hotel for Saturday night > Sunday morning. Golf tournament in the morning if you're that way inclined then a champagne reception followed by 3 course dinner with speeches then DJ until 1am. Finally it's everyone off to the hotel bar until some idiot kicks off the fire alarm at 3am and they send the survivors off to bed. The company picks up the tab for everything with the exception of room service (one year someone took the michael and was discovered to have ordered cigars at £50 a pop and vintage champagne up to their room at 4 in the morning, now it's your card that's swiped for those extras)

The hotel itself was lovely this year but the staff and service was appalling in places. It's a small company and everyone works bloody hard so it's good to go and blow off steam together once a year.

I took my staff out a couple of weeks ago to the Lymm hotel.

I paid for a 4 course meal and a voucher for £25 work of drinks each, also paid for the partner to come as well.

Later at the bar my partner and I kept them topped up as well.

It was our way of saying thank you to folks who have helped make me a lot of money (we do other things in the year as well)

I am glad to say all enjoyed it as well, next year it is their choice of venue

we're having a token gesture of a Christmas do. Early finish tomorrow, out for a meal, home for 8.

I'm in the 'I spend every day with these people, why would I want to socialise with them too' camp. Someone even suggested that we should have the office christmas do IN THE OFFICE. the place where I spend the majority of my waking hours? f*ck right off.

as per normal for my NHS working life so far – meal in pub paid for by us – ended up having lots of beer which was good as I very rarely go out these days (sad dad).

I'll never forget reading about a girl who got wasted at her office do and thought she'd be sassy and sit at the very front of the bus on the way home, hooking her legs up on the rail at the stairs into the coach. She did, however, (somehow) forget that she wasn't wearing any knickers and the entire coach party got a view they wouldn't forget in a hurry. She never ever set foot in the office again, such was her shame.

WNO's should be renamed WMD's!

Had 2 last week. One down in London at some fancy bar, all paid for including a hotel, food travel etc… then had another one in leicester the day after. Needless to say Wednesday inbetween was a right off! Great night both nights, all paid for beer and food, meaning I was in around 4ish both mornings 🙂

First Christmas at this company and it was quite a good do.

We had a party at Duxford Air Museum, held in the main hangar with dinner served under the wings of Concorde.
We had a decent meal with wine on the tables & then a free bar and the usual cheesy disco.
There was a coach arranged for people who live near work and then for those who live further afield, either a hotel was booked or a taxi laid on.

We've also got a lunch get-together tomorrow which I think is a summary of how we've done this year with lunch thrown in and then a secret Santa too.
All in all, I've been quite impressed.

*Bookmarks thread for next time people working in the private sector whinge about the public sector having it easy*

😉

I work for a small company so there is no xmas do this year as times are very tight at the moment, just the same as last year.

To be honest I'm not bothered (actually think i prefer not to have one) as its always a bit of an anti climax with the MD trying to show off by splashing the cash at a casino (i don't like gambling) and his 50yr old wife trying to feel some of us up while he's not looking. 😯

Last Saturday night, about 400 of us, Hilton Hotel Deansgate Manchester, diner, dance, group, DJ, free bar, hotel room(21st? floor), breakfast all free, corporate speech from the chairman, all that guff.

bloody good do.

C

Before I arrived the company had done a chrimbo in Paris, a chrimbo in a big house in the lakes somewhere. When I joined we did a weekend in Amsterdam…noooice Then we did Oasis one chrimbo with our sposes invited as well. Then we did go karting followed by some pottery, (both fun when drunk).
Recently we've done flip all exciting and it's been getting worse and worse.

Leave work at 2 on Friday for a few drinks with my team, boss will get the first few rounds in….then once it's 5 and no one is being paid to be there, that will end and it's off to the do organised by us 'youngsters' on the floor, maybe 40 or 50 of us have an area booked in one of the locals, all organised and paid for by ourselves, ensures only the good people will be there, partners will come along, as will people who have left/had babies/been made redundant, I have a babysitter booked and my GF will come up and I'm actually really looking forward to it