Now, I preface this rantette by saying I have not attended, and do not plant to attend, either my departmental Christmas meal, nor the firm Christmas party. I may therefore be taken to be a Grinch, Scrooge or just a miserable barsteward.

But honestly – the number of people who have been moaning, griping, whining or complaining about the arrangements for the (free) Christmas meal that work have put on – “it’s too late, it’s too early, I don’t like the venue, the food won’t be any good” etc etc.

It. Is. Free.

Your employer does not have to do it.

A total absence of any kind of gratitude. Boils my micturate, so it does.

Our CEO decided to take people to a michelin star restaurant (admittedly, it wasn’t the usual standard of grub they knocked out for us) and buy them all a mont blanc pen. People still complained. They complained a couple of years ago as the blue ipod they were bought had lower resale value than black or white or whatever.

bloody whiney middle-class private sector cockbags 😉

Some people need to get out more.

MrSmith – Member

*picture*

No, that’s what they’ll look like after they’ve taken advantage of the COPIOUS FREE DRINKS.

Your employer does not have to do it.

I’d rather he didn’t.

I feel obliged to go, but I’d rather sit at home looking at a wall, than sit looking at his face as he moans, whinges, and bangs on about work all night.

Some people are just at their happiest when whining like a jet engine.

Just watch how this thread pans out if you needed any proof…

I quite enjoy ours, although there’s usually a choice of at least 3 (department, potentially multiple projects, company) which means I can avoid TGI Fridays and pick the project one I like the look of (usually a half decent lunch at a pub/restaurant).

Ironing etc. 🙂

binners – Member

Just watch how this thread pans out if you needed any proof…

😀

😉

Its the same with peoples wages,always complaining like we forced them in to taking the job at the pre agreed salary.

Announced the full, traditional and succulent menu to our actual christmas dinner to the wife’s grandparents yesterday, which recieved the respose “I’d prefer beef” from her grandad. He’s on dark meat.

You’ll never catch me moaning about ours.. (private sector – Engineering)

Yep, the food was pretty crap this year, but the unlimited free booze + day out of the office to attend it (lunch time event – met in pub at midday) more than made up for it.
I’m quite happy to be paid a days money to drink free booze.

My wife (teacher) is having to pay for her evening event. (quite right too, etc)

It’s our Christmas do tonight and we’ve all paid a bit extra this year as the annual allowance of £25 per head has stayed the same since the dark ages so you don’t quite get the same kind of event we’d all like (probably to do with taxable allowances).

I think that must’ve weeded out those that would rather not go but couldn’t really find a reason not to as everything I’ve heard from anyone so far has been positive. We’ll wait till the morning to find out if everyone’s still happy.

Either way it’s an evening out with some people I like working with and the food, a couple of drinks and the entertainment are all paid for. No complaints here.

I think there are just people that like a good moan and if the current topic of conversation is the company Christmas do then so be it.

thestabiliser – Member

He’s on dark meat.

And no pudding?

We abandoned having one due to

moaning, griping, whining or complaining about the arrangements

as it happens.

We’re quite a “diverse” organisation, which means if you put on the traditional turkey-and-trimmings Christmas you get a significant number of people suggesting that it’s culturally insensitive / inappropriate but if you put on curry / Chinese / Caribbean then you get a different sgnificnat number of people complaining that “it’s not Christmassy” so in the end we decided to be fair to everyone and not have one at all.

And we’re a “dry” organisation so even when we did have one, it was Cranberry Juice and fizzy pop, no paid-to-drink-beer here…

Ho Ho Ho

No staff one arranged here.
We went for a curry yesterday with the research group and talked about all things not science. I had a chat with a guy whose father runs a trawler, we normally only talk about science things.
Frankly, it was an excellent time out. Two hours I’d have just spend pushing words around otherwise.

Is there no halal/kosher/vegan/gluten free alternative?

Mind you I only have to go out on the town with “the lads” for a steak and loads of ale so that’s not so bad. A few years ago I was subjected to the full corporate “cockbags in suits” do at some trendy bar full of footballers which was utterly dreadful.

I’ve moaned about ours, but we pay ourselves, it was crap last year, this year we’re going back (Yates ffs) despite it seems most of us not wanting to. When the email went round in the autumn I expressed my distaste for the venue (as I’d been asked my opinion, and was met with “organise it yourself then!”. i didn’t, I’ve paid my money (under £20 for 3 courses).

Yesterday in the office we were talking about it, and our jealousy of another department actually going somewhere nice, transpires most people would have paid the £30 a head they are, but didn’t want to rock the boat, so didn’t say anything in case they seemed awkward….

So, we’ll go tomorrow afternoon, eat some reheated shite, talk shop to the people that bother coming, then I’ll slope off, meet my mates, get trollied and eat some junk food very soon after! 😳

In contrast, my other half is self employed and a firm she works for is very generous, took everyone (including partners) out in the summer for a bug meal/drinks/cycling weekend, all paid for, xmas do last week, all paid for, again, and announced they want to take us all to London for a night away and 5 course taster menu at The Shard in the spring. You cannot lose, and I’ve never been taken up the shard before.

The sprouts were bl88dy awful at ours 😀

Last year with work I went to a fancy black tie dinner with free alcohol and got absolutely smashed for free with the hotel all paid for, was awesome. I could’ve gone this year again but I’m working the day after and it’s gonna be really busy 🙁 the xmas dinner for our department this year involves getting a train all the way down to London just for a curry so I’m not bothering.

Is there no halal/kosher/vegan/gluten free alternative?

We sourced halal turkey one year. To be fair, that did bring everyone together – everybody hated it.

Miserablenessism certainly comes to the fore at Christmas. I’m ambivalent about these parties, I go but I have to, some people like them, some don’t. Asking to leave work 2 hours early to ‘get ready’ on the other hand is a total WTF. No bugger off get back to work.

My office one is tonight some of the younger staff are getting very excited about it all, I’m “less excited”. I’m sure it’ll be fine, and conveniently its only 20 minutes from home, so I can slope off at some after the meal.

We had a dinner with Black Stig speaking, wanted the 1st white one but he was OK really.

Well the champagne this year definitely wasn’t from a good vintage and the foie gras was served too warm. Still, we made do with taking turns to flog the serving staff after coffee had been served.

What is this free?

My employer this year announced we won’t get a christmas bonus, and we’ll have to pay for the xmas meal.
Not many attended.

Ours has been cancelled due to a company take over and the redundancies that ensued. A good move overall I think but it was traditionally a great night of free food, free drink and getting evidence to wind people up about for the following 12 months.

Other things in my life meant I went to neither office Christmas party this year, but three weeks ago I went to a rather swanky charity dinner (i.e. where the high rollers are bidding £20k upwards for the auction prizes), and this week alone has involved: X Factor final + VIP party on Sunday night, team lunch on Monday, Christmas drinks with my sister on Tuesday and management team night out in Chsiwick last night (Karaoke, natch).

Other than seeing my sister, none of these things have cost me a penny*. And they were all great fun.

However I’m now shattered and need to dry out….

*Tell a lie: Mrs North bought a new dress for the X Factor. I’ll basically end up paying for that.

When one job long ago hired out the Albert Hall for their xmas do, well nothing much lived up to it in my jobs since.

I usually find them cheap and tacky events, with bland food, rubbish beer (if any beer at all) and being forced to socialise with people you’d normally want to punch in the face.

A team curry and/or piss up, minus the boss, yeah that’s okay. If you get along with the rest in the team.

And good god please no… not bloody Secret Santa! 👿

What is this free?

My employer this year announced we won’t get a christmas bonus, and we’ll have to pay for the xmas meal.

yeah, that.
rest of my office has gone to the panto today.
panto + half day holiday = no thx + peace and quiet to peruse STW.

so in the end we decided to be fair to everyone and not have one at all.

I’m really uncomfortable with this. But I don’t really want to put my huge foot into it.. oh what the hell..Is it not unfair to those whom celebrate Christmas as a long standing UK cultural event?

and I’ve never been taken up the shard before.

😯

Now, I preface this rantette by saying I have not attended, and do not plant to attend, either my departmental Christmas meal, nor the firm Christmas party. I may therefore be taken to be a Grinch, Scrooge or just a miserable barsteward.

But honestly – the number of people who have been moaning, griping, whining or complaining about the arrangements for the (free) Christmas meal that work have put on – “it’s too late, it’s too early, I don’t like the venue, the food won’t be any good” etc etc.

It. Is. Free.

Your employer does not have to do it.

A total absence of any kind of gratitude. Boils my micturate, so it does.

Yep. I didn’t go to mine, either. It’s my choice and I exercised it. However, I wouldn’t complain about a free feed if I had gone.

We get SFA never have done never will Joys of PS

Ours was last night, wasn’t paid for though but it doesn’t really matter. In a previous year work did pay and people who chose not to go moaned about that, “Why should you get something I don’t”.

It was really good though, always is. Though we must be slipping as this is the first year that nobody came from our competitors (last year, one person stood up her own company night out to come and join ours, seal of approval…)

In a previous year work did pay and people who chose not to go moaned about that, “Why should you get something I don’t”.

Ah, people are great aren’t they?

Happy to say my whole team came to ours last Fri, apart from the guy who’s trekking in Nepal, the inconsiderate sod. Even got a couple of guys back for it who’ve moved on to different jobs this year.
Boss bought the curry, I bought the beers and we carried on for a good few hours afterwards in a couple of pubs.
Was a really good night, standing rule that anyone mentioning work had to get a round in certainly helped!