I don’t enjoy socialising either. For me this was a unique opportunity to meet 40 or so colleagues outside of my immediate work colleagues I hadn’t met before. I’m glad I did, because it showed me the local company was far less the corporate than I thought it was.
Being 50 and in a senior position I had a couple of drinks then left graciously when it started to look like it’d get messy.
Every year… can we just copy and paste the thread from last year ?
Literally what I was going say.
Don’t go if you don’t want. I’m not this year, not because I’m a miserable bastard though, but they haven’t asked for a reason. I just declined the invite.
The joys of self-employment means none of this nonsense for me.
Anyway, who wants to go out at this time of year anyway? When all your usual favourite haunts are full of amateur drinkers and miserable bastards being forced into pretending they’re enjoying themselves? 😂
I bought a tasteless item for secret Santa least year but recipient left so I gave it to someone else this year, also offloaded an item that didn’t fit and I hadn’t bothered to return for refund. Result!
I declined this year too – for me it’s the expectation to “get pissed”. Taxi would be about £40, so you have to get the train – last train is around 10:30 – and station 5 miles from home. Great night out! Nah, can’t be arsed with it. Not cos I don’t like em, I don’t really know em (we all work in different buildings). TBH I’d rather stay in and get pissed on me own. Bit sad really 😆
See also here
Yeh I used to hate it and just went for a meal with a select group of work mates usually, but now I’m not working and a lonely house elf I’d quite like to do something (gets his tiny fiddle out 😂)
No, the annual ‘people with a different attitude to the norm’ thread. This is what I hate about Christmas and why I think it’s such a difficult time for a lot of people. There is so much pressure to join in with the societal expectations of excess and jolliness and if this doesn’t fit you or your circumstances then you’re seen as a scrooge or a grinch – no I’m just looking after my own wellbeing.
Nah, the PE Dept always get pissed and start trouble (I wish I was joking!)
I’m too old to be chaperoning 30/40-something year old idiots who like to drink and argue.
If it’s done tastefully with a decent budget I’m there. If it’s the usual oversized room with pre prepped pub style
microwave meal, cheap wine and a bad DJ then I’m out after shaking a few hands before it kicks off. Will organise a pint + nice pub meal with direct team to make up for absence.
Anyone remember in the 80s / 90’s when big CO’s used to let you bring kids, put on a mini show, had food then sent families / engineers home at a reasonable time, leaving the sales team to drink the open bar dry. I think it’s sad so many co’s these days don’t seem to be inclusive for those with families.
I’ve only seen the work guys once in the last 2 years, apart from my senior manager who i ride with on non-race weekends. So we’re off to Miller and Carter for a bit of food, then a couple of pints, should be home by 8pm i guess 🙂
Well, we are out at 12… so not exactly a short one…. but 3-4 pints as up early on Sat.
As always, if you’re too miserable to have one night with your colleagues, you’re the problem, not them 😉
Your working day must be absolutely miserable if you’re working alongside people you have zero interest in having a pint/ soft drink/ meal with them at Christmas.
Geography/travel challenges or child care issues are the only genuine excuse
I’m lucky, the team I work in is spread internationally so makes a Xmas night out a bit of an issue, also, you know, IT, we don’t fair well in social situations
On the other hand the wife gets forced every year to go to the company shindig, which she hates more than Piers Morgan. She says it’s a nightmare, THe boss is one of those 50 something guys who thinks life revolves around his party rules. Everyone has to put in 110% to make it something special, and if people try to go home early he goes in the huff. Worst thing is, a guitar comes out at some point because everyone is just so desperate to hear him belt out “Don’t Look Back In Anger” again
As always, if you’re too miserable to have one night with your colleagues, you’re the problem not them 😉
Your working day must be absolutely miserable if you’re working alongside people you have zero interest in having a pint/ soft drink/ meal with them at Christmas.
Or conversely: Your life must be terribly dull if the only people you have to go out with are colleagues. I enjoyed working with most of the folk I worked with but the end of the working day is just that. Time to leave. Work is work and my home life is my home life and I never mixed the two
If you wouldn’t go out with them at other times of the year why would you at this time of year?
I personally had nothing but work in common with the folk I worked with.
Your working day must be absolutely miserable if you’re working alongside people you have zero interest in having a pint/ soft drink/ meal with them at Christmas.
Being a northerner who’s work colleagues are in London means the logistics are a real barrier. Although it’s no great hardship to skip it, it is a shame as i like most of em.
I was lucky that out of the 20 people on our site there was only 1 that I didn’t gel with. The site is closed now and we are all mostly in touch via a WhatsApp group & have all been out in various forms for meals etc.
We always were a close knit team & it worked. I have worked at some places though where you would happily push them off a cliff so I guess the team you work with makes a huge difference.
I’m about to go out for breakfast with our old production manager, just social chat stuff 🙂
We get a decent budget and I took the opportunity to enjoy dinner with a few former colleagues. In the US they all go for a prearranged lunch as a large group. I prefer more intimate.
When I had a group, I took them to Helene Darozze (two Michelin stars) for Christmas lunch. It was not quite in budget but I made up some of the difference with a bonus I’d received. They still talk about it. Set lunches can be very good value and you can spend three hours relaxing. Evening events are more expensive and have an expectations of merriment.
The joy of being 95% remote these days means no pressure to come to these things. When I used to manage alot of people I would stress every year about organising it and trying to ensure everyone had a great time, organising all sorts of stuff. And then there was the expectation to put your hand in your pocket and buy drinks (for 70+ people that adds up) when the company doesn’t recompense and some of them are actually earning more than you….
Then I was made redundant / slotted into a specialist role. Now no team to speak of, everyone I work with is effectively a client. Nice people but a different type of relationship to a team of people working on something together
I don’t miss it tbh. Money is tight and I’d rather spend it on my kids these days