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Original poster

Work Christmas do- so many drop outs! Never organising again!

61 replies

NameChangeLifeChange · 01/12/2022 11:20

Just that really. It's tomorrow. Booked for 30 originally, 30 people up for it and put names down. By 2 weeks ago with deposit and food choices due we were down to 16 (inevitable some drop outs and times are tough). Today (so far...)we are down to 12.
I feel really bad for the venue as they're down over half the amount of people expected. Late drop outs will pay the full amount for their meal but obviously less spent on booze etc.
Also just stress and faff etc when not needed. Aaargh just come if you say you will or don't agree in the first place!
I'm worried more will drop out and we will end up a piddly group of 4 with the venue owners looking at us furiously Sad
Rant over. NEVER AGAIN!

OP posts:
NoelNoNoel · 01/12/2022 11:22

I think it’s a mixture of Cost of Living Crisis and an increase in flakiness behaviour.

Original poster
NameChangeLifeChange · 01/12/2022 12:04

@NoelNoNoel I know but its so frustrating! I hate flakiness

OP posts:
Pootles34 · 01/12/2022 12:05

It's always like this. Slightly better this year, interestingly, since we've started charging a small deposit. It's nowhere near the cost of the meal, but it makes people more likely to properly commit.

The problem is one person cancels, then their mate cancels because of that, etc....

Byelaws · 01/12/2022 12:06

Your expectations seem very high. 12/30 invites is pretty good for any paying event.

Badoukas · 01/12/2022 12:54

Arranging things for groups of people is generally a pain in the arse so well done for bothering.

Original poster
NameChangeLifeChange · 01/12/2022 13:29

Byelaws · 01/12/2022 12:06

Your expectations seem very high. 12/30 invites is pretty good for any paying event.

I guess so...hope that's what the venue think. Work are paying for 75% so people are only topping up £5 or so pp.

OP posts:
justasking111 · 01/12/2022 13:33

I booked for seven really close friends a week ago three years since we got together coz of covid had to cancel twice coz of lockdown. We're down to five one realised her married daughter event the other floored by covid.

Annie232 · 01/12/2022 13:35

Why isn’t the workplace paying for the Christmas party?

Snoken · 01/12/2022 13:38

Annie232 · 01/12/2022 13:35

Why isn’t the workplace paying for the Christmas party?

Yes, absolutely this. If 25% is £5, work is contributing a tiny amount. It sounds like a bit of a rubbish night.

MorganSeventh · 01/12/2022 13:46

Yeah, I used to do it, but it was a completely thankless task and always led to people moaning at me - like it was my fault work wasn't paying the whole whack. Or people complaining they'd been given the wrong order and when you showed them their email confirming what their order was, getting all huffy because they'd been proved wrong.

So I stopped arranging it. Then people moaned there wasn't a Christmas event any more, but that wasn't my problem.

WrongLife · 01/12/2022 13:51

Snoken · 01/12/2022 13:38

Yes, absolutely this. If 25% is £5, work is contributing a tiny amount. It sounds like a bit of a rubbish night.

Show quote history

Try public sector, people tend to get really pissy when work pay for our nights out with public money - I have to cover the full costs of my Christmas do...

Annie232 · 01/12/2022 13:56

WrongLife · 01/12/2022 13:51

Try public sector, people tend to get really pissy when work pay for our nights out with public money - I have to cover the full costs of my Christmas do...

Show quote history

That’s a tough one. On one hand why should public money be spent on a piss up? On the other are xmas parties not just a cost of running a workplace?

Itwasntevenblackpudding · 01/12/2022 14:12

Annie232 · 01/12/2022 13:35

Why isn’t the workplace paying for the Christmas party?

What an odd question.

I've worked in a variety of places for 30 years and have never worked anywhere where the workplace paid for the Christmas party.

DragonWasp · 01/12/2022 14:15

Have you updated the venue with the numbers?

VenusClapTrap · 01/12/2022 14:20

There is definitely an increase in flakiness. Dh has just cancelled his work Christmas party that was supposed to be tomorrow, due to a flurry of last minute cancellations. He was paying for everyone to have a fancy meal in an expensive London restaurant. Booze included. So it’s not just money.

Theladyinred · 01/12/2022 14:24

Last year due to missing 2 Xmas parties due to covid our work gave us more money so our manager said he would but on 2 events … you could go to one or the other …
so he said he was booking a curry , and putting on a works night out so he did a buffet , drinks etc paid for , I think something like 12/70 turned up so he had a bigger budget left for the curry he told people who had already been to the night out to come to the curry aswell , he paid for the curry , drinks and peoples taxi’s and still loads of people never went to either event …

Some people you can’t please them no matter what you do …

user278654 · 01/12/2022 14:25

I would never try and organise any type of work event. Herd mentality one says that they will attend out of politeness, and they all follow suit. The next minute one says nah ain't going to attend stuff to do etc and they you are left with the booking. Happens time and time again. Our local club has organised a Christmas party, but the cash had to be paid 2 weeks ago. No cash, no booking and we have about 90% attendance from the club and the table plan has been published.

Caspianberg · 01/12/2022 14:28

Illness.

Ds started nursery this Autumn. Covid baby who has never been exposed to groups/ germs much.
dh, myself and Ds have basically been ill for 3 months now between us. As soon as one gets half better, next ill again. We have cancelled lots recently.

thecatsthecats · 01/12/2022 14:29

I've never paid for a work Christmas do. Never would - even though I've happily gone on work socials.

Mind you, I've only ever been to ones that fall in working hours too. Usually stopping at lunch, having a drink, then going somewhere for lunch, followed by optional drinks out afterwards. So nobody has to make special arrangements - they can always peel off to go shopping after etc.

PauliesWalnuts · 01/12/2022 14:30

I spent 20 years as an exec assistant and for the last fifteen years flat out refused to organise any kind of Christmas do. I've even negotiated it out as part of my duties for new jobs I'd been offered. 1) it's a thankless task and nobody appreciates how hard a job it is, 2) you kind of need to stay soberish on the night to make sure nobody really misbehaves or the bill doesn't get paid, and 3) my mum died at Christmas, I have no close family left, and the last thing I want to do is pretend I'm enjoying myself at a party I don't want to be at and just want to hibernate until 1 January.

Sunshineandflipflops · 01/12/2022 15:19

WrongLife · 01/12/2022 13:51

Try public sector, people tend to get really pissy when work pay for our nights out with public money - I have to cover the full costs of my Christmas do...

Show quote history

Yep - public sector here too so never had an Xmas meal/do paid or partly paid for!

ScrabbleChamp64 · 01/12/2022 15:26

I’m not going to my work’s Christmas do.

  • public sector so have to pay for myself
  • was £50 pp + drinks
  • would have to drive and therefore stay sober
  • was not my kind of event.

If companies are committed to xmas Dos they should be:

  • at lunchtime/afternoon during work hours
  • if not possible, immediately after work
  • absolutely not on a Friday or Saturday when people have plans with family/real friends
  • inexpensive.
Honestly the best “Christmas do” I went to was when I was teaching in London (I no longer teach), straight after the Xmas gayer on a Thursday. Everyone went to the pub and management bought a couple rounds of drinks and some sharing platters of beige food. Nobody was inconvenienced, everyone got to leave by 10 and the team bonding objective was achieved.

I also had a xmas dinner at a Wetherspoons once which was £15 pp for 3 courses and a drink (in 2014). Cheap and cheerful and people came!

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/12/2022 15:32

Never paid for an Xmas do never would.
I also now work in a place that realises no one wants to give up free time so we do a lunch- works perfectly.

ScrabbleChamp64 · 01/12/2022 15:36

Fayre not gayer 😂

Roselilly36 · 01/12/2022 15:57

Lovely of you to organise it OP. My company used to pay for the company Xmas do, but only for staff that turned up, we had to pay upfront and we were then refunded after the event. Perhaps that system could work for your company.