If you usually go on a work Christmas party - are you still going this year?

[hollisatze]

As the title says.

I am usually all up for the social of the year with work. WFH and feeling a bit burnt out has left me feeling like I just don't want to go this year and already planning an early escape.

I realise this is the reality for a lot of people most years, but I'm asking about the people that actually tend to be up for and enjoy these events. Are you still up for it this year or am I in company of others that feel they've ran out of steam?

No, I can't be bothered. Im skint and knackered, it's cold and dark outside, and I'd rather be in my pyjamas on the sofa.

Absolutely going, ours is Thursday and looking forward to it. We've missed out for 2 years, so nice to get the team together again out of work.

We've planned it for ages, so no surprises on costs.

If you WFH, I think these events are even more important - so I’d prioritise this and not plan an early escape.

I have a couple to go to. I’m not madly keen given cost of living and generally just feeling quite run down but I’ve worked from home for years and they’re super important, so I’ll stick them out. They are usually fun once I get into them

Ours was cancelled as it's the week of the daily train strikes. I feel so sad for all the businesses that will suffer as a consequence.

Ours also cancelled due to the train strikes

after another year of predominantly WFH we were all really looking forward to it so it’s a real shame it’s now been cancelled for the third successive year 😩

I work mostly from home and usually only see my colleagues in person once a month, so I'm really looking forward to our Christmas get-together!

I didn't go, because of a long standing commitment. I'd actually had a say in the date of it, and did not expect it to clash. Ours was last week, normally it is in mid-December.

Agree the train strikes are causing so much upset, a real shame for the people losing out and the businesses losing revenue. We're simply lucky with timing, but I think we could all bus it if needed.

My husband's work have two - a pub lunch wit his immediate team of 7, and an evening "do" with the whole company. He is going to the pub lunch but we aren't doing the big evening one. It was £37.50 a head and that's just so much at this time of year!

Ehhh yeah a free meal and free drinks - of course I’m going

Free? I wish!

I’m not going to our themed all of department evening drinks but am attending my team lunch. I’ve said no to the secret Santa though.

None if this is paid for and at this stage we get a measly one Flexi hour to go to our team lunch. I’m still going to put down 7.5 hours for the day though. Fuck it. We on,y got a 1.5% pay rise this year so the least they can give us is an afternoon off for our lunch we have to pay for.

Same! Plus it's a private room so I feel like I can't actually go (covid reasons)

@bluetongue jeez you don’t even get a free meal? Wtf

i wouldn’t go if I had to pay! But all I’ve to do is walk round the corner from the office after work eat a free meal and have free drinks and a dance and get the tube home.

so I’m looking forward to it

im broke so I can’t afford to go out at the moment in normal circumstances

Nope, pay for your own meal and drink plus use your Flexi time as an added bonus (not if I can help it).

This is civil service (Australian version) so not unusual.

We just had ours- I had a brilliant time.

Make the effort OP, it might help with how you're feeling.

I was supposed to be going, but I can’t due to the train strikes. Oh well.

This is true.

We are self funding so this may be part of the reluctance as I'm feeling the pinch more than usual also.

Definitley, can't wait

No, the last couple of years has shown me different sides to my work colleagues -pisstaking over isolation/wfh and not actually working and I don’t want to socialise with them anymore.

Ours is just a small team meal rather than all our party - but yes I am looking forward to it . I mainly work from home now and although I do have daily contact with my colleagues I'm really looking forward to meeting up in person .

I think for people who WFH that meet up events are even more important - although I can understand if you no longer feel you have that closeness with your colleagues - particularly if in a new role.

@CakeCrumbs44

"but we aren't doing the big evening one."

Best thing me workplace ever did for xmas parties was to stop the evening one where partners were invited too, it was always terrible.

Any kind of large scale indoor mixing is off the menu as far as I am concerned.

I'm going but don't really want to. Had to help organise so can't really bow out. Not free for us either!

I’ve offered to work while everyone else goes and parties. I can’t afford it so would rather work.

I went to ours on Friday evening - numbers were a little down on previous years from what I could tell. The impression I got was that most of the people there were those that have been going into the office. The non-attendees seemed to be those who are still mainly or wholly still WFH.