To ask how much you pay for your office Christmas party (if you have one)

[Meikyo]

My work Christmas party is tonight but I decided when it was announced in September not to go as I think it is too expensive. Party is a meal and disco at a museum venue (ie not a fancy restaurant) and is £75 per head - includes 2 drinks vouchers. I reckoned that with taxis to and from venue (even sharing) and a couple of additional drinks then cost would be over £100. Organisation is publicly funded so no contribution from company - whole cost to be paid by staff which is fair enough. However, out of a total staff of 25, 10 are not going...not sure if down to cost. I would rather spend the money on presents for my family instead. What does your office party cost you?

Good Lord, you mean mine isn't uniquely stingy? Wow.

Stingey!

Our work place (I work in a school) planned an expensive and inconvenient party. Literally NO-ONE signed up so it was cancelled in favour of a trip to the pub!

flow4, ours is the same as that.

We don't pay anything. Go out for lunch and drinks and company pays.

Panto perhaps I can beat that for crap? Last year we had a bring and share lunch in the middle of the office on a meeting table. One person wrote a list of typical foods - crisps, sausage rolls etc, people put their name against them and then we all stood around for half and hour in the office eating the stuff and then went back to work. Not a single drop of alcohol at the 'party'. Public sector Christmas party - don't let anyone say we don't pay our way!

I'm lucky my work pay for everything but as an events planner in a previous life, someone needs to have a word with the person making the arrangements. £75 per head for dinner and 2 drinks vouchers is expensive. The reason will be the room hire and disco; divided by only 25 people will be a lot each.

Who organises that kind of 'do' for 25 people, really a disco for 25? As I say, word in ear of organiser for next year as you could have a great time for a lot less.

That is indeed even more crap than mine, at least we had half a dozen bottles of warm white wine and a whole hour of 'partying'!

Calamity, there is a list exactly like that on the wall of the kitchen at work right now. Lots of people are bringing crisps and cherry tomatoes. On Thursday I will be spending half an hour at one such 'fuddle', then half an hour at another... And then I have an afternoon of meetings. Oh joy.

As I work for myself and a client had just pressed a £300 cheque into my hand "to say thank you for our lovely new house", DD and I had a very nice lunch in St Ives on Friday!