to dread the staff Christmas do?

[ProperLavs]

Does anybody else avoid theirs?
I am seriously considering just not going.
A trip down the local would suit me fine.

I went to one of the works overnight christmas do’s, it was horrendous. Mingling in a social way with people I didn’t particularly like in a none professional setting was my worst nightmare! Drunk men with egos the size of cruise ships and drunk women trying their hardest to be appealing to the big ego men and random couples trotting off to bed together, then all of them demanding respect the next working day. No thanks. I didn’t go again. Each to their own but I went to work to earn money and whilst I developed a deep friendship with one or two I had no desire to see the others outside of work! If you don’t want to go, don’t!

Ours is rather a sedate lunch meal with retired employees bringing the average age to 65. Also means it's done by 5pm.

God no, overpriced, shite Xmas fayre, noisy, sometimes stuck in a venue with random people ( weirdest was sharing with a wedding). Rather spend the 50 quid on something I like.

I feel so much better now, thank you!
Our staff room is quite bad for shrieking/very loud laughing and I often have to leave if it is very full at lunch /break time. Lovely that people are happy and all that but I can't cope with it. I really think I have undiagnosed aspergers.
The loud laughing would reach unbearable levels when alcohol was involved.

Mine is on an afternoon and I don’t know my colleagues. Feel like I’ll be back at school scrabbling to spot people I barely. Prefer to be at home in pjs with Netflix.

I refused to go to mine and made up myriad excuses. The organiser is loud, crude and racist sober, I can't face spending my time and money with her drunk. We are a tiny workplace.

Hopefully I am going to be offered a new job (in a big work!) after a second interview tomorrow.

Yes I stopped going then I got a job working from home with no xmas party

I'm planning on dropping out of mine too, I have a funny feeling my childcare will fall through

This is my first Xmas at my current school and they are forever telling stories of their craaazy drunken nights out. I don't drink and don't know them that well so I know I'll feel awkward.

It's also a 40min drive each way from where I live.

I have never been to mine and I am fairly sociable. Just dont like socialising with colleagues in that way plus I live in the sticks so would have to stay sober and drive.

DHs works do always involves a paid for hotel stay. Last year I went as it was a boat trip down the Thames and a hotel in Greenwich. This year its a black tie dinner and a dance at a hotel in Coventry. DH cant understand the difference between the two events . I am an introvert a a sit down dinner with people I have no interest in fills me with horror, not to mention having to sort evening dress out (and I am currently larger than I have been) plus the venue is much less interesting to me (not dissing Coventry btw, just have been plenty times before and I doubt there will be much time out of the hotel).

I never go now. The last time I went we were in a lovely restaurant with other diners.

About eight of our party were standing up in the middle of the room, linking arms and singing loudly to Robbie Williams’ “Angels”. Then one of them fell over. It was hideous.

I only go to the small team dinner, not the wider one. Late christmas parties when you need to take a train home aren’t fun

You are definately NOT BU.
I'm not looking forward to ours, but as attendance is 'non-negotiable' I have to go.
Sneaked out early last year feigning illness.

If you can get out of going then just say you can't go.

Ours also involves four hundred types of pickled fish, so that’s another reason.

My colleagues in our regional office are all perfectly nice people. I still tend not to go.

The last place I worked at was car crash territory- a couple shagging in the hedge outside, punch ups, passing out in the bogs (not all the same person) real Eastenders stuff.

Proper

You may have undiagnosed Asperger's; I don't know. But talking to others at work, many of us find ourselves overwhelmed by the noise and demands at the end of the day, and need total peace and quiet at home (if we can get it). Also some of us swear a lot outsied of school - sort of pressure valve of not being able to put a foot wrong at work

No, of course you’re not BU. Just because you happen to work with people doesn’t mean you have to like them or socialise with them.
There’s 120 people at my work. Most years about 30, mostly management go to some big sit down meal thing at a local hotel and pay for the nose for mass produced food and talk about work all night because they have little else in common.
This year, one of our colleague’s boyfriends has opened a new bar in town that does tapas and nibble type food, over 80 have signed up to go, so he’s giving us exclusive access. It’s much less formal and should be fun. I’m actually going this year, but normally don’t bother.

Ours is costing £40 as they all want a disco!! I don't but you are expected to go unless you absolutely can't.

I'm not dreading our Christmas Do- I'm the one organising It! Food, unlimited drinks, entertainment then a dance- what's not to love? Then into town after... 40 of us going

I never go to my work's Christmas do, I like my colleagues but just dont want to go.
I usually say its awkward for me to get home/buses and trains are unreliable/not comfortable being out late with unreliable transport.
People seem to accept that.

YANBU. I usually drive as it gives me the handy excuse for not being pressured into drinking and also means that I can leave under my own steam when I have had enough.

I only go to work functions now if they are somewhere where I can leave as and when I need to - I did a boat trip one year and the feeling of being trapped on there was horrible.

Don't go! You don't have to, but definitely don't rearrange for drinks on the same night locally as this would be bad form.

I haven’t been to one in years!

In my current team, nobody really talks to or interacts with me, why would I spend an evening and my own money on going out with them?

I was even asked to organise it - I said no I don’t have time to organise non work related events. I was not going to be flapping around with money, chasing up deposits and most likely being out of pocket.

I am a teacher too.

I rarely go to mine as it is always miles away, which involves me driving. It always starts early and I can't leave the house till DH gets home so I am usually late and have to sit with people I don't want to sit with.

However, this year I am going. This usually happens about once every 3 years and then I remember why I don't normally go.

It's a bit of a three line whip for me and attendance, especially by managers, is expected. But the employer contributes nothing, we each pay everything ourselves and we get a measly extra hour off (it's a lunchtime one) and have to make the time up. And I always end up sitting next to someone I don't have a lot in common with, other than work, so have to listen to football/computer/elderly parents etc for three hours. Bah humbug!

I used to actually organise it never compelled anyone to come tho but since a bout of being mental and still having anxiety, they are an exquisitely unpleasant prospect. I am leaving work at Xmas so have to combine a leaving do, with the focus on me, with a Christmas do. Oh joy.

As nobody (me) bothered to organise a Christmas meal, somebody arranged a drinks evening. I wasn’t invited.

Can’t wait to leave this team!