AIBU to think £40 ticket for an Xmas work party isn't obscenely expensive?

[Henners7]

My first post on MN having been an avid reader for some time! I genuinely don't know whether I am being unreasonable so would like some other opinions.

I work on a small, close knit team - something like a team of paramedics -and I've been here for a few years now. I organised the Christmas 'do' last year in a local restaurant (£20 not including drinks) and getting people to confirm places, menu choices, deposits etc was such a stressy and thankless nightmare I've refused to do it again.

We have (once again) left the xmas organisation very late this year because although e everyone says they want to do something no one wants to organise it. I'm up for pretty much anything I just think it would be nice to celebrate Christmas together. In the end a lady whose just returned from a long period of leave looked into the options we have left and floated the idea of a local nice hotel offering cocktail,nibbles, three course meal, disco, 'casino' and pre taxi bacon roll for £40.

As we work shifts she wouldn't have got a consensus/thoughts from everyone as quickly as she needed so she asked the hotel to hold 25 spaces for two weeks with the option of booking less spaces if some people didn't want to attend or bring partners.

Many of the team have said that £40 is far too expensive for a works do and we should just go out for a meal instead. However, no one will actually step up and organise this and i think once you've had a meal and a few drinks you're getting torwards £40 anyway. I understand some people just don't like work christmas events and that's fine, but everyone is saying that they definitely do want to do something.

Am I unreasonable to think they are being unrealistic? To get a meal and some entertainment somewhere decent at christmas these days isn't going to be £20. I'm one of the lowest paid of the team and I accept this.

AIBU to think either step up and organise something low cost, make an excuse not to be there or just pay £40? But don't moan at the only person willing to put the effort in and try and book something so late in the year.
How much would you pay for a similar package for a work christmas party?

I would find that steep tbh. I'm spoiled though as my boss pays for us whatever we do at Xmas [santa]

I think the organiser has done well - it's a good deal imo

I wouldn't spend £40 on a works do, though

It's okay for what you're getting.
But it's an expensive night out by the time you add on taxis, a round of drinks, maybe something to wear.

Personally it's not something I would want to spend money on at Christmas time. I'd prefer a few drinks and nibbles in the office followed by a trip to a local pub, or a meal somewhere reasonable or something more casual like that.

I think those hotel parties are just a bit too elaborate and expensive for a lot of people, and that's what your colleagues are objecting to.

While £40 isn’t much for a night out I wouldn’t spend £40 on that night out. I don’t hugely mind these Christmas party night things but I don’t drink cocktails I’d rather the price included a half bottle of wine instead and I don’t like Casinos. Also it’s a nice hotel drinks on top of that are going to be higher than pub prices.

There's no way I'd pay that much to spend yet more time with my colleagues at Christmas.. friends and family is a different story though.

Whether it's expensive depends on the actual group that would have to pay for it surely?

I could afford £40 for an evening out, but I would prefer to spend my money on something else.

Also, if last year's event was £20, it's a big increase.

As the others have said. What is on offer for £40 is not unreasonable but I also wouldn't spend that on a work's do. I don't like dancing and the last one we had at somewhere like that, I left after the meal. Mainly as they cleared all the chairs away to make the dance floor so there was nowhere to sit! lol. I know it's the "boring" option but I think most people would rather just go for a meal and then they can keep within their own personal budget. Organising work christmas do's is always a nightmare!

Personally hate those generic Christmas dos I went to one last year with girlfriends had a table in hotel 3 course meal & entertainment. Food was bleh Turkey n ham & carb rich we were all nearly asleep after the meal it never got going. But yanbu to complain that no one else suggesting anything. For a small group just go for pizza r Indian r something or if they all drinkers all chip in for nice finger food & couple rounds of drinks at nice pub.

it most definitely would not cost 40 pounds to go and have a meal at a Wetherspoons type place and a few drinks. half that at most and if you choose your own things you could avoid the meal all together if you're skint. I wouldn't want to spend any money to hang out with a generic group of work colleagues though.

It sounds like a realistic price, but while my colleagues are nice, I wouldn't want to spend that on a Christmas event with them - and our family time is also pretty precious in December, so I'd rather not even head out for a night.
If it's tricky, is there a decent local pub or restaurant where you could head out for a lunch one day? Usually much cheaper for a set meal, no alcohol costs and feels like a bonus instead of an extra hassle. Appreciate this might not work if you are shift workers or similar vs office workers!

The Christmas party for our lifeboat volunteers is a hotel meal and disco package for just under £40 a person. We're all happy to pay that but it's not like a 'normal' works do where we're together for 36-ish hours a week anyway. Some of us hardly ever meet so it's a good social event for us all.

Back in my last office job, I'd have gladly paid £40 to avoid socialising with some of the twats I worked with. Being in the same office was bed enough without having to pretend to like them on nights out!

I suppose it depends on the wage of the people you work with etc. For example, we just had a night out in local big city last year we we left it last minute, most staff are 20-35 that attended these nights out (our shift is quite close knit) and I'd say people spent an average of £60-£150 including food & a taxi. This year our tickets for Christmas night out event are £35 each, we're looking at £15 each for minibus transfer then food & drinks so we're easy hitting £100 again. Our wages vary from £28000 - £36000. Where I used to work a few years ago people were on 12-16000 and we went bowling.

It's annoying, but I think all you can say to the moaners is 'Well, you sort out something cheaper then."

Everyone knows when Christmas is, and everyone else has had since last year to make a suggestion. So put up or shut up I think. Or book something else!

But don't moan at the only person willing to put the effort in and try and book something so late in the year.

Exactly.

I wouldn't spend that on a works do but I wouldn't piss and moan about preferring something else then sit back and wait for some mug a fairy godmother to organise it either.

If the detractors aren't happy with what's on offer the job should be landing on their desks.

I used to work in a small team (8) within a larger department (50+) of a very large organisation. The department managers were always eager to get everyone together like this, but like the OP no-one wanted to take control.
It became the norm that one member of my team would offer, research availability, liaise with everyone and so on, then have the almighty task of getting responses, agreement etc from everyone else. So much stress. Then many wouldn't turn up. No-one enjoyed it because of all the back-stabbing and resentment!
So in the end my little team would arrange a lunch time meal in a nice restaurant just for us, much more enjoyable, no stress at all.

If others wanted to join us they were welcome, but it was up to them to organise themselves.
Do you all have to go out together or would a lunchtime meal for fewer of you be possible?

Why isn't the business paying? Get somewhere for £12-20 a head, buffet option two free drinks and that's it. The buisiness should pay for the work do. Yabu.

There's no way I would pay that for a works do.

I've never worked anywhere where I've had to pay towards a works Christmas do - the company has always paid for the meal/entertainment and first drink(s). No way would I spend £40 on a work meal. I'm a veggie who doesn't drink so a meal out somewhere would be much less expensive.

It does seem to be good value for money but I wouldn’t pay it as I don’t drink and generally want to go home as soon as I’m finished my meal.
I’d say if it’s so difficult to organise and get everyone to agree just to knock it on the head. Not everyone can be bothered with Christmas nights out

I think that's really expensive, I wouldn't pay that to go out with work colleagues.

Work pays for us to go out - we get £25pp. In our case that's paying for a three course meal and a glass of wine/beer each. We can then spend our own money on more drinks if we want to. I would probably be happy to pay that amount out of my own pocket, but £40 for a meal for one? No way.

No works do I have ever been to costs that much. We normally just do a lunch deal though. Or cheap disco do occasionally.

I wouldn't pay that. It's more than I spend on my entertainment in a whole month!

Personally, there's no way I would pay £40 to attend a work Christmas do and it would definitely bother me that it was a 100% increase on last year, but I also wouldn't moan at the person doing the hard work of organizing it.

I've worked places where everyone takes in some food for a buffet and we had a party in a meeting room at work. Secret Santa most important part of the party! It's not necessary to spend a lot.

At the moment, my employer funds our Xmas lunch but my previous one didn't and we paid something around £37 per person in a local hotel. That seems ok to me. However, I have to say it does depend on individual finances too, so can't judge.

I think that's v good value for what you're getting!

I still go to my old work's Christmas lunch and that's usually £30 just for the meal.