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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how much you would willingly pay for your work's Christmas Party?

240 replies

Hohohonooo · 05/12/2018 22:19

I'm not going because of the cost.

Ours is £70 per person, which is for a 3 course meal and all inclusive beer and wine. AIBU to think that's way too much?! For context, I earn £25000 per year, which is fairly typical for my workplace.

How much would you be willing to spend?

OP posts:
Hamandcrispsandwich · 05/12/2018 22:46

In my last job, the Christmas party last year was £92!Shock It was for a three course meal, drinks and a disco.
We were also told that, as it was quite a distance away, the company were paying for travel to and from the venue. This also meant that we all had to stay for the duration of the event, unless we could get our own transport to collect us early (no car park local!)

BUT

If we paid the £92, but couldn't attend on the day, illness etc, then we had to pay the company an additional £68 to cover the booking fee, transport and something else (can't remember what) Hmm

I didn't go! I'm not sure many did!Grin

IWouldPreferNotTo · 05/12/2018 22:49

Ours is free but I just can't justify the cost. It's black tie and it will be strictly enforced so I'd be looking at £80 for suit & shoes hire, £40 taxi and probably £40 drinks (after the free has gone and it's not cheap).

Original poster
Hohohonooo · 05/12/2018 22:49

It's a public sector job, so I don't mind paying. I just think £70 is a lot, especially as it takes me a whole day to earn that much!

OP posts:
MazDazzle · 05/12/2018 22:52

Usually ours is £35 for the meal and we pay for our own drinks, but I’m a teacher so I’m used to paying for everything, even down to things such as coffee and biscuits/sandwiches during a meeting and buffet lunch during training days. One year we organised a ceiligh in the school hall. We had to bring our own food/drink (even glasses, plates and cutlery!) and at the end of the night everyone had to chip in and tidy up!

UnderMajorDomoMinor · 05/12/2018 22:53

Public sector so always pay. I’d go up to £25 but this year it’s £16 which seems v reasonable and I like my team so I’m looking forward to it!

UnderMajorDomoMinor · 05/12/2018 22:53

So I always pay - no contribution from work

NoSquirrels · 05/12/2018 22:56

I’ve always worked places where a lunch or evening do was paid for, because the companies always counted it as a relatively cheap (to them) team-building thing.

If I was paying, I’d be happy at the £25-30 mark, including at least a glass of something alcoholic. Over £30 I’d want a spectacular menu/place/extras or whatever.

I really like good food and good booze. But in reality Christmas mass catering is not the best experience no matter where you are, so it feels like a rip off m. I’m really happy to pay for quality but works Christmas dos don’t fall into that: you don’t get to choose how or where that money gets spent.

£70 for a works do, regardless of income, sounds criminal to me! £70 just before Christmas is spectacularly misjudged by the company for their employees on £25K or less. I’d probably moan loudly!

Mascarponeandwine · 05/12/2018 22:56

If you have to pay it’s not really a “works” Xmas party is it. It’s not the employer organising and funding it. It’s employees choosing to go to an event together outside of work time.

bathsh3ba · 05/12/2018 22:57

We paid £10 towards food this year, for a 3 course meal with the company subsidising the rest and providing a welcome drink and wine for the table. Based on places I have worked before, this feels insanely generous but it is my first private sector job...

Penguinsetpandas · 05/12/2018 23:01

I would pay up to £100 not to go but 0 to go. Grin

Almost everywhere I have worked have been free.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 05/12/2018 23:03

£0.

I expect to pay for my travel there and my own drinks but not for my meal. And I wouldn't go if it was over £30.

We have an 'allowance' of £55 each for our Christmas budget, £70 is far too much. That's about 3/4 of what I would pay for a meal for my family of five.

Vitalogy · 05/12/2018 23:04

Ours is free. If it wasn't I wouldn't be going. Doubt anyone else would either. If a company doesn't pay for the Christmas do, then shame on them.

vdbfamily · 05/12/2018 23:07

NHS worker and we are going to local pub £18 for 3 courses and buy your own drinks.

ASongOfRiceAndPeas · 05/12/2018 23:08

Oh my goodness. I’m very lucky that my current employer pulls out all the stops and puts on a huge party, all costs covered by them. It’s a great place to work with excellent perks in general though.

I’ve worked in other private sector jobs where they gave £20pp for a meal and you would end up putting some of your own money in.

In my first job working at a well known store owned by a famous pension swindler, the Christmas parties were infamous. Huge raves with proper djs and you were given several free drinks tokens.

If I worked in public sector and liked my colleagues I would want to go for a Christmas meal or drinks anyway, to let off steam and wouldn’t mind paying for a night out.

Pachyderm1 · 05/12/2018 23:09

That’s crazy! Ours is fully paid for and tbh I would resent paying anything for an event that isn’t always what you would choose to do and is often viewed as compulsory.

DerelictWreck · 05/12/2018 23:10

Of course some people have to pay! Imagine the outrage if the nhs or any other public organisation paid £30 a head for the staff to have a Christmas party!!

I'm public sector and mines paid for! We get a three course meal with wine paid for, then we pay for drinks at the bar afterwards and anything else as we carry on.

namechangedforanon · 05/12/2018 23:10

Have only been to employer funded ones. £70 is way too much

Ollivander84 · 05/12/2018 23:12

I have two
One - NHS. £25 for three course meal and then drinks in town after. Happy to pay that
Two - three course meal paid for (£30) and then we have £50 allowance per person for drinks/entry fees/taxis

DontDribbleOnTheCarpet · 05/12/2018 23:13

I've been self employed for about 14 years, and this year I'm declaring a compulsory Christmas do. It will involve new slippers, a box of chocolates and whatever nonsense I fancy on Netflix. I may even shag my employee at the end of the night, if I'm feeling wild. It's okay though, we've been married for 25 years!

badlydrawnperson · 05/12/2018 23:17

Zero.

Youmadorwhat · 05/12/2018 23:18

@Marscaponeandwine that’s funny because on a similar thread I stated how I have never had to pay in any of my jobs and I worked in a school in the U.K. for 5years 🤣🤣 I figure now the head probably paid for it??!!

Cynderella · 05/12/2018 23:25

Teacher - ours is always about £25 not including drinks. Food is generally OK and there is no entertainment - some go on somewhere else after. I don't go, but do go to an alternative with colleagues where we split the bill. We only have a glass of wine each because we all drive home afterwards.

Public sector, so I wouldn't mind paying but it's not really my thing - prefer a smaller group. It needs to be cheap because a lot of our staff are poorly paid - low wage and paid pro rata for 39 weeks a year.

Saracen · 05/12/2018 23:28

£70 is way too much for someone on your salary to have to pay. In many jobs I would expect the employer to pay. Otherwise about £30.

Chickenitalia · 05/12/2018 23:30

£25 for 3 courses, drinks on top. As I’m rural and would have to drive, it’s a cheap night on that score! Work contributes £5pp. This is private sector too, cheapskates. But mainly I avoid, because I end up so busy with other dc stuff in the lead up to Christmas.

DH has to pay for the meal (£30 for 3 courses) but drinks are on work. I’ve always felt bad for those who don’t drink alcohol. Dh always gets his moneys worth 😐

I would not ever pay £70 for a work do. I like most of my colleagues but that’s a weeks food for my family. No.

CooksMatches2 · 05/12/2018 23:32

£70 is a bargain for all inclusive booze! Ours is £38 just for the meal!