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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Are you having a Christmas Party this year?

42 replies

Yrmyfavourite · 20/10/2021 13:39

I am a Manager for a company and there are a board of Directors above me.

The CEO has never liked hosting Christmas parties as, he says a lot of people don't turn up and take the p*ss with the free drinks if they do, start fights after drinking too much, doesn't like mixing management/drinking with employees. All kinds of reasons but, pretty much - he has just always hated it.

For background, it is a transport company with about 50 employees, half of which are drivers (hard to come by at the moment) and the office staff have had a naff year, too with covid restrictions and dealing with disgruntled driver/customers etc. As you can imagine, staff turnover is very high and we have had plenty of meetings to explore options of how to keep the staff...

I have been here about 10 years and always arrange the xmas party. Drivers even shout me from across the yard to ask me about it in the middle of the year and they were all very disappointed last year when we couldn't have one due to covid restrictions. The year that I was on maternity leave (2019), they didn't have a party at all as, it usually takes my convincing, to get the Directors to host a xmas party.

Anyway, AIBU for thinking that they are being unreasonable to not host one this year or, provide some sort of gift etc, in replacement, when staff turnover is so sensitive and these people have worked so hard all year in a key worker industry? The CEO says we have a lot of costs at the moment but, I product the monthly accounts and I know there are no issues there.

What are your companies doing this year with regards to Christmas?

OP posts:

WalesStar · 20/10/2021 13:43

We’re having individual team parties this year (as we normally do) but last year with Covid we all got a hamper each instead. I think it’s a nice little way to show how much you appreciate your employees. We have had our company wide Summer party though this year too so no worries about Covid.
I definitely think your company should try to organise something if people enjoy it.

superram · 20/10/2021 13:48

I’d rather have a gift voucher.

TorySteller · 20/10/2021 13:51

If you have a large number of drivers surely a Christmas party is a terrible idea… half your workforce could be off with Covid within a week!

Having said that, I do think that if finances aren’t an issue, some sort of voucher or gift would be an appropriate gesture given the circumstances.

FlorenceWintle · 20/10/2021 13:52

If the staff like it and want one, then he should suck it up and do it. A company is only as good as the people who work there.

DentalWorries · 20/10/2021 13:53

Yes we are having one. And so it seems are most other companies judging by how hard it’s been to find a venue with availability for the date we want.

drpet49 · 20/10/2021 13:54

My company is having a Christmas party and apparently the uptake this year is higher than previous years.

Original poster

Yrmyfavourite · 20/10/2021 14:11

Thanks for the replies! Good to have a comparison of what other companies are doing at the moment.

P.S. Appreciate that covid is still very much an issue. Generally, of the approx. 50 staff, we have around 30 employees turn up which, given the right venue, leaves plenty of room for social distancing etc. Just to confirm, considerations have been given

My initial suggestion to CEO was an outdoor/tipi bar in the local area, which is available for hire. IMO, perfect solution amidst a pandemic.

OP posts:

Crunchymum · 20/10/2021 14:18

Big black tie affair - no not happening again this year (this is the global party where generally a lot of people fly into London and it's held at a hotel)
Office party - there are about 50 of us based in my office. We are all still WFH but office is open. I suspect they'll do a drinks / nibbles / afternoon thing for those who want to attend.
Team event - team of 7 and there will be some kind of Xmas do. Nothing confirmed yet though.

Last year was a hamper - a bloody lovely one though and I'd be happy with that again.

TuftyMarmoset · 20/10/2021 14:18

We normally go for a long lunch at a restaurant as a team (8 people) and then take the rest of the afternoon off, and are planning to do that this year. Not heard anything about the bigger divisional Xmas party (several hundred people) but I don’t normally go to that as I like my evenings to be mine! You definitely need to have some sort of Christmas gesture even if it isn’t a party, a lunch, hampers or gift vouchers are good ideas.

Jasmine11 · 20/10/2021 14:30

Our team (7 of us) are having a pub lunch, but our department are having an online party which is a bit naff - after spending so much time on zoom this year, why would we want to spend even more time on it in our own time? And how do you even have an online christmas party with 50 people anyway! Would much rather they gave us all a voucher or a bottle of wine.

MrsMcCluskeysCat · 20/10/2021 14:53

We normally get the afternoon off on the last working day to have a full company do (350ish employees) with free bar etc, last year this was replaced with a £50 Amazon voucher and we've been told it's not happening again this year but to expect a voucher again.

However each year each individual office/team are free to organise whatever they like on top of that so my office have decided to go ahead and book one. I think out of 45 in the office there's about 20 of us booked on.

We also normally have a summer party with free bar which has been cancelled the last two years so hopefully come next June that will go ahead.

WTF475878237NC · 20/10/2021 14:55

We were having one but it's now been cancelled due to rising cases as the bosses don't want the whole team going down with Covid at the same time. Instead we're getting a gift voucher and chocolates.

Squirrelblanket · 20/10/2021 15:54

Our company usually allocates £40 a head so that teams can go for a team meal. (The £40 is for food only, they don't cover alcohol.)

Last year they just gave everyone the £40 in their pay to spend on whatever they like, and encouraged teams to have online Christmas parties. They announced yesterday that we'll be doing the same this year. I'm happy with that, I'd rather have the money.

1moreglassplease · 20/10/2021 15:59

Work for a huge plc in our London HQ and invitations have gone out for ours.

Last year we had an online radio show and received some F&M hampers at home.

BeyondMyWits · 20/10/2021 16:03

Work in a small pharmacy/shop, we normally have a meal out, but with covid, we couldn't risk it. Having more than 2 off sick would cripple us right now.

DinosApple · 20/10/2021 16:32

Normally the work one would be a few tables at an event or restaurant, but no one wants Covid for Christmas this year (school) so a private DIY event with pizzas in a village hall, BYOB and play lists is the order of the day.
We'll see if it goes ahead though.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 20/10/2021 16:33

We never have a Christmas party but we get a Christmas bonus.

NellePorter · 20/10/2021 16:34

Each department usually organises their own but we've been told that's not allowed this year (we're still not back in the office though)

Fallagain · 20/10/2021 16:34

@Yrmyfavourite

Thanks for the replies! Good to have a comparison of what other companies are doing at the moment.

My initial suggestion to CEO was an outdoor/tipi bar in the local area, which is available for hire. IMO, perfect solution amidst a pandemic.

No one is going to be socially distancing at a party.

Interesting that only 60% attend. I would say some kind of Christmas gift would reach all of your employees.

MrsToothyBitch · 20/10/2021 16:36

My team usually go bowling. They usually choose a Thursday which coincidentally clashes with the Christmas Do for my hobby- which is arranged much further ahead and to which I've usually already committed. SUCH a shame.

I think we're having a big do for the boss leaving at Xmas instead this year... but I think the stuff for it went round when I was on sickleave as I haven't seen anything about it, just heard... and no one appears to have realised I'm NFI!

Fallagain · 20/10/2021 16:37

I’m a sahm now but my old work place are going out. State school so they will paying for themselves. DH works for a large American company who always has very generous Christmas meal out and they aren’t doing that this year. They are still encouraging working from and in the US had mandated all staff must be double vaccinated.

Dee1975 · 20/10/2021 16:37

My company is. I sway from thinking it’s irresponsible to ‘we have to get on with life’.

However, if there is no party, a nice hamper sent to home would make a great gift.

Brainwave89 · 20/10/2021 16:38

We are doing a Christmas party. No reason not to. However, lots of people are now indicating they will not attend, not wishing to attend such a gathering with Covid rates rising.

notanothertakeaway · 20/10/2021 16:39

OP, I would have thought the fact that staff get drunk and start fighting would be a good reason not to host a Christmas party, never mind Covid

89redballoons · 20/10/2021 16:39

We had a virtual Christmas party last year which sounds crap but was surprisingly fun (well - fun in terms of what we were allowed to do in December last year anyway).

Hampers with booze and nice food sent to all our houses, secret Santa by post, a couple of party games like Pictionary over zoom.

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