To have work Christmas party on the Saturday before Christmas in the afternoon.

[Hop27]

At work I'm responsible for our team, my role is focused around them and had planned our Christmas party months ago as a team only (no partners) event on a Friday afternoon in December. All agreed, numbers confirmed etc.
My boss has now decided he doesn't want to do this anymore and wants us to have a family gathering in the office on the Saturday before Christmas. Just drinks and nibbles, with everyone's partners/kids invited, with the main reason for this change being given as we are now finishing on the 17th of December, gifting people extra leave so we cannot justify giving people another half day off.
AIBU to think this is a ridiculous plan, most people will have plans that Saturday nor will people want to spend a Saturday in an office when they clocked off for the year on the Friday?
I've suggested the Friday from 4pm, but apparently that makes it too hard for partners/family to attend.
I have plans on the Saturday before Christmas, so raised it with my boss that I could attend but not from start to finish. His response was it his expectation as a senior person I'd be there for the team. AIBU or would you attend such an event on a Saturday afternoon?

I love Christmas do's and no way would I go on a Saturday after I'd already broken up for Christmas

So people who don’t have long service have to give up their Saturday afternoon and won’t get the benefit of any additional annual leave?

I would probably suck it up for 4 days annual leave, although I’d be a bit resentful. But not for zero.

I've got our main family Christmas activity booked for that Saturday. there is absolutely no way I would cancel it for anything or anyone. we were supposed to do it last year but it got cancelled for covid/lockdowns. it's something my DH used to do as a child and he is usually very sensible and practical but I swear he's more excited than the kids. Your boss is going to be very lonely in the office that day....

Not a chance I’d do this.

@Chasingaftermidnight

So people who don’t have long service have to give up their Saturday afternoon and won’t get the benefit of any additional annual leave?

I would probably suck it up for 4 days annual leave, although I’d be a bit resentful. But not for zero.

It’s staggered 0-4 depending on length of service

Very generous IMO

I would not be attending this! I don't want the covid/general germ risk of other people's children in December and I would be unwilling to give up prearranged plans, especially if I couldn't get my money back or would have to pay more.

Also if you want me to attend a work event out of contracted hours and over my max hrs p/w if full time- I want time and a half for the time I'm there or I want TOIL back... the Friday afternoon the day before will be just dandy. Really pity I got pinged for a PCR after going out and now can't attend the forced jollity

Could anything sound more Christmassy than a Saturday Christmas Family Office Party!?

Fuck that, on a Saturday?

Of course people won’t go, they have plans!!

I wouldn't mind someone cancelling or moving our work party to a weekday evening if we were being given extra annual leave.

I would possibly go in to work on a Saturday but only if I didn't have other plans and I wouldn't rearrange anything to go.

Saturday no way in a million years

Probably not a good idea to have all work colleagues there and their families so close to xmas I'd be so annoyed if I caught Covid over xmas just for a works xmas party

Not a chance I would be attending.

I can’t quite decide which is worse, the Saturday afternoon thing or the “everybody bring their families” thing.

Quite clearly a daft suggestion

Last weekend before Christmas is usually about seeing family we can't see over Christmas itself.

Also I hate works dos with partners and family - it's all so forced jollity.

And as for the senior people attending - well for me it would would have been don't ask, don't tell. Employers don't own you body, soul and weekends in my book

In all seriousness though, this obviously been set up by people who don't do the planning etc at home and it doesn't surprise me that it's men. Given that 2/4 of you weren't involved or agreed to this, could you get HR on them or make it problematic? I might start collecting s list of events/plans that will be displaced if they really try to push this. Hope an initial staff canvas returns a lot of noes.

And personally I'd rather have the leave and just not have a staff do as the trade off.

I remember once going to a work party on a Saturday before Christmas.

It threw everything out. Didn’t get trees up when we usually do, loads of stuff got shoved back.

I’d never do it again.

@PuppyMonkey

I can’t quite decide which is worse, the Saturday afternoon thing or the “everybody bring their families” thing.

This

I wouldn't attend a work event on a weekend. Even a Friday would be a maybe depending on my other plans

He could wipe out everyone’s Xmas…. make an excuse OP

I've to send comms out to the teams today. Will report back with numbers !

Party committee member here: we tried several times a Saturday dinner with partners and it was always a nightmare.

Employees with children wouldn't come unless they had a family babysitter or the opportunity to have the children sleeping overnight somewhere else.
Also, several had days out planned or the children had Christmas things with their sports/dance/sport clubs.

Others didn't want to come on a Saturday into Central London. with expenses of a cab or hotel night.

A Friday never worked as partners were still at work, couldn't or wouldn't take time off, children couldnt' come on their own, had after school activities.

We changed back to a Thursday after work, normally we have a 85% attendance now.

Good luck Hop! I hope no one is rude to you but I hope your boss gets told to shove it!

Hell no. That particular weekend I’ve got plans that I wouldn’t be cancelling. I’d have thought lots of people would. One of my employers tried to do a family thing and seemed upset people didn’t bring their small children to an evening event a commute away at 5. For it to work, I’d have to go home, collect children, get back on a train and then have grumpy children over the evening. Funnily enough it was never very popular.

Being told you have to attend is so jolly and Christmassy, isn't it?

It's moved to the Friday .....