Christmas party!

[ChristmasParty]

I get the ultimate decision about if our Xmas party should be going ahead next Thursday.
It will be a big knees up, lots of booze and dancing. Sweating too as it’s fancy dress and most outfits make you sweat. Vodka luge and a sing a long schedule for some point.
We’ve got people coming in from all over the country (and one or two from abroad but we might cancel them as the timings don’t work) and have put many people up in a hotel to really make the most of the evening.

Now, people really need this. We haven’t seen each other in a while and do have a pub culture (but not only a pub culture). Everyone has worked hard, and our results are staggering good.

On the other hand, if one person has it the whole company will have it and well be up shits creek.

I was really hoping bojo gave us a bit more today. He was as underwhelming as ever.

So, aibu to go ahead with the company chrismas party?

We had ours last Friday and I had the best time, as did everyone else (or at least those I spoke to!) Everyone was asked to take a LFT before arrival and not to come if they were feeling unwell in any form, even if LFT was negative. It was essentially an "you are adults, you know how to act responsibly" premise.

In light of current guidance my employer has opted to cancel any client events but has said they will not stop any employee events going ahead as long as people are sensible. I have a couple of Christmas socials coming up next week and both are still going ahead as planned.

The majority of people are double jabbed and take LFTs, so the risk is managed. It's the best of a crap time really and I believe our employer is trying to give us some good times considering the length of time restrictions in some form have been in place.

Our's will be going ahead unless the law changes to prohibit it
Can't wait

I wouldn't but then i'm a bit fucked off with colleagues who keep being off "with symptoms" and still being paid because they spend all weekend partying.

All good points.
To confirm, yes lateral flow registered with the NHS beforehand is already a prerequisite. Masks will be optional. No coming if you have someone in your household positive with covid. No coming if you have symptoms.
Its next Wednesday.

I think go for it! You might have the casting vote but people are free not to attend if they don't want to, it's not on you if a willing participant catches covid!

Also, a vodka luge in the best circumstances is a bad idea. But so much fun. We will rethink that.
To the person who asked, yes I can move it by midday tomorrow (1 week beforehand) without incurring any costs.
We had planned to do a slack vote tomorrow to see who is still up for it.

Ours have all been cancelled at work. Just not worth the risk.

It seems like its a really mixed bag of yes and not

Sorry @MrsMcCluskeysCat answer on refund above

Go to the party I love all the stories of Xmas parties on here

I think one of my concerns is that we’re spending around £150 per head and I also don’t want all that money to go to waste if people cancel at short notice.

Have the party, people can make their own decisions as to whether to attend or not.

Just do it and enjoy!

Ours is going ahead on Saturday but we pay for it ourselves, dinner, drinks and dancing. We had to pay for it all a couple of weeks ago so those that didn’t want to go due to Covid pulled out then. I’d personally go ahead with it, don’t know what a vodka luge is but it sounds good!

At £150 pp I’d worry about it being a damp squib if numerous people pull out in dribs and drabs over the coming week. There’ll be plenty who are mulling it over, others who want to attend but are coming under pressure from partners etc not to do so. The threads on here bear that out.

I think that a vote is a good idea to judge numbers.

Let it happen. Those who will want to be there will be there

You must be a Tory,using Bojo for our shite PM.Go ahead,because Bojo doesnt give a fuck if you get covid or not.

Can the company function if everyone has to WFH?

I'm in the same position - I've got to travel for miles to London on a packed train for a meeting with 50+ colleagues in an office (we will all do LFTs beforehand) but then it's a big banqueting party with 600+ unknown people. It's all paid for by our company so I won't lose out if I don't go.

I really want to see everyone for the first time since March 2020 but the meeting and party are the week before Christmas and I don't want to chance catching covid (as far as I know I've escaped so far). Part of me hopes it will be cancelled so the decision is taken out of my hands really :(

@ChristmasParty our social committee is spending about the same amount but we were told we'd lose the budget anyway if we didn't use it by the end of the year.

I wouldn;t want to go to this at the moment, personally.

Yes put it to the vote but think of offering an alternative reward if it’s cancelled.

M&S voucher?
Xmas hamper?
Choice of gifts?

Good luck - no right decision really, just a matter of weighing up the risks and managing expectations

If your party causes a Covid issue at work, that’s potentially huge proportion of your workforce off at the same time. If you can largely wfh if symptoms are mild then that’s possible to manage.

I'm on mat leave so perfect excuse but then I work in healthcare so would see my colleagues day in day out. My dh hasn't seen his since March 2020 so he is going to his.

Yanbu but I would put it to a vote and guage numbers. That's what my dh's work have done.