Excuses not to attend a work Christmas party?

[Janedoe95]

I’m on Mat leave anyway and it’s about 2 hours away so I’m not interested in going far away from my breastfed baby… especially as I can’t even drink lol

but I need a reasonable excuse so that I still seem committed to my job.

Just what you’ve said - that is a reasonable excuse, not that anyone needs one!

Just say you are not in a position to leave baby to travel for it. That's a perfectly valid excuse, especially when still on mat leave.

Here is your excuse… I’m on Mat leave anyway and it’s about 2 hours away so I’m not interested in going far away from my breastfed baby… especially as I can’t even drink lol
What else would you need to say?

your reasons sound pretty reasonable.

Leaving aside the baby and the breastfeeding, there's no way I'd go to a work Christmas party that was a 2 hr journey away.

I wish I could but I don't want to.

You already have plans that day

I just decline, hasn't hurt my career. However, young breastfed baby is excuse enough! If I want to give an excuse, I say I don't have childcare available and DP is working/already has commitments at that time.

Thank you I went with your answer!
i think I’m over thinking it but as I plan to continue breastfeeding I don’t want them to think it’ll always be my excuse

Your excuse for what?

Your baby isn't going to breastfeed forever.

I've had to organize work Christmas parties before. People really don't care what the reasons are, they just want people to respond with a yay or a nay. It's the people who don't respond at all that are the annoying ones.

You have a prior commitment (with Coronation Street ).

"I can't make it"
No excuse needed.

Tell the truth, it's a perfectly understandable reason. Just give them sufficient notice so they don't have to pay out for your meal/drinks/flight, whatever.

Well that's you sorted with an excuse, just tell the truth, I'd totally understand if I were your colleagues.
Anyone got any good excuses for me to avoid mine due to a toxic colleague who masquerades as a friend and will home in on me and put me down to make herself look clever, she's also the inclusion & diversity champion and as I'm apparently simply dripping with cis and white privilege I'm her no 1 target 🙄😂

What would a man do? Probably say "sorry, can't make it" and leave it at that.

In my experience (and I wish it wasn't so) giving reasons/excuses like childcare etc can lead to discrimination, even if it's indirect, creates a mindset of x can't do y thing so don't ask her.

I've been fighting against the "old boy" network for years, where opportunities get discussed in the pub after work, where training courses with residential needs are not offered to women or where client hospitality is focused on male pursuits (and where the relationships formed thereby lead to opportunities or enhanced performance).

Perfectly fine. I tried to make mine when on MAT leave and was an absolute disaster and didn't make it in the end. My boss was annoyed I'd said yes then pulled out very last minute. I tried i really did, but getting out the house for an evening leaving a tired hungry 3 month old breastfed baby turned out to be impossible. Exhaustion, hormones, leaky boobs etc etc. Nah.

I should have been realistic and said sorry it's not practical, but can't wait to see the photos and catch up for KIT day soon X

Don't deny yourself a drink over Christmas though, OP! You definitely can drink when you're BF!

You don't have to give a reason or excuse for not attending

I simply said thank you for the invite but I won't be attending

It's non of anybody's business why I'm not going and if they ask that's what they'll be told

I simply declined mine. I don't want to go.

My 'excuse' I work with these people, I don't want to spend my own time with them.

Turns out I'm not the only one.

I've not bothered giving any excuses, I've just declined the invitation to mine - one is firm-wide, one is departmental. Both in the evening in London and I can't be bothered. I don't care if they think I am anti-social.

If they were at lunchtime and in work time, I'd go.

I just tell my colleagues that I can’t be arsed and they are absolutely fine about it .
Your reasons are perfectly valid .

In situations like this I always say I have a prior commitment and make a big deal of how sad I am that I can’t be there (lies). And wish them all an amazing time.

I think your reason is good enough. If you want to jazz it up a bit you could say on the day that baby has a fever?