How do you feel about works 'christmas do's?

[OutVileJelly1]

I always approach these with trepidation as some folk can to get overdrunk and show themselves up or say things they wish they hadnt

I think I actually hate them and im dreading ours but cannot get out of it now - if you back out at a late stage they make you pay for your place

I don't go. Nothing to like about them whatsoever. At my workplace they are very fancy and paid for (we don't pay) with a massive budget and I'd still sooner stay home alone in my cold house and eat a cheese sandwich. Urgh.

I enjoy mine. About 40 people work in my place of work and everyone gets along, no dramas, all polite in work, but there are different groups everyone belongs to, and we’ve always had three separate dos that suit each group of people, and everyone is happy with it. About 15 people go on a local “do” type night out… think three course meal and a tribute act at a local hotel. 5-10 go for a quiet little meal. Then 10 or so of us don our sparkliest outfit and go into the city for a night out. A few people quite happily don’t come to either. I really enjoy it cause it doesn’t feel like forced, fake fun with people I don’t care much for, it’s just a fun, no pressure night with my mates.

I don’t go. I spend enough time with my colleagues, I don’t want to see them any more than I do.

WTAF? Who signed that off? I wouldn't go anywhere near it and I'd be reporting to HR or People team whatever they call it where you are.

Oh gosh I absolutely love it when people drink too much and make a show of themselves.

Depends on the job and colleagues. One place I worked I enjoyed them until a new man started and filmed all the women dancing after a few drinks. Made me so uncomfortable (told management but he was married to bosses daughter) I never went again.
Where I am now I like my co workers and we generally all get on so I'm looking forward to it

I just don’t go, I can’t be arsed. I’m the only woman on my team and all everyone talks about is football and I’m not interested 😂

I used to love them when they were paid for or even if they weren't all paid for but I worked with friends.

I'm used to the boss at least paying for drinks and one always paid for lunch and drinks. I used to often join another team after their meal as I knew them well.

Now it's the worse of both worlds and I'm not going.

I quite enjoy them but won’t be going this year as I’ve been made redundant…. Hey ho. I won’t miss it that much.

Loved them back in the 80s when I was in my 20s and single !

Some of them I like, some I don't. I prefer the casual ones with some form of fun entertainment and help yourself food and drinks but this year I'll be going to the more formal one. I didn't last year because I couldn't be bothered but this time I want to dress up again (if I can lose the few lbs I've gained and stop looking like a blob anyway)

Hate them, I keep friends and work separate and have no interest in socialising with a bunch of people I just happen to spend 7 hours a day with.

Hate them, stopped going to them about 10 ago.

I've never been to an organised one that's been any good - mass-cooked food that's either horrible or in tiny portions, or both. Over loud music. One or two drunken incidents over the years, unpleasant rather than funny.

Best just to arrange with colleagues you like to go out to a restaurant of your choice that isn't doing a shite 'Christmas menu'.

They're always so noisy you can only talk to the people directly next to you, so entirely depends on who you get. The food is usually mediocre. I wait for the first few people to leave then follow.

Finland, innit, where its completely normal to get naked in a hot, sweaty room with your coworkers and bosses and have some drinks.
Not mixed though, so that makes it awkward, either me and the other woman sauna by ourselves before or afterwards, or everyone has to wear towels to go together and that's just weird.

Hah, it was the boss's idea. This is normal where I am (Finland), plenty of male-orientated (possibly other ones too, I dunno) workplaces do sauna evenings and its a very male field.

If only, not worked for that kind of org for 25 years. I'll go out for lunch with my boss (and we pay for ourselves) if we have time.

I do go with dh but he's the boss so I try to be good despite the open bar.

As long as it's not me getting rat arsed and making a tit of myself, I couldn't care less.

Can't you enjoy it up until then? I normally do. I use to that point in the night to make my exit - nobody will remember if they're drunk.

Totally with you on this.

I like the people I work with so I enjoy them. We decide what we want to do and the company pays for it and funds our booze. What's not to like?! But we have socials every couple of months or so and I think it makes us a stronger team.

I also go to my husband's because he works with a bunch of my friends.

Happy to do the informal team meal with 7/8 of us but I’d rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than attend the big whole company cringe fest

I work with lovely people too. If our works do was a cheese sandwich at a motorway services I would still go.
My last job - i wouldn't have crossed the road to spend time with them. There was always some ridiculous outing in central London. "Ah. No thanks."

I have been to company parties in the past and they have been ok but the past few years we have just done a team dinner and evening out and that is much more enjoyable. I really look forward to it

I'm thankful I actually like my colleagues, and ours is paid for, so it's a nice dinner and some drinks and a chance to enjoy ourselves a bit (imagine there will be sore heads for some but everyone gets on pretty well in our team so can't imagine anyone will disgrace themselves). I'm in my 40s and have a long commute so will be just enjoying the meal and some wine but then going home. We actually have a range of things - the team dinner as above, a lunch in smaller sub teams, also fun, and then a firmwide party which is on a Friday night which I don't go to (because much as I do like my colleagues, come Friday evening I want to be on 'my time' and not with colleagues).

It's very possible I would feel differently if we had to pay for ourselves, I guess that's the case in all public sector jobs.