To ask if you'd be happy with this xmas do?Just want opinions.

[ThatBliddyWoman]

I am not the (supposed) typical MNer when it comes to socialisation. I love a party or 'do', I don't mind going out after dark, I don't see anything wrong with a good booze-up providing it isn't every night, I even answer my door (I am being lighthearted here just in case you were wondering)!

I am quite looking forward to my work Christmas event, which consists of a 'team day' (which I think consists of some learning and some 'team building' activities), starting at 12:30 in the Marriot. I don't know how long this goes on for, they haven't said.

The evening consists of us arriving (at a different venue) at 19:00, dinner, dancing, disco and then at 00:30 we leave.

This may sound all good and fun BUT;

We all WFH. We all live within the UK.

This will be the first time a lot of us have ever met (most of us, in fact as the team has expanded a lot this year so only a handful of us aren't new).

With the exception of a few of us, the majority of us live in a different country to the venue(s).

I would be looking at around a 4.5 hour drive, which I do not want to do on account of unpredictable weather both in the destination and where I live.

Work are paying for our train fare or petrol and hotel stay.

To get the train involves a 05:30 ish? Start maybe even earlier-the train is at around 07:00 in my nearest city. There are several changes.

This affects the evening before, for me as I will have to be in bed very early compared to normal.

It also means the majority of the next day is also taken up as a lot of it will be spent travelling back, packing/unpacking etc.

I am not even the one who is furthest away. One colleague's journey is 9 and a half hours!

Some are having to get flights.

I would be happy for work to send us all £20 and say 'let's meet up on Teams and have a few glasses of fizz together!

AIBU?

I am quite looking forward to it, in a way but I will arrive shattered and grumpy, It's guaranteed, and I doubt I'll be the only one!

You've put me to shame. I can't even be bothered to drive for half an hour to mine.

But I will.

Probably.

For me that would depend on if I fancied a night out with colleagues!

That, IMHO, IS bonkers!

The guess who sounds dreadful. I've changed my mind about my earlier post.

I wouldn't even consider going to that. Mine is in the centre of my local town 20-25 minutes away and I've made an excuse not to go to that. Various reasons for not wanting to go.
If you are a social person then could you make your teams suggestion? Eg please dial me in and I'll have a drink with you all. I think that sounds nice and that's happened on a girls weekend I went on recently. The one member of the group who couldn't make it face timed us all so we all got to see each other.

Team building shite is a good reason not to go!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat I didn’t say it wasn’t but everywhere I’ve worked has done it and expected attendance - a couple of people used to always book holiday as soon as anything like that was announced 🤣

I was made redundant this year and even after it was announced everyone affected was expected to go on a team building afternoon. Others did but I didn't - I couldn't see the point! I missed the previous one with a broken toe as it involved a lot of activity. Not that I recommend breaking bones to get out of team building!

I can see why you're worried about the early start and travelling, but otherwise I think it sounds great to meet your long-distance colleagues first in a work context and then socialising. If you're only expected to do this once a year it doesn't sound too bad.
I'd ask them to cover a hotel the night before though for those who need it, or even consider paying for it yourself - an AirBandB maybe.

10 years ago I'd have been well up for it, but these days an 00:30 finish would be far too late for me. I'd probably pass on the whole evening bit.

The last work event I went to in that style was one with different companies in the same room; they'd crammed so many in that you could barely move between the tables. Was supposed to be food 19:00 - 21:00 then disco till late. However, unsurprisingly it took the waiters ages to serve the food. The main course turned up about 22:00, so I ate that and called it a night. The food was at best, indifferent. Plenty of booze but I've learned from experience not to get drunk at work things.

I think I might do that next year but I doubt I'll have much of a say. I am not in management, I have a professional role but nothing to do with events organisation. And everyone seems so SO excited about it! And they are spending a lot of money. I don't want to seem ungrateful when for a lot of companies, the 'xmas do' consists of the boss maybe buying everyone a glass of fizz and that's it.

Hmm. How easy would it be to break my toe I wonder.... 😆

You're right, and as I have said I am quite looking forward to it!

The main thing is the travel/distance/timings. I am not a morning person at all never have been, even as a child. My body does not seem to want to fall asleep until the early hours, I do try, I get in bed early, I do things that help me sleep but even if I do sleep, I am not in a deep sleep until at the earliest about 2 am. When I worked nights for a few years I was on fire-wide awake, no problem whatsoever, lots of energy but with a daytime role I do struggle a little-it just seems to be the way I am wired.

With the early start, I doubt I'll get any sleep at all, not just becuase I don't sleep early but also as I will be so worried about not waking up!

I totally should've thought it through better and got an AirBandB. Definitely something I'll do if they do this again in future!

This also worries me! We're not a huge team (only twenty something of us) and as far as I know it is just us, so not that, but about the drinking thing-I have seen some absolute nightmares before! One woman in my old job (police!) was sick all over the table, the hotel room, the bed.... She was a very demure, quiet lady who hardly ever drank probably part of the problem and she was mortified. I mean, she didn't really do anything wrong, but colleagues had to look after her and she was so embarrassed. That will never be me, but I am used to having a few drinks with friends and even then, I go over things the following day;

Was I horrible?
Did I offend anyone?
Did so and so think I was meaning this when I meant this?

I can imagine it being even worse with people I don't really know!

And generally speaking, I am quite confident and liberal but something about booze just gives me that next day anxiety!

That’s very unfortunate. Maybe next year things will work out better. Good luck!

You sound miserable.

Thank you.
I will update everyone to how it went (It's next weekend)!

Top tip - leave a Birkenstock on the bedroom floor pointing towards a cupboard or chest of drawers. Get up in the middle of the night and kick said Birkenstock. It will hit the cupboard but won’t bend and the force will break whichever toe happened to be in the firing line. For added drama make sure the cat jumps on the bed and pulls the cover down tightly over the newly broken toe.

As you can tell I’m extremely clumsy!

That sounds extremely painful especially the cat

I am now wondering which would be more painful, that, or having to think up a 'guilty pleasure' to divulge to everyone at the xmas do. Especially as I have just applied for a promotion. Hmm...

This. If you're all home workers it's nice to finally see people in person!

It is, I agree and I am very lucky that I have a very supportive, friendly workplace. And I will make the most of it and have a nice time.

I just wish it were, maybe, ONE 40 minute train drive away setting off at 8-9 am? 😂

Siubds reasonable to me. Its a teambuilding day with xmas do afterwards. Work aee civering expenses

I am looking forward to mine - and not dissimilar in travel as I need to get a 6.30 am train to get in 9.30ish but it is nice to meet people, we are having a team strategy morning followed by an activity, meal and then drinks -.and I appreciate the hotel - it is near the London office so I can roll out of bed and in to the office the morning after and get a 3.30 train home so back by 6ish

I appreciate that I wfh 3 days a week (and only a 20 min commute when I am in) so going out of my way for a lovely Xmas event is no great shakes imo