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Original poster

The work christmas lunch

28 replies

buddhasbelly · 13/10/2015 21:55

I'm being a bit of a party pooper and not going to mine.

It's a week before Christmas in a mediocre hotel charging 40 quid a head (including some wine but I don't drink).

I'm one of the lowest earners in my office team so just cant really justify spending that much on a meal, it's earmarked as last minute present money.

Do you go to yours and if so am I missing out on a good night?

OP posts:
Snausage · 14/10/2015 09:54

I find the office Christmas party to be a bit of a drag, to be honest. Some places go all out and it's a great night, but £40 seems quite a lot for what you describe, especially if you're not drinking! If you have any colleagues that you are particularly friendly with, maybe you can arrange something with them, but I don't think you're missing out on much unless you really like to see people get absolutely sozzled (I think that's the law at work Christmas parties).

merrygoround51 · 14/10/2015 10:09

I would never go to a work christmas party where you had to pay for yourself

Isitchristmasyet4 · 14/10/2015 15:57

my boss is very generous and organises a brill night out every year all expenses paid, its the highlight of the year lol! If he didn't pay, i wouldn't go... tightarse

Perfectlypurple · 14/10/2015 16:12

I'm not going to mine. My team are awful and I have no desire to spend time with them out of work.

Jackmelad · 14/10/2015 18:19

We have a lunch and a party night. I don't go to the party night. The food is normally mediocre at best, I don't drink at any work event (never). It's too far from home so would mean an overnight stay, so even more cost and would impact on my weekend plans.

I do however attend the lunch. More so I don't appear to be a party pooper than out of choice.

chanie44 · 14/10/2015 18:50

We have lunch, which we have to pay for ourselves. I go, but could easily do without it.

Kbear · 14/10/2015 18:53

Boss pays for us all to have meal at lunchtime in nice restaurant, all expenses paid (32 of us) and drinks after in the bar until about 8pm then he leaves and we all pay for our own after that.

He's just paid for us all to have a weekend in France and Belgium too - I take back all those things I said about him haha

annandale · 14/10/2015 18:54

Usually it's part of my Christmas budget but this year I'm hoping not to go. Last year it cost me £90.

I don't know why an evening at the pub isn't acceptable any more.

VulcanWoman · 14/10/2015 19:39

The work place should pay, the tight gits.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 14/10/2015 19:50

Oh my thread has been picked up thanks mners Smile

I get on with everyone that I work with, but yes basically have no desire to see them tipsy with me being the only one sober.

We're a big organisation so each department (that has many senior managers not one overseeing iyswim) so everyone is expected to pay for themselves.

We actually went out once for a leaving do lunch (approx £7/head which I struggled to afford as had a lot of expenses that month) but went anyway. I had £30 in cash on me (£20 earmarked for food shop after work). The cash machine at the place we work was broken so I ended up subbing 2 of the highest paid earners in the company - was rather odd! (both paid back later in the week).

I just often find the food v mediocre (fine for a pub lunch but not for a £40 quid meal - live in a rather cheap area so £40 considered a lot).

If it was a £20 lunch with no alcohol involved id be far more inclined to attend but glad I'm not viewed on here as being a bit too bah humbug!

OP posts:
sky1010 · 14/10/2015 20:10

I'm going to mine, it's near £50 and a big expense- but I like my team and in my line of work it's good for general morale.

We do seem to be getting a lot for our money, which softens the blow.

Madbengalmum · 14/10/2015 20:14

Im glad i dont have to do these anymore, i used to f*ing hate xmas do's.

MrsMilkyMoo · 14/10/2015 20:20

I'm not going to either the lunch or dinner and party. I like most of my colleagues but the lunch is very expensive, and I'm not an evening party kind of person, don't drink, and don't like loud music/dancing. If the lunch had been cheaper or free I'd definitely have gone but December is an expensive month!

Twickerhun · 14/10/2015 20:21

I'd rather not go but haven't worked out how to get out of it.

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 14/10/2015 20:37

well it seems like it was fate that I opted not to go, my brother (who I haven't seen in over a year (for 3 days prior to that 2 years since i had seen him) is coming home for xmas on....the day before the booked dinner! No way would I have gone and I would've lost my deposit.

Plus my brother is an award winning chef and has promised to cook for me and dd as a housewarming meal (moved into our house a few months ago) - yes I am gloating, but unashamed as I am soo excited to see him (and get his cooking!!!!) buddha dances round the room in excitement

OP posts:
belindarose · 14/10/2015 20:41

I never go to these. I used to dread them and hate them so much. Then I realised I was an adult and could choose not to go! It makes such a difference.

I don't give reasons, don't make excuses. I don't criticise other people's choice to attend. I don't make a big deal of not going. I just don't go. If pressed for reasons (rarely) I will say something like 'it's not my kind of thing' but mostly now (and even in a new work place) colleagues will just say 'Belinda doesn't come to them'.

ItsaTenfromDen · 14/10/2015 20:44

Last year our Christmas do ended up being in June:) I don't think the person organising realises that if you want to do a do at Christmas you have to book way in advance

Original poster
buddhasbelly · 14/10/2015 20:44

Twickerhun I started to say to a team leader that financially I couldn't justify it and I don't drink, before I could finish she said "say no more."

You don't need to given reasons; just say you can't attend if you don't want to, basically what belindarose has said (she puts it far better than I could!)

OP posts:
Original poster
buddhasbelly · 14/10/2015 20:45

I'd go to one in June Den! the food would be better and the meal cheaper!

OP posts:
Star2015 · 15/10/2015 17:36

In our workplace we have both a lunch time meal and an evening do.

The evening do is free for all. The lunch is free for the team members, leaders (including myself) have to pay for ourselves when we take our teams out.

We're also expected to buy a round of drinks (even though I'm the leader most of my team earn much more than me as they've been with the company since Father Christmas rocked the streets).

In addition, when paying for our teams meal we claim 'vouchers' from our recognition budget, which is terribly inconvenient for me since I'm on a budget and shop at Aldi but that isn't an option, only the big stores like Sainsburys and Tesco. It's £250+ so no doubt I am left out of pocket.

So I guess sometimes even the managers don't want the hassle of the Christmas meals/dos!!

NigelLikesSalad · 15/10/2015 17:42

I hate office parties and office meals, they make me cringe. I never go if I can help it, even when I'm being paid for. Work nights in my home life time are just hideous.

Muskey · 15/10/2015 17:44

This will be the first year ever I will not be attending. Yes the food is expensive and mediocre at best but they can be okish. This year however i work for a boss who ignores me most of the time and when he does deign to speak to me he talks to me as though I am an idiot. The icing on the cake was when the whole team were invited out to a team dinner with the exception of me. I don't want to spend anymore time with such an arse than I have to and can't wait until I find a new job

NigelLikesSalad · 15/10/2015 17:44

And as others have said, I don't make excuses, I just say I don't do Christmas meals so won't be going :)

Sadik · 15/10/2015 18:15

I always go, but as I'm the boss I kind of have to Grin (and we pay! and provide - small - Christmas presents).

Back in the days when I was an employee, the Christmas parties were paid for by the company, no partners invited, and awesome. One particularly memorable one involved a piss up meal in a Cambridge college where one of the company directors was also an academic - and in fact in charge of college discipline. He was caught by a porter climbing over college walls at about 3 in the morning, very much the worse for wear I never did find out whether he gave himself a stern talking to.

scarlets · 15/10/2015 23:26

In my workplace, if people opt not to attend it's not commented on. It is very laid-back.

It's just lunch in a local pub, and people who want to go drinking afterwards can do so. It's not funded.

Our immediate team has decided to have a lunch on our own because a few of us can't make the bigger one.