Help needed - Christmas drinks party social etiquette

[RedCyclamens]

Hello all! One of our service providers has invited few clients (including me) to a Christmas drinks get together at a pub. What s the gift etiquette in this scenario, am I expected to bring a gift for the host, and if, please feel free to share few suggestions for a work colleague appropriate gift.

Thanks in advance

No...it's a pub and it's a client thing. They're hosting you because they want to keep a good relationship going. A gift would only be appropriate if the gathering was in their home.

Thank you @FortunesFave

Bumping for more responses. It would be great to get couple more opinions. I would be mortified if the others brought a gift and I was the only one without one.

I agree with @FortunesFave, it's a work/client thing and you wouldn't be expected to bring a gift. It would seem odd if you did bring a gift to this kind of event.

Depending on the type of organisation you work for, bringing a gift could actually be very inappropriate from an anti bribery/corruption perspective. I personally wouldn't, nor is it likely to be at all expected in the circumstances you describe.

I wouldn't have thought it necessary, you're the client here and it's a Christmas drinks party to thank you for your custom/ keep good relations going. A card might be nice but you don't need to give anything else. If they were hosting it at home then a small gift would be more appropriate as per any invitation

I don't think a gift is expected or even wanted in this scenario.

They'd have to look after it in the pub all evening, remember to take it with them at the end of the night, and possibly get it home on public transport or in a taxi, so sounds more of an inconvenience if anything.

Can you imagine if everyone brought a gift and they had half a dozen parcels to get home, maybe after a few drinks?

No gift needed here at all. You’re a client… this is business function not a personal gathering.

Agree with everyone else, it would be totally inappropriate to take a gift in this example.

No, don't take a gift. They're trying to keep you sweet, not the other way round. I'm surprised you're so keen to go, most people would be inwardly groaning at such a works do. Are you self employed?

There not inviting you, because your charming and funny (I'm sure you are), it's because they want to keep your company's business.

I think a thank you email or letter would be nice afterwards, but not a gift for a company pub evening.

@Fairylights25

I think a thank you email or letter would be nice afterwards, but not a gift for a company pub evening.

Yes exactly this. A nice email or card to say thanks you had a great time and wishing them the best for Christmas and the New Year.

Why would you bring a gift? Is it someone’s birthday or retirement etc?

Past that I’ve never heard of a business event where you bring gifts?

No gift - it would seem a little odd.