Anyone dreading their work Christmas party?

[eloisie]

It's all in the title. Looking for some motivation as I am feeling quite deflated about work!

I'm not looking forward to ours, and I wish I had an excuse not to go, but for various reasons, I have to. I am going to drive so I won't be drinking and I'm giving a lift to another teetotal workmate. I will wear a sparkly dress, eat my meal, then make my excuses and leave shortly afterwards. I loathe enforced jollity.

Nope.

Mine was yesterday - great fun. Free food, drink & taxi and a catchup with colleagues I hadn't seen in a while. But I work with nice people...

I didn't go to mine cos I couldn't be bothered with it all and it seems like it was pretty crap anyway! Going out for a meal with a few of the work girls instead so we can have a proper catch up.

I have 2 next week. I'll go to the smaller one on Thursday, im really new to the team so feel i have to, will def be staying away from the wine though, but it doesnt start till 6pm and after a full day of meetings.

Will prob skip the one on Friday though.

I miss the days of proper christmas parties, getting dressed up, nice meal and a fancy location!!

I didn’t sign up to ours this year. It’s tonight and I’m feeling really pleased with that decision.

@eloisie don’t go if you don’t want to.

Strayed a new job and have signed up for the Xmas party. Now looking for any polite excuse not to go - not really wanting to spend £30-£40 quid when I’ve just been told I’m not one of team. (I work part time).
Dh has volunteered to have a political illness.

You don't have to go if you really don't fancy it. I forced myself to mine and ended up having a really great night.

I will be going to the work funded round of drinks and nibbles but will melt away straight after that.

I'm going back and forth on whether to attend mine next week. I went back after maternity leave this week and and I'm in a new team so it would be a good chance to get to know people and get dressed up, but also the idea of a night out with people I don't know gives me anxiety, help!

I’ve given up on all firm Christmas parties! They are never as fun as people make them out to be 😂 I like smaller department ones though and I can actually talk to my colleagues!

Not dreading but I don't want to go. i have to travel, think London to Manchester, it starts as 12, I can't do an overnight as i need to be here the day before and after for various reasons so I need to be on the 1700 train back. about 8 hours of travel for pizza and bowling...

I always say no to the big Christmas party. This year it's a ball in a posh hotel. So glad I'm not going 🤣.

Will be going to the department meal though. If you really don't want to go then just say no x

I only attended anything work related in working hours.
Otherwise it's a no

I didn’t love mine, especially as it was in a. Noisy bar with loud music and my hearing isn’t great so my attempts to chat to colleagues were slightly marred by having to keep saying “what?”

Left early which had dual benefit of meaning I wasn’t there any more and was fresh as a daisy next day.

I have never been to a work Christmas party that was fun. Have occasionally had a good time in the pub with colleagues over the Christmas season, arranged informally and last minute.
My advice would be don’t go if you don’t want to. You don’t have to, you won’t be sacked if you don’t turn up, you can just say no. If it’s not a prepaid formal dinner, you don’t even have to give any notice, just text last minute saying somethings come up at home so you can’t make it.
Better to turn down the invite in advance, but it’s probably too late for that.

Mine is tomorrow lunchtime. Looking forward to it less than usual as I'm pregnant so not drinking (and can't have the menu options I'd usually have had ).

Colleagues will likely continue on into the evening but I suspect my tolerance for watching people get drunk will expire earlier than that.

Mines tonight at The Kimpton. Black tie formal and winter wonderland themed apparently.

That being said, I'm only excited because I love the food at The Kimpton, its all inclusive so I don't have to pay anything, I get to dress up in a ball gown and they give out epic prizes. I also live on a tiny island so the party is 20 mins from my house.

I've missed 3 years of Christmas parties due to covid/family being sick with covid, and I'm just at the tail end of a chest infection so by damn I'll be there this evening with bells on, even if I just get to eat some food and then drive home in my finery.

Mine was fine, key is to not expect too much and see the positives - food was good, avoided the weird people, couple of drinks, early exit.

I'm not going. It takes a lot to tempt me out of my cave in the evenings at this time of year! I'm hibernating

It is tomorrow evening and I'd already decided against going and not paid, just as well really because they sent me home ill this afternoon, I think I'm coming down with flu or something.

Nope- because I'm not going 🤣

I'm so jealous of your work Xmas parties! Used to love our company parties, drinking on the train down to London then a fancy party. Now I'm stuck at home with toddlers. Go enjoy yourself!

My workplace doesn’t have a Christmas party.

I'm on maternity leave and just didn't feel confident enough to go. I had such terrible anxiety about it. So I didn't bother. Glad I didn't

If it is not in work time then just politely decline.

I've missed the last two because of longstanding commitments (this year having leave on the day agreed months ago), but would be ok with going.