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Original poster

our christmas meal cancelled!!!!

226 replies

november90 · 02/12/2021 11:33

i'm SO annoyed. i have don't absolutely everything and complied with everything this whole time but i am getting SO fed up with having my own happiness and needs taken away.
christmas smell CANCELLED and employer asked we don't meet outside work until 2022.
christmas new cancelled last year. i'm a single mum and barry get any interaction from anyone. i was SO looking forward to this :(
i know there's no point to this but how bloody long can this go on for?!?!?!!!!

OP posts:
ImInStealthMode · 03/12/2021 19:29

Oh I'm sorry OP that sucks. It's breaking my heart for hospitality, all day long local restaurants have been posting on Facebook that they've got vacancies over the coming weekends where parties have been cancelled.

We're having a lunch next Saturday, just 15 of us. If the company cancelled it (which I very much doubt they will, we're all working in the office anyway so what's the difference?) I'm certain that at least 2/3 of us would just go anyway.

JohnDee007 · 03/12/2021 19:41

I think the reasons they are being cancelled are

  1. To prevent a mass absence if covid spreads at the party, people going from spaced out desks with dividers, limits in kitchen, one way systems etc to cramped tables with pissed employees.
  2. People pulling out worried about having their family Christmas ruined.
LizzieSiddal · 03/12/2021 19:43

Who the heck is Barry Grin

PearlyShamps · 03/12/2021 19:56

@KateLumley Hope Barry's ok made me laugh more than it shouldGrin

That's shit, OP, I'm sorry it's been cancelled. Our company decided a few months ago that they were not doing a Xmas do this year because of the risk/faff of it possibly being cancelled. They are sending lovely hampers to each staff member instead (like they did last year), so I don't think its an excuse for a money saving excercise. Shame though. My husband's work do still going ahead, and all my friends' work dos.

I think its unreasonable that they are asking you to not meet up outside of work until next year... can they even legally do/enforce that??

nannykatherine · 03/12/2021 20:05

Your employer can’t tell you not to meet up outside work !!
How will they know !!
Do your own meal
Party or whatever
F*them

Roominmyhouse · 03/12/2021 21:34

My company has asked people to cancel any taking place from Monday. They were paying for lunches etc in place of our usual bigger parties. I think it’s twofold, they don’t want people to be off sick and also they don’t want to be responsible for being bring ill or having to isolate over Christmas. It’s a shame but I do understand, however it’s really shit for the pubs and restaurants who will lose out again.

saraclara · 03/12/2021 23:48

There's no way I'm group socialising after the 10th of this month. I live alone and I'm desperate to have Christmas with my family. It would only take one person at any event to have the new variant (or it be suspected that they might) and I'd end up home alone for 10 days at best, or at worst, catch it as well as isolating, and then potentially have my family being MY contacts and missing their Christmas too.

I think it's nuts to go to a party in a busy and enclosed environment if you want to spend Christmas with anyone who doesn't live with you. Especially if that means you'll spend Christmas alone.

KatherineJaneway · 04/12/2021 07:30

@LovelyIssues

Who is cancelling and why?! Have I missed something? We are not in another lockdown.... ours and everyone else's I know is going ahead as normal?
Both of mine were cancelled by the people attending. No one wants to a) get Covid and pass it on to loved ones at Christmas b) have Christmas plans ruined by having to stay away from friends and family due to having Covid or isolating due to omicron.
VicSynix · 04/12/2021 09:07

Ours happened, last night, wooo hoooo!! Sit down meal followed by a disco. It was fabulous seeing so many people having a spectacular time (though I suspect quite a few of them will be feeling a little quiet this morning). Really pleased for the venue, as they've had a lot of cancellations so at least they've had one good night.

Dibbydoos · 04/12/2021 10:32

My employer asked if people wanted to go ahead, sorry yours didn't, but then tbh keeping employees safe is vitally important to your employer.
I think it's excessive to ask employees nit to get together though and I'm not sure employers can demand that either.

megustalacerveza · 04/12/2021 17:34

Same is likely happening to mine. I recently cancelled a holiday following the Omicron news because I was worried about missing some xmas parties and dinners I was looking forward to if I got pinged from someone on the plane being positive, but now I've realised they'll probably be cancelled anyway, so I feel like a right prat. From now on, I'll be doing whatever I can do that suits me and live day by day. This thing of calculating how long isolation would be if I tested positive, and altering my plans based on that, is absolutely shattering my mental health. It's causing people to wish their lives away.

awmum2b · 07/12/2021 12:39

We finally reached a decision on ours this morning and cancelled it, much debate but as the organiser I kept getting pinged by people no longer wanted to attend for various reasons and we lost half the attendees...although some still wanted to go it felt a bit depressing and not really the get together we were hoping for (plus a waste of a babysitter on my part!)

Really disappointed but we'll reschedule at the same venue in the new year and hopefully it will be something to looking forward in dreary January.

I must admit that one of the managers stated it would be my responsibility as organiser if anyone was to get ill i felt a bit put out, i still don't believe it's the case, i am purely the mug that organises these things, but cancelling at least takes that guilt out the equation :(

tangyandsalty · 07/12/2021 12:51

Your bosses do not get to dictate to you who you see outside work! If you want to go for an unofficial Christmas do, crack on.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 10/12/2021 12:42

Our company didn’t cancel this year’s company wide Christmas party - it just was just never going to go ahead. Irrespective of any gov rules that may or may not be brought in, I suspect they thought it would be imprudent at best and reckless / reputation damaging at worst if 1,000 people together in drinks reception / dinner / dance proved to be a super spreader event

Lilifer · 10/12/2021 13:08

@theleafandnotthetree

I made a decision a few weeks ago that I would follow any legal directives but that I am no longer imposing limits on myself and am going to live life as fully as possible. Unfortunately, that relies on other people taking the same approach and they increasingly aren't here in Ireland. So I have had multiple things cancelled also which could in theory have gone ahead but X proportion of people pull out and then other people do too, in many cases because they don't want to be seen as 'reckless' or unsupportive and not necessarily because they don't want to go themselves. It's shit OP, I'm a single parent too and have spent far, far too many evenings on my own on my couch. All the joy seems to be sucked out of life and all plans are provisional so we can't even get excited about the few things which do go ahead..
I am the same, also in Ireland (though in Northern Ireland but it pretty much the same) I'm a single mum and really looked forward to one small meal out with four female friends, one pulled out, then the 3 other started to wobble and eventually said we should leave it to the new year as it's the "safer" thing to do. I know it won't happen in the new year - there will be another variant it rise in cases or something. It has really upset me, I feel quite isolated and lonely at times as am busy with kids but little to no adult company. And there was no real need to cancel this meal. All vaccinated and the place is well ventilated and we would have been in and out in 1.5 hours. It's depressing. I don't think things will ever be the same now, people have become used to this way of life
JS87 · 10/12/2021 13:14

According to Jason Leitch who is Scotland’s national clinical director he says if there are 100 people in a room and one person has omicron 50 people will catch it Shock

julieca · 10/12/2021 13:21

Yes as I thought it would be, it has been cancelled. Also wfh, no face to face meetings or work travel. One person going into office weekly to check the post (we get virtually none) and that the office hasn't been flooded. All from Monday.

Hmumoftw0 · 10/12/2021 16:28

My local a&e department had a lovely Christmas do last night. My sister is a nurse and was very drunk from her pics, I'm sure if they feel its safe then everyone else should also

ancientgran · 10/12/2021 18:02

@Hmumoftw0

My local a&e department had a lovely Christmas do last night. My sister is a nurse and was very drunk from her pics, I'm sure if they feel its safe then everyone else should also
It's probably safer than A&E.
megustalacerveza · 10/12/2021 19:21

@Hmumoftw0

My local a&e department had a lovely Christmas do last night. My sister is a nurse and was very drunk from her pics, I'm sure if they feel its safe then everyone else should also
Guess you missed the news article about the entire A&E dept who had to isolate following an unofficial xmas party.
MushaGodHelpHer · 10/12/2021 19:39

Weird working in a school at this time of year. Half the kids not wearing masks at all, assemblies and whole school staff briefings still happening, all of us milling around constantly breathing over each other and 1200 kids…but no Christmas party, no concert, no church service.

SirChenjins · 11/12/2021 10:04

My local a&e department had a lovely Christmas do last night

One of the A&E depts up here had a Christmas night out, they all got covid or had to isolate, and the entire A&E dept had to close, pushing the pressure onto already overwhelmed colleagues elsewhere. Related colleagues also had to isolate, causing other wards to be stretched beyond capacity. So yay, go your sister and her colleagues. Idiots.

Lilifer · 11/12/2021 10:30

@SirChenjins

My local a&e department had a lovely Christmas do last night

One of the A&E depts up here had a Christmas night out, they all got covid or had to isolate, and the entire A&E dept had to close, pushing the pressure onto already overwhelmed colleagues elsewhere. Related colleagues also had to isolate, causing other wards to be stretched beyond capacity. So yay, go your sister and her colleagues. Idiots.

Yes just dreadful, humans wanting to behave like humans, interacting and socialising and letting off steam - just terrible - why can't they just behave, suppress their natural and normal instincts and behave like automatons?! 🤷‍♀️
SirChenjins · 11/12/2021 10:40

Yeah that’s right - not going out as a dept for one single meal as rates locally soar in the full knowledge that a)you’re going against Board and Govt guidance and b)if you do catch it your whole dept will be off pushing pressure onto your already over stretched colleagues in the other 2 A&Es makes you an automaton. Fuck sake Hmm

Blondeshavemorefun · 11/12/2021 11:25

Ours is tonight. Looking forward to it

Been a long time

All have taken lf