What do you do for your Christmas Do?

[LouH5]

For years, I’ve organised our works Christmas do, and have always been happy to do so.

In our school, we have always (long since before I started organising) had a culture of separate dos for separate groups. EYFS do their own thing, usually a meal, TAs tend to do something locally and teachers (about 8-12 of us). Usually go for a night out in the city centre.
This isn’t an issue btw, we’ve tried to organise whole school things and it never works, too many people with too many different ideas of what makes a good Christmas do, and that’s fine.

I organise the teacher one, and I wonder if what we do is becoming a bit tired. The last few years we’ve gone to “games” venues where you book a package (like £30 for two hours of pool and darts, crazy golf or bowling, and a seasonal cocktail on arrival), and tneyve always been really good and it’s worked well.

A couple of us were just chatting and we are feeling like we fancy something new, but we don’t really know what. There’s usually 8-12 of us who come, aged 25-35.

So basically, what I’m asking is, what do you all usually do for your works Christmas do? You may be able to inspire me!

It’s just how it is in our school, and everyone is happy! EYFS are a whole separate building and they’ve always been happy to do their own thing.

I think you’ve taken our separate socialising too seriously. When we are IN school, no one is treated any differently. I never said that. We are one big team. The year 4 teacher is treated the same as the receptionist, and a TA is the same as assistant head. It is a reallyhappy school. We would t be there if it wasn’t. We have CHOSEN this socialising culture, it hasn’t been forced upon us.

Thanks for your thoughts but that wasn’t the point of my post, we are all cool with that arrangement, and all very happy working there- that’s fair if you wouldn’t be. A change definitely isn’t needed, we do it this way because it suits everyone. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered explaining the context of our dynamics as I guess it isn’t relevant to my main point, which is…

…what does everyone do for their Christmas Do? Inspo needed!

Current school goes out for one of those corporate nights with food and entertainment. Last school went to a pub. Schools before that also did the corporate night with posh clothes and entertainment, usually at one of the city's football clubs. I am a massive misery and avoided all like the plague, I've always preferred to spend spare cash socialising with family and friends. When I was working part time and had young children I thought the corporate nights were too expensive as partners were expected to go which meant two people to pay for plus a babysitter. But you have a young staff so maybe no kids/ more disposable income?

Oo I’ve never thought about a corporate night like that, that could be fun for something totally different. Like a nice dinner and a band/some type of music? I like it. Only two of the group are parents and they are always up for fun stuff and can leave ch with their partners so we don’t have problems there. And generally as a group we are happy to splash the cash a bit for a fancy event.

Ill look in to this sort of thing in our area, thanks so much 😊

We've done the corporate thing, been for a curry, pub meal and bowling.

One year we booked a local pub and one of the teachers organised a pub quiz.

We're a one form entry village school and everyone is included. We don't do separate things. If the EYFS staff went out, there would only be 3 people.

Organising a pub quiz sounds so fun- as you could make the questions personal to the staff as well, I’d love that!
Thanks so much for the idea!

Yes, this sort of thing. Staff who went always seemed to enjoy it. Plenty of tales to tell dull stay-at-homes like me.😁 https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/christmas-party-nights-home-park

Oh fab thank you- this looks amazing! Getting me excited for the festivities!

My previous school would hire a big bar on à Friday night in December and pay for a lot of finger food plus beer, wine and soft drinks, plus a DJ for after the food. It was for all teaching staff (through school from kindergarten to 18, 2000 students.) I went a couple of times and it was great, but was often too busy with other stuff at that time of year.

My last school (have just left) didn't have a Christmas do but took us all out for a 4 course swanky dinner with drinks at the end of the academic year, all staff (~ 30 people).

I think the bowling etc. plus casual food sounds a great idea, OP. Can you do a survey to find out what your colleagues want?

My apologies if it wasn’t clear to you- I think I just went into detail to give context that obviously wasn’t necessary- glad the other posters have seen past that though and just gave me what I asked for- suggestions of fun things to do for a Christmas do! And thankfully I have some brilliant ideas now.

Thanks for all the brilliant ideas!

I love your idea to do a survey to find out what people want, as that is often the tricky bit, knowing peoples vibe! I am usually the main organiser with two or three helpers, but no one else gets involved, they just happily send the money and come along!

But now I have a lot of good ideas from you all on here, I could put them into a survey/poll and get people to vote for what tney like the sound of best. Thank you 😊

I’m not oblivious, I was intentionally rude as, to be frank, your original reply irritated me as you just read the situation about my school so wrong.
I did like your suggestion but it was a drop in the ocean amongst all the other unnecessary things you said.
Im no longer irritated or bothered by any of it now though as I have what I wanted from other posters, so that’s great. Goodnight to you too!

I'm in EYFS. There are nine of us. We have often gone out separately. Just fewer of us to organise a date etc. We tend to host at houses or go to a local restaurant. We very rarely have all staff out together. Different budgets etc. it's so difficult. If it's all of the staff it's often a restaurant, food and hotel with dancing afterwards

How about an escape room?

In the school that I’ve just left - we had 300 colleagues.
Years ago pre-covid, we hired out a venue and we had a large event for all - this was organised by the Events Manager. Everyone who attended had to pay £25 per head….
This covered the cost of the venue, drinks and food. We did have problems with some staff not paying on time and the EM having to chase monies from adults despite also having to do their job!

We evaluated this after COVID and now every department has their own christmas party, often restaurants etc which is what everyone had preferred. It’s usually a member of each department that organised this!
The school canteen now provide an exclusive christmas lunch on the last day of term too..

Thanks so much for the last few ideas- so helpful! An escape room would be so fun, and the restaurant idea is great as a lot of places do 2 fancy Christmas menus that feel special!
Im going to add all these to a poll and send it out in September :)