Like Alison, I'm in deadline hell during the holidays again -- third year in a row for me -- WOOT!!
In this economy, lots of businesses are cutting back on employee perks, like big bonuses and the annual Christmas party. Sadly, here it is the 17th of December and I've not been to a single Christmas party. Since Christmas Eve is a week away, the odds are good this will be the year without one. I have mixed feelings on that. I work from home and don't socialize nearly as much as I should, and this is the time of year I see people I haven't seen in forever. Then again, without employer provided free drink tickets or an open bar, I won't be tempted to imbibe and ask to see a man's tattooed penis, take the tequila shooting challenge with young men half my age, drink too many Jaeger-bombs and pick a fight, or sing karyoke like (I think) I'm Pat Benatar, or watch other employees sabotage their jobs because the booze was free flowing and they have an opinion of management.
So, I have to live vicariously through you, FOFO's. Tell me about the worst holiday party you attended, whether it was a business one or a personal one, and or the craziest thing you've seen at one.
The last employer paid holiday party I attended was in 1985, when I worked for a weekly newspaper in Old Saybrook, CT. We actually got a free meal, drinks, a band, the whole thing. Since then, not very much. At the New Haven Register, the staff decided to take matters into its own hands. We did a potluck thing every year, with food lining tables in the conference room, congealing throughout the day. It was pretty dreadful.
Posted by: Karen Olson | December 17, 2009 at 08:41 AM
I've never worked at a company that held a holiday party for employees. And Christmas bonus? Not a one. (I did work at a company one Thanksgiving where we were all given a turkey.)
Posted by: Stephen D. Rogers | December 17, 2009 at 09:34 AM
Oh man, West Coast Christmas parties in the advertising business were legendary. Full on sit down dinners, bands, choreographed stage performances with employees in costume and the staged propped, the receptionist splayed out on the table at the end of the night with the Head of Finance and the Art Director both slobbering over her. Think Mad Men, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
Posted by: Louise Ure | December 17, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Umm...this seriously freaked me out and I'm not sure I'm going to recover.
My parents are named Bob and Betty.
Posted by: Jeff Shelby | December 17, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Even in these rather sedate times, ad agencies still throw better parties than business in general.
But they're very different than they were 30 years ago.
Sigh.
Posted by: David Terrenoire | December 17, 2009 at 04:19 PM
Sorry to say that the Jersey Shore cast did not show at our office party. I blame the last minute venue change...
Posted by: AlisonGaylin | December 18, 2009 at 09:19 AM