Office party

strangeloop

Anyone else dread the office christmas party? Mine is in two days time and I'm not looking forward to it. Sitting with a bunch of people who I have nothing in common with and pretending to enjoy it. I don't mind working with them just don't like socialising with them. If I don't go I'm not a team player, if I do go I have to talk to a very cliquey group who backstab everyone else. I would actually prefer to work than to go to this...

Anyone else feel the same, more importantly any good ways to get out of it??

irlirishkev

I'm not going to mine. They're a good bunch to work with, but there's only a couple I'd like to go drinking with.

I've got a George Michael gig the same night, that's my excuse.

I say, if you don't want to go, just don't go..

Red Hand

Yes, it's like that for many people.

But there may be free food and drink there, and it is only one night of the year after all. Perhaps something will happen that will keep the gossip cog-wheels going until the New Year?

You might miss it if you don't go.:)

Black Swan

Any smoked salmon?

cooker3

Just don't go then if it really bothers you that much.

Belle_Morte

Could you use the excuse that something came up at short notice that you can't miss? Or put it down to car trouble? If you do end up going I'd advise going easy on the drink, you wouldn't want to accidentally blurt out that you think they're a bunch of backstabbers :eek:

Tarakiwa

Just go ....... have a few drinks & if it is ok then stay. However if it does turn out to be as bad as you say then pretned to receive an "urgent" phone call & then leave ..........

petes

Just go for the meal but tell them before hand that you have to head off early. This way you get out of there early enough but still show your face.

Beruthiel

strangeloop wrote:

don't mind working with them just don't like socialising with them.

There is a guy on our factory floor who has worked here for nearly 20 years, he has never gone to any type of party. If asked why, he replies, I have to work with ye, doesn't mean I have to socialise with ye.

If I don't go I'm not a team player, if I do go I have to talk to a very cliquey group who backstab everyone else.

You do realise that it's not mandatory?
I'm not going to my office party cos I prefer to go to the boards beers the next day and want to be in good shape.
I didn't go last year and I gave my reason as 'couldn't be arsed'
You need to grow a back bone buddy and just do as you please.

CathyMoran

I have a good excuse for not going this year as I am on sick leave. Last year I had someone making a pass at me even though I am attached, I ended up having to go on about my fiancee and our wedding just to make the point.

I agree with Beruthiel in that you do not need to go.

magpie

Don't go, they're always awful.

smallpaws

God,how I hate office parties. I would just go and arrive late and leave early. Show up and talk briefly with whomever you like the best/hate the least and then book it out of there by saying you have to be someplace else. I always say "It was great to be here, but I've got to be someplace else at (name a time)" and then hurriedly grab my coat and get out. Nobody has had the nerve to ask me where it is I have to be yet, if they do I would probably just say "A family thing" or something equally vague yet personal--a party at the neighbor's house, hot date someplace, etc.
This year I arrived an hour and a half late to the combo employee appreciation dinner/Xmas party and mysteriously still got an award for professionalism on the job. I shoved in all the food I could stand to, wandered around for fifteen minutes or so then got the Christ out. Jesus I have no life at all, I was seriously wishing I had brought tupperware or something to stuff food into from the buffet to take home for later, the scallops and shrimp were delicious.

Marksie

Forthe first time in five years i decided to go to the office christmas "lunch". Its a great menu and this year i feel like it.

Beruthiel... love the couldn't be arsed... direct, true and stops any argument.

OP if they start if they start bitching and backbitin just leave, or get someone to phone you so you can leave if you are worried how it will look.

Mind you taking a leaf from beruthiel's book it might be nice to turn around and say, I am going to leave , it will give you lot the opportunity to stab me in the back now .:D

free2fly

I have the responsibility to plan those "awful office parties". I certainly would not expect anyone to be there that didn't want to be. My advice would be to bow out gracefully saying that you already have plans that can't be changed. You can be vague about what those plans are. I wonder if any of my employees are having the same dilema? :rolleyes:

Pamwam

gosh i'm v.supprised to hear that so many people don't like the xmas party.
personally i find them great fun and its a great way to break down the barriers with the people you work with. but sure not everyone feels the same.

LegacyUser

I dont really like the early bit of the party, but later when all are tanked up it's a great opportunity to get off with someone, especially if they are attached. You can then use the guilt trip on them for the next year or so.

Love seeing them squirm later.

Mojito

Pamwam wrote:

gosh i'm v.supprised to hear that so many people don't like the xmas party.
personally i find them great fun and its a great way to break down the barriers with the people you work with. but sure not everyone feels the same.

Yeah me too, I can't wait for mine!!

magpie

break down the barriers / have to listen to the receptionist drone on about holidays in ibiza and her dad/boyfriend's taxi/crash repair business.

Bring back the Dickensian office, when everyone was addressed by their surname.

Pamwam

magpie there must be no nice people in your office ... or is it you

Dingatron

strangeloop wrote:

Anyone else dread the office christmas party? Mine is in two days time and I'm not looking forward to it. Sitting with a bunch of people who I have nothing in common with and pretending to enjoy it. I don't mind working with them just don't like socialising with them. If I don't go I'm not a team player, if I do go I have to talk to a very cliquey group who backstab everyone else. I would actually prefer to work than to go to this...

Anyone else feel the same, more importantly any good ways to get out of it??

Wow that sounds very familiar. What I did was refuse to go for those reasons. I'm not too bothered about what they think tbh but that's just me.

Elessar

I am and it's in a hotel. I don't particularly want to, but the company are paying for our meal and drinks so I can't say no to that.

Besides I've booked a room in the hotel for the night so if I get bored or uncomfortable around them I can just retreat to it. All good in my opinion.

LegacyUser

Elessar wrote:

I am and it's in a hotel. I don't particularly want to, but the company are paying for our meal and drinks so I can't say no to that.

Besides I've booked a room in the hotel for the night so if I get bored or uncomfortable around them I can just retreat to it. All good in my opinion.

Also handy if you get lucky! LOL

iremex

i have just moved jobs and started with a new company monday and they have their xmas party monday! i dont even know the ppl yet and i have to drink with them!! i might as well be walking into copperface jacks by myself some night and socialise with the whole club!!

Miss Fluff

The beauty of being over twelve years of age is that YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYMORE. Geddit??? Just don't go! I am sociable, get on with people at work but organised fun of any description freaks me the hell out. I hate anything regimented or the expectations that go with it, i.e. let's all go and get ****-faced and have a laugh. Erm, no, why? Because we're told to?

Every year in January our department goes off to a hot European city, all expenses paid for a weekend of fun and debauchery. I've never gone and people just can't understand why. Like Beruthiel, I simply say no offence sweeties but I really can't be arsed. People moan "but it's free"......BIG DEAL! If I really want to see that particular European city I will go when and with whom I choose.:rolleyes:

Likewise, don't make up pantsy excuses. If you don't want to go, don't go. Simple as. You don't have to insult anyone, just say you're not in form/can't be arsed. Simple really.

Heyes

WooHoo wrote:

I dont really like the early bit of the party, but later when all are tanked up it's a great opportunity to get off with someone, especially if they are attached. You can then use the guilt trip on them for the next year or so.

Love seeing them squirm later.

Lovely :rolleyes:

Anywho, mines next friday, actually looking forward to it, good crowd, and all are always on for a good night out, so hopefully this will be a good one, especially when all the big wigs leave.

LundiMardi

I'm looking forward to mine, Citywest Hotel, 5 course meal, New York theme, and a bunch of raging alcoholics hahahaha.. Should be a laugh..

However, if i didn't want to go then shock horror...... i won't go!!!!

There's some kind of social 'meeting' next week after work and i've been told that i should make an appearance as it would look bad not to.. I'm going to a gig instead, no way in hell my work will interfere with my own social life!!! I don't give a flying **** how bad it looks.

11.3 SECONDS

IMHO ;

1 - Don't go if you don't want to.

2 - If you "have" to go show up and quietly fade after the meal. Most people will not notice.

3 - NEVER get drunk at the office Christmas party as that can lead to thoroughly regrettable and irreversible consequences on quite a number of fronts !! It then actually gets worse when the cold light of January dawns !!

The_Conductor

Myself and a few of my colleagues said that the only way we were going to something like this was if we were paid to...... It was promptly moved forward to lunchtime.......

To those who are going on about the fact that there is free booze being a sufficient reason to go- so bloody what......

If you don't want to go- don't. It might look bad if you don't...... thats merde. So what. You are paid to do a job- do your job. You are not paid to like people. No amount of money can make you like people. Freebies- so what. I'd rather be at home with a nice bottle of wine relaxing than sitting in the pub with people I don't really know and don't really want to get to know.

Carrigart Exile

WooHoo wrote:

I dont really like the early bit of the party, but later when all are tanked up it's a great opportunity to get off with someone, especially if they are attached. You can then use the guilt trip on them for the next year or so.

Love seeing them squirm later.

You are a credit to the human race:mad:

the_syco

Meh. I've found that talking sh|te to fellow work mates is a great laugh. In previous jobs, I've only gone drinking woth people I thought were sound, and not just for the sake of it. This has strengthened and seperated bonds I made with people. Finding out who was sound in the 1st month saved me lots of grief later on in the job, as some of the people who didn't drink with the lads and ladies, turned out to be complete jerks. There were one or two who didn't drink, but once they became hypocritical about it, it was cool.

homerjay2005

im looking forward to ours, where our work has mostly a young workforce,mostly 22-24 year old, so its always a good night out, with almost everybody footless. the one thing that annoys me though, is the few sober people and their F**king cameras and then take it upon themselves to send the 100 pics of everybody drunk to the whole workforce the following day.