Did your company nix the Holiday party this year?

[BaldyLochs]

We just had ours, but a true sign of the times in this dismal year we've been having.... the boss wanted to cancel it just a couple weeks ago. A couple of us here had to really use some creative thinking to come up with some good reasons to try and convince them to still have it. But it was a great party and everyone raved about it... money WELL spent; if nothing else just for the "people" factor. I imagine quite a few companies could not put one on this year.

 

[Kelly]

Ours scaled down tremendously! We went from renting a huge place for employees and spouses at avg $65 per person for each of the last 10 years to catering in, no spouses and it's turned into a luncheon at $15.95 a person. I did manage to squeeze out (10) $100 gift certificates to raffle off.

The ONLY reason they are allowing it in this branch (there are 7 in Houston) is that we give diamond rings for 10 years of service. We bought out a company and this year we have TEN people getting their 10 year rings. Other locations are pretty much doing 'pot luck' luncheons.

All in all.....they are lucky that they are still giving the rings and WE are lucky that we are getting anything!

We are a publicly traded company.....it's all about the stockholders!

 

[The Swegian]

The place I work had the party last Saturday night. Even though our revenues were down about 10% from last year, they still did all the usual things. Summer picnic, Holiday party, etc.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

My employer is a cheap b*stard!

For anything else, I go to the funny car and ask. She usually just says "NO!" (That little angle on humor will get you out of buying your girlfriend a LOT of things!)

 

[Jenn]

A friend of mine's company gave them the option of Christmas party or split the Christmas party budget among the team and create a bonus. They took the cash, about 100 bucks a person.

 

[Kelly]

Might I add we did get $25 AMEX gift cards for Thanksgiving....which was better than the $15 Kroger gift cards we had been getting.

Oh, and I might also add that I am sick to death of planning these "Holiday Parties' (ugh...I long for the days of being able to call them CHRISTMAS PARTIES) for the last 10 years! btw, I was strongly encouraged to NOT take a raffle ticket and have any chance of winning anything because someone might think it was rigged. The only year I was given a break was in '04 when I got my own 10 year ring, at which I actually was able to take a raffle ticket and won a dvd player. Thank you John Zulli, III CEO for giving me a hiatus and the party of my dreams.....at Minute Maid Park!

 

[Jenn]

Oh, and I might also add that I am sick to death of planning these "Holiday Parties' (ugh...I long for the days of being able to call them CHRISTMAS PARTIES)

Amen!

I had to do some searching to find Christmas cards, and not Holiday cards or season's greetings.

 

[paoldtimer]

Our company (large intl. pharma co) doesn't have holiday parties but our managers can take our group out for a holiday luncheon not to exceed $35 per person. I'd rather not be bothered.

 

[DrRocket]

The company I now work for (Been there about 5 months now.) went from a fully catered function last year to a pot luck this year. It's a sign of the times. Doesn't bother me any. I figure there's still lots of free food, (Some of these people are pretty good cooks!) and a few working hours spent goofing off and yakking with the co-workers.

It's all good!!

 

[sharkman]

Nix the party, our company nixed 150 jobs and let the rest of us go till' January, my last day of work was Tuesday Dec. 9th, report back Monday Jan. 5th. Merry Christmas, guess I'll catch up on my honey do's, finish my jeep engine and the small block for my buddys hot rod.

 

[none]

For the umpteenth time in a row, I will miss the Company Christmas(we are family owned) party due to working out of town!

 

[Mike]

Same as we've done for the past 10 years but I pretty sure our christmas bonus wont be the same

 

[afx421]

no party @ our car dealership this year and its an acura dealership go figure

 

[none]

Our company dumped the Christmas party about 10 years ago due to being worried about the liability of getting everyone liquored up with a free bar & then sending them home.Which was fine with me.I never went, I work with those people I'm not going to hang around with them & not get paid.Besides,they needed somebody to talk about anyway.
You know that also makes me wonder how many company's are using the economy as an excuse to trim some expenses & dead weight that other wise would be unpopular to do.

 

[Jenn]

You know that also makes me wonder how many company's are using the economy as an excuse to trim some expenses & dead weight that other wise would be unpopular to do.

Not on the company level but I'm very surprised how many houses aren't decorated this year in my neighborhood. Used to drive around to look at the house at night, I went to my brothers house and theirs was the only one decorated on a street that's usually lit up like a landing strip.