Maybe I am a Scrooge but office Christmas parties are out of style. I am not talking about parties for the kids. Christmas parties given by companies for families or kid Christmas parties are much appreciated by employees. What I am talking about is the office Christmas parties held in the evening, usually a Friday or Saturday night. Does anyone really want to go to office Christmas parties?
What is wrong with office Christmas parties? You can’t get crazy or wild and you can’t over indulge. There are boat load of articles written about the no no’s of attending an office party. You can’t say anything that might offend the boss. Don’t go crazy and do anything stupid or (fun).
Office Christmas parties weren’t always boring. Back in the 1980s and even in the 1990s they used to be fun, maybe because I was younger and wilder but, it has more to do with the times. In the 1980s there was an often repeated incident that allegedly occurred at one of the Houston big law firm’s Christmas party. According to the story, a partner and a secretary slipped away and somehow got in the crawl space above the ceiling. In the middle of the festivities, and in the middle of passionate lovemaking, the floor of the crawl space gave way and the sex smitten couple fell through the ceiling and landed in the middle of the Christmas party banquet table!!
I am not saying that Christmas parties should be this wild, they shouldn’t. 2012 is not 1980. My point is that it just isn’t fun to go to a Christmas party where you are expected to be there and you know to be on your best behavior.
My idea for companies is to ditch the evening Christmas party. Instead take the cost of the party and use this to take everyone out to lunch. Then with whatever money is left, divide this amount by the number of employees and give them a cash bonus. Maybe even let them go home early so they can take their cash gift and buy something for their kids.
People are tired after work. Don’t make them go home, settle kiddos, force their spouse to get dressed, dress themselves, then drive to a boring office Christmas party.
I apologize if I seem anti Christmas. I do love Christmas lights and want them at my funeral. Just don’t kill me now for poo pooing Christmas office parties.
