It's That Time of Year

[Chin Diesel]

It's December and for many of us in the work force, it's the dreaded time for company holiday parties.

I started a new job back in February and shortly after volunteered to be on the Christmas Party committee. It seemed like an innocuous choice. I work in a small group of four in the cube farm and my three co-workers were already on the committee. Plus my manager had overall responsibility for the party. Dumb move.

Group think at its worst and filled with drive by idea shootings by good idea fairies. And the whining. How come we're having the party here? Why do tickets cost so much? What are the door prizes? Why is it a cash bar?

The irony, as many of you probably guessed, is that those who complained loudest about buying a ticket, didn't support any fundraisers during the year and also complained loudest about a cash bar. And they know the company kicks in about $0 every year.

Today, one of the committee members, who coincidentally isn't going due to a schedule conflict, came up with the brilliant idea of buying clear Christmas tree ornament globes and hand painting 2014 Christmas party on them. Mind you the party is this Saturday. We politely looked her in the eyes and asked if she had any plan on purchasing 100+ bulbs, buying the paint, or painting any of them. She said no, but thought it would make a nice take home gift for everyone.

My word of advice, is don't involve yourself at all in the process. Ever. Just support the party, whatever form it is in, grin and bear the pain of hanging out with co-workers you don't like and pray that you get a halfway decent door prize.

 

[zyron]

Which one is you because it sounds like you work here.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Which one is you because it sounds like you work here.
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With my limited working knowledge of the plot and characters, I'll go with none of the above. But, like many others, I can identify people I work with who fit each of those office stereotypes.

 

[SubbaBub]

It's December and for many of us in the work force, it's the dreaded time for company holiday parties.

I started a new job back in February and shortly after volunteered to be on the Christmas Party committee. It seemed like an innocuous choice. I work in a small group of four in the cube farm and my three co-workers were already on the committee. Plus my manager had overall responsibility for the party. Dumb move.

Group think at its worst and filled with drive by idea shootings by good idea fairies. And the whining. How come we're having the party here? Why do tickets cost so much? What are the door prizes? Why is it a cash bar?

The irony, as many of you probably guessed, is that those who complained loudest about buying a ticket, didn't support any fundraisers during the year and also complained loudest about a cash bar. And they know the company kicks in about $0 every year.

Today, one of the committee members, who coincidentally isn't going due to a schedule conflict, came up with the brilliant idea of buying clear Christmas tree ornament globes and hand painting 2014 Christmas party on them. Mind you the party is this Saturday. We politely looked her in the eyes and asked if she had any plan on purchasing 100+ bulbs, buying the paint, or painting any of them. She said no, but thought it would make a nice take home gift for everyone.

My word of advice, is don't involve yourself at all in the process. Ever. Just support the party, whatever form it is in, grin and bear the pain of hanging out with co-workers you don't like and pray that you get a halfway decent door prize.

This made me laugh very hard. I can tell you that open bar at a company party is generally a bad move in this day and age.

As for the whining crowd, they are the same everywhere.

Had my first xmas party today. Fully caterered lunch, no alcohol (safety related), an extra hour or so kabitzing and back to work. I had no problems with any of it. Took about 45 minutes to plan and setup and a half hour to clean up.