Have you ever heard of this: Work Christmas Parties

ElizC · December 2009

DH's employer is hosting a Christmas Party this evening after work. It is only for the employees, no family members. I have never worked somewhere that had an after work hours party that didn't included spouses. DH has been trying to tell me this is normal. I told him I think his employer is just cheap.

So now DH is staying out late. I am now home alone with a super crabby LO.

EDIT: He works for a fairly large company that is not financially suffering right. They have greatly benefited from the crappy economy.

AmyDrinkie · December 2009

I have never been to one after hours where spouses or s/o's weren't invited either. If the employer doesn't have it in the budget to include double the headcount, they should either nix the party or take everyone out to a nice lunch instead.

soon2Bmrspower · December 2009

My DH's employer did that last year. It started during work hours but continued through until the evening, and it was just for employees. I thought it was a little odd too. Of course, the company he works for irks me in a million other ways regarding benefits and the way they do things, so this wasn't surprising to me. I have never seen a company so large do things so poorly.

mabst196 · December 2009

My dad's is after hours and employees only.

Mama Jan · December 2009

it's not "normal" but it's probably more common with this economy... my former employer used to have holiday parties free for employee but guests must pay.

Gin*In*TN · December 2009

I've never heard of this. Sounds like his boss is cheap. I've always been to my (ex)spouse's company parties & he always went to mine. I wouldn't have gone if he weren't invited.

akayf · December 2009

yup..DH's company party was for employees only. the company was footing the entire bill so it was only for employees.

Dobie_Mama · December 2009

My step-dad's company does that. My company went to an employee only Christmas party this year, but they did it mid-day, during work hours.

kbs0929 · December 2009

DH's is after-hours, employees only. I don't think it's uncommon.

ADAC0507 · December 2009

DH's former employer hosted a Christmas party at his house for employees only. I wasn't a huge fan of that, and don't know if it's "normal," but I have seen it happen. Kinda sucks, huh?

Although, at my work Christmas party, we have to pay for our guests for the first time ever this year. Buuuut- the caterer this year is worth it.

CA2006 · December 2009

Yep! Just attended mine last night. The economy isn't great right now and my employer wanted to do something to show employees that they are appreciated. They couldn't afford to pay for a potential 300 more people if spouses/SO's were invited, so they limited it to employees only. It's not ideal, but I don't think it's weird or abnormal at all during tough times.

RaphSandra2005 · December 2009

DH is at his no-spouses work Christmas party right now. He's always worked at places where this was the norm. What business is your DH in? Mine is a financial analyst and both when he worked at a large bank and now that he's at a consulting company, this is how they do their Christmas parties.

Rubygirl · December 2009

It happens. Companies don't want to cover the cost of spouses anymore. And the economy is a reason to be cheap, whether a company is suffering or not.

Ciconrad · December 2009

DH works for a really big corporation and each individual department does their own cocktail hour one evening. It's too big of a corporation to do a massive party on a Saturday evening with spouses (I mean we would be talking about thousands of people), but I don't think each individual department has a large enough budget to much more than a cocktail hour for the employees.

On the other end, my Dad owns a small business (like 15 employees) and he can really only swing a dinner for employees only at Christmas.

It's sort of annoying because it's nice to be included, but it seems fairly common to me.

RedBrideNC · December 2009

I hadn't heard of this before last year. A friend of mine was dating a guy that worked at a large company and he told her that she could not go to his Christmas party. We thought he was lying but my SIL works there too and confirmed that spouses were not allowed.

JAC1027 · December 2009

My company has done that in previous years because our managers were footing the bill out of pocket. We had a blast. This year I don't think they're doing anything.

cruisebride2005 · December 2009

I'm a federal (Canadian) public servant so my Branch Christmas party was held on the premises for employees only during work hours this afternoon AND I had to pay $20 for two drinks and some finger food.

IckyThump · December 2009

DH's company had a holiday party last year that was employees only. It was because of the economy. This year, they're not having a party at all.

ElizC · December 2009

CA2006:
Yep! Just attended mine last night. The economy isn't great right now and my employer wanted to do something to show employees that they are appreciated. They couldn't afford to pay for a potential 300 more people if spouses/SO's were invited, so they limited it to employees only. It's not ideal, but I don't think it's weird or abnormal at all during tough times.

He does banking stuff. His company was ahead of the curve on new lending guidelines and a lot more liquid than their competitors. So when the crap hit the fan last year they where ready. To be honest I really don't understand completely why they weren't effected like everyone else. My eyes just glaze over when DH explains it to me.

I just feel like I have been left out of everything recently. I can't tell you the last time I talked to someone besides my mom and DH. Or the last time I did something without DS.

karenmarie20 · December 2009

My work party is employees only and after hours. It's been this way regardless of the economy. DH's companies have always invited spouses if the party was after hours though.

swedish-fish · December 2009

My former company hosted an after hours xmas party that was employees only and I never thought it was a big deal. It's kind of nice to get just the employees together. It's more comforable without the spouses around, I think. My company always had a formal spring function that included SOs, though, so we all got a chance to meet out coworkers partners, which was nice.

My company now has a holiday party, but we have to pay out of our own pockets. Spouses aren't necessarily not welcome, but none ever show up.

I think it's nice, but definitely option for a company to include spouses. Sucks that you're missing out, though!

IckyThump · December 2009

ElizC:

I just feel like I have been left out of everything recently. I can't tell you the last time I talked to someone besides my mom and DH. Or the last time I did something without DS.

I totally understand. DH and I were supposed to have a date night last Friday for the first time in months, but DS ended up with a bad cold so we cancelled. I seriously cried because I needed a "grown up" night. SAH can really suck the life out of you sometimes.

SBear12 · December 2009

I think if it's earlier in the day and very informal, like a happy hour after work that just happens to be hosted by the company (DH's work does this a lot), then it's not a big deal not to include spouses.

But if it's an evening event that involves food, drinks and any sort of music or entertainment, then it's kinda weird. Agree with the others that it's probably an attempt to save money... but still. Kinda sucks when you're the one stuck at home, then.

strimble26 · December 2009

Dh is at this exact same party tonight. He was told no spouses and told me he didn't want to go without me but I told him to go and have fun. I'm guessing his company figured it would be half the cost without the families.

sleepyfish · December 2009

Sounds exactly like MH's work. I thought it was a little strange

jenifairies · December 2009

my vote is for cheap bastards.

Stilts · December 2009

Not uncommon, especially with the current economy. Many employers have to choose between an employee-only party to save $$ or no party at all. The company I work for used to invite spouses too but changed it last year.

Also, just because a company is doing well right now doesn't mean it doesn't have to keep an eye on the bottom line. No one can predict what's going to happen one month, 6 months, one year from now...

LoriFalce · December 2009

We hosted an employees-only dinner party for our staff at our restaurant. Of course, we employed 16 people, and eight of them were related. The rest were high school/college kids. There weren't any spouses left out, since the two girls who were married had husbands that drove trucks and weren't around.

Other than that, every place I've ever worked had their Christmas party during the day.

utfan92 · December 2009

He is going to one tomorrow night. I was only annoyed b/c originally spouses were included and then they changed their mind. I thought that was lame.

Rubypercy · December 2009

Yes and yes! I have worked for several law firms and we've had all sorts of parties with and without spouses and all are after work. Not a big deal. It is not always a case of being cheap. It is a chance for people who work together to get to socialize together. Plus, going to a spouse's work party usually sucks! Ha ha! My husband is in banking and they similarly often have no spouse parties. The funny thing they do at most big law firms is have separate staff and attorney parties, b/c too many old men would try to hook up with secretaries!

dewdrop1210 · December 2009

Our invite for DH's work holiday party states 'Dutch Treat Event'. They are cheap, but at least everyone is welcome.

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