Drunk at the Christmas Party Warning!

[Foofoogal]

With the talk of Christmas best and worst gifts I have to tell a true story.
Once upon a time my honey worked for a fab family company. Every Christmas the standard no kidding was a 6% of ones annual pay.
Anyway back in the early 1980s times got a bit rough so this company had to scale back to I think like 4%.
Every year they had a big family Christmas party with Santa for the kids and all the food and drink you could take in.
Just so happened that the owners young daughter about 13 at the time was in the ladies room when an employees wife who was drunk beyond words decided to be yacking and complaining about the 4% and being really obnoxious. Then this stupid woman decided to hang on the owner like he was her best friend and get way too friendly.
I can completely understand the owner but the next Christmas and then on out we all got a .99 gold ornament with the engraving and a card. Without the bonus of course. One woman ruined it for everyone. Her husband got fired and probably good as some people wanted to not be nice to them to say the least. :eusa_doh:

 

[Paisley]

I doubt if the company decided to cancel bonuses because of one woman's boneheaded remark. If they were scaling back, the company might have been in financial straits. Still, getting drunk at the Xmas party must have made the woman look like an insignificant other.

 

[Twitch]

That sounds like the plot from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation meaning truth is stranger that fiction.

 

[scotrace]

A former boss (also a small family-owned company) sort of took me under his wing years ago, dispensing excellent advice over a ten year period. One of the gems was that if the event is for business or with co-workers, never have more than one carefully nursed drink. Business people quickly lose respect for someone who is obviously tanked at a business event, and never forget it. Co-workers will tell the tale for years to come if it happens. Plus, the guy who is sober can learn all kinds of good dirt from those who aren't.

 

[RondoHatton]

Last decade, interviewing, got asked to that company's Christmas party.
Open bar. Owner and wife more gone than anyone, and they were obnoxious even sober, but Whoa Nellie after a couple'a. I decided this was not the place for me - and anyone at the QM can tell ya I'm not on the water wagon, either.

 

[deadpandiva]

We used to have big Christmas parties were I work. Always with a cash bar, but everyone got two drink tickets. Some people would end up with more because they were given to them by the people in charge of the tickets or people who didn't drink. It's a huge company but we had one girl whom everyone knew. The least of her infractions was dancing around in her Bra. The worst is not fit to print.

 

[Miss Crisplock]

Ah, the Christmas Party. A time that one can shine, or not. I'm organizing my companies this year, and there will be alcohol, but I was mentored with the phrase - "A business party isn't a PARTY. It's business".

Yes, there will be socializing, but it isn't the place to let your hair down or as the young lady in the prior post undoubtedly learned your top up. A new idea for some. And if it's your significant other with the lampshade on their head, you are going to be look on only a fraction better than if you had let drink get the better of you.

Scotrace is right. You get to know a lot when others are 3 sheets

 

[Foofoogal]

I am telling the truth that this did indeed do away with bonuses. This was a fairly large company with over 700 employees. I am not sure if only the storepoint employees that was at this party were the only ones penalized or not.
I was in the ladies room at the time and heard and saw the lady but didn't know the child was in a stall.
The owner made it quite clear to everyone the next day at work the man was fired and the he was not very happy. (Somewhere in all of it this stupid woman also tried to sell this man a mule while hanging on to him. Just so happened he was very diversified and owned one of the finest ranches and the finest polo horses money could buy and his own helicopter to fly to it. )
Here the owner is trying to do a great family thing for all the families and he gets rewarded by his cloistered daughter hearing how bad her perfection of a daddy was.
Great lesson to learn is that one bad apple can ruin it for everyone.
This was back in the 80s when money was flowing. I think now companies can even be sued if things get ugly with safety and such.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I used to dread dread dread company parties with a passion -- fake smiles, backstabbing, passive-aggressive manipulative nonsense. Although we did have one really nice one back in my radio days -- we went out on a booze-cruise boat into the harbor here, and the wife of our morning man got completely blotto, got into an argument with the station owner over the pittance her husband was getting paid, and tried to throw him over the side. An unforgettable evening which none of us were ever permitted to mention again.

 

[jgilbert]

We have replaced an evening party with a lunch. It is a grand time. The funds that were spent on food and drink have been replaced with a gift card.
Takes about 2 hrs, and most let our staff leave afterwards. It does make for a quiet afternoon!

 

[Paisley]

Another thing that isn't attractive, but not as bad as getting drunk, is gorging yourself at the buffet.

Work celebrations aren't for you to satiate yourself. They are for gentle, grown-up enjoyment. They are also a chance for managers and officers to evaluate the social skills and self-control of those they may want to promote.

 

[Feraud]

I agree with limiting the drinking when attending any business related events. Include on the list barbecues at co-workers' homes. Behave responsibly at all times. Someone is always watching.

 

[Undertow]

I've been to a few of these "parties" and I must agree with all here; it's almost like walking into a loose-triggered trap. I nurse a drink for the night, smile and try to eat just enough to look like I'm enjoying things, but not enough to raise even the slightest comment.

Unfortunately, I have to attend a "party" at my boss' home this year as well as the company wide early next year...and I can't call in sick to the boss'...

 

[Miss Neecerie]

See and this is when I wonder why anyone would would get that drunk at -any- party anywhere...regardless of it being at work or with friends...


Is being embarrassing and having a hangover really -that- fun? Am I somehow missing something?


Please note this is not me being facetious..I really want to know.

 

[killertomata]

I have had my drunk on a number of times when out having fun- but it's never been worth the hangover, and I don't do it so often these days. Never did before I was 28 either, it's not that big a deal and more enjoyable to stop before the drunk sets in, to enjoy the drink, the atmosphere, friends, and a nice relaxing effect. But once I feel drunk I don't like it anymore.

But parties? The above stories are why I never drink around co-workers. I like my professional/office life and personal to be far far apart. Drinking at office parties sounds like a bad idea... and happy hours, I've never gone to one of those for offices either.

So no you're not missing anything.

 

[olive bleu]

See and this is when I wonder why anyone would would get that drunk at -any- party anywhere...regardless of it being at work or with friends...


Is being embarrassing and having a hangover really -that- fun? Am I somehow missing something?


Please note this is not me being facetious..I really want to know.

Trust me, you are missing nadda. I went through a brief,dark period where I did not have a firm grasp on how much i could drink and not act like an idiot.

I worked at a small company where the employees were very tightly knit and we socialized often.I have more than a few memories of this period, that I would dearly love to forget.

I knew I had a problem when i raised my glass of tequilla and toasted debauchery.

Now, I have a couple drinks and go home early.

 

[nobodyspecial]

During my college years the company I worked for had a huge Christmas party. Lots of people who worked there liked to drink hard, even (or especially) the management. The parties were always held at hotels and many people rented rooms for the night. One year in particular got out of hand and the hotel told us not to come back the following year - guys were diving off of balconies which overlooked the pool. Lots of fun for a 22 year old and I am pleased to be beyond those years now.

Over the years I've enjoyed work functions less and less. My current job does not require much social activity and for that I am truly happy.

 

[Mike Hammer]

One of the large companies here in NW Arkansas whose name rhymes with Dyson used to hold a large, blowout style Christmas party every year, in a nice hotel with much drinking and general rowdiness. This continued for a number of years, until an executive's wife managed to fall (or jump.....several nasty rumors went around about that) several stories from a balcony, killing herself.
They no longer have official Christmas parties.
Personally, I never drink at business functions. Actually, being just *that* close to being diabetic, I rarely drink at all anymore. Besides, it can be so useful being the sober fellow at a drunken party. "In Vino, Veritas", you know.

 

[The Shirt]

My work party behavior changed drastically the year I got carried away and snuck down to the country club's basement in search of a place to sneak some kissing with my new beau. Kissing in an laundry room and getting caught, though a funny story now, wasn't exactly the thing I liked being remembered for.

Of course these days my work has somewhat of a party attitude. They want to be known as a "fun" design firm. However, we are politely asked to keep our drinking to a minimum until the clients leave the party...then the real party begins. I've witnessed people falling down drunk, dancing with stockings on their heads, vomiting in trees, and oh the things done to the life sized nutcrackers I simply cannot repeat. I really believe it depends on the attitude of the bosses. I just choose to try and keep things in check and refrain from being the one they talk about on Monday morning.

 

[killertomata]

I just choose to try and keep things in check and refrain from being the one they talk about on Monday morning.

That's a good philosophy... because I've seen the chagrin on the faces of the ones who were talked about Monday... and it's not pretty. Heard the stories, seen the pictures. Made me glad I don't attend.