# That dreaded Christmas party



## Liability (Jan 11, 2013)

Its that time again. Mine is next Saturday...and i am terrified.
I feel like i have to go because everyone else is, but deep down it would be the biggest relief to evade this tiresome event. I honestly will probably end up going but i can see it now - standing/ sittting awkwardly with coworkers who know nothing about me because i have shyed away from building any sort of relationship with them. I stay in my office and just do the work all day. I'm productive but socially inept and workers are starting to notice. Anyone else about to go through this christmas party and feel the same way? i could use some tips to survive it.


----------



## BeautifulRuin (Aug 5, 2013)

i didn't go to xmas parties at my previous job and i didn't feel bad about it at all.


----------



## JamesM2 (Aug 29, 2012)

I never go to ours. I despise socialising, and I like to leave my work life well and truly behind as soon as I get the hell out of the office at 5pm. I'm not ashamed to admit to being asocial and give this as my reason any time anyone asks why I'm not going. Apparently hardly anyone has confirmed attendance for this year's party anyway so it looks like everyone is pretty much sick of work and/or the sight of each other.


----------



## original (Nov 18, 2011)

I hate it. Mine is a Christmas dinner with partners so not only do I have to try and speak to co workers if I sit near someone I don't mind its ok but I have to talk crap to everyone's partners too. Hate it!

_Posted via *Topify* on Android_


----------



## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

Its a good thing We don't have party


----------



## Droidsteel (Mar 22, 2012)

I'd love to go to one of these one day, just to see what they were like.


----------



## masterridley (Jan 20, 2007)

Liability said:


> Its that time again. Mine is next Saturday...and i am terrified.
> I feel like i have to go because everyone else is, but deep down it would be the biggest relief to evade this tiresome event. I honestly will probably end up going but i can see it now - standing/ sittting awkwardly with coworkers who know nothing about me because i have shyed away from building any sort of relationship with them. I stay in my office and just do the work all day. I'm productive but socially inept and workers are starting to notice. Anyone else about to go through this christmas party and feel the same way? i could use some tips to survive it.


If you're thinking of surviving the party, it will NOT go well for you. Maybe, you could do it like one of my mother's co-workers ie own up to your non-social personality, tell everyone how you don't really like parties, too crowded. You know, if people think you're that guy they won't have a problem with it, they don't particularly care about you and my mother tells me how everyone is ok with that co-worker of hers being how he is. The key point here is that he does not pretend to be someone else


----------



## DonnaDunno (Nov 15, 2013)

I don't think you should own up to being socially awkward, depending on how competitive your work place environment is then that could bite you in your *** and give social climbers a rung up. IMO it's best to be dressed casually posh and show up during the last 30 mins of things with a festive attitude and a bottle of nice(but not desperately nice) wine. ONLY if someone mentions your late arrival then pretend you wanted to come earlier but got held up at another holiday event with friends or family. Generally the people that close those things out are the ones that will bother to gossip about it the next day and everyone else is just popping in for appearance sake so just show up near the *** end and stay till there are just a few people left or even offer to help get things sorted as it winds down(this offer should be spontaneous and not planned in advance...so it seems like you are just having so much fun with the company and you are such a helpful guy that you wanted to help clean up. 

Doesn't matter if you never say a word to anyone usually at work- this is the time for bull**** chit chat and lies. Don't think of them as lies though because you are not in the wrong, you are just doing what you have to do to insure you can keep a roof over your head and food on the table. 

Don't have more than one drink, don't make out with anyone or participate in any gossip...don't think of it as a christmas party think of it as a chance to mingle with people of greater influence at work than you usually get to interact with.


----------



## AlchemyFire (Mar 4, 2013)

Mine's this Saturday too, but I have a family reunion on the same night, so I was able to get out of it. I told my manager today and he said that was unacceptable, but I'm pretty sure he was joking. I would be way too nervous to go unless I had someone show up with me. I would never be able to do it by myself.


----------



## Valtron (Jul 6, 2013)

Show up. Grab some free food. Leave.


----------



## Hoyden (Aug 31, 2011)

This year we had a retirement dinner and a Christmas Party. ergh... and there is a farewell coming up.

I paid for the dinner, but then realised how much I hate those sit down events. I think the only reason anyone noticed I was absent was because I pre-ordered a vego meal. I'm passing on the Christmas bbq. I'll think of an excuse...

I'd like to go to the farewell- the person leaving is a pretty decent workmate. 

Does "everyone" really go? Or does it just seem that way. I know at our workplace, there is usually a handful who have other plans.


----------



## CeilingStarer (Dec 29, 2009)

Meh


----------



## Dan the man (Jul 4, 2013)

This is why I love that I joined this site this year. I find out I'm not the only one who thinks this stuff up!

Generally though that dreaded Christmas party usually doesn't end up as horrible as I anticipate....but at the same time I'd give anything not to go!


----------



## hopeless93 (Apr 20, 2012)

Funny. I was just recently invited to a Christmas party at my workplace. Since I don't attend social events that often, my mother is (quite literally) forcing me to go to this one. For Christ's sake, I'll be 21 in seven months. I'm nearly an adult, dammit! Even though it will only last two hours, that will probably rank among the most awkward periods of my lifetime. My only hope is to consume some alcohol and have my parents drive me there. That should take at least some of the pressure off. I wouldn't feel obligated to attend yours.


----------



## ZachC (Oct 3, 2013)

I always dreaded the Christmas party as well, when I worked for a company that did that for their employees. I hate large groups of people in general, so I merely said so and never attended. Only thing that bothered me about doing so is the fact the next days to week there was many "inside conversations" that made me feel excluded. Then again, used to feeling like a social outcast.

I suppose that is better than the current company I work for, who instead of a party, gives a letter that all front line employees and front line management (that would be me) are not permitted any time off until after new years. I guess so the upper levels can be with THEIR families.


----------



## MP1977 (Dec 18, 2013)

I'm never a huge fan of these parties either. Even though I work with these people every day to see them outside of work in a social setting makes me super anxious. But thankfully I have a buddy I work with so we usually show up together, grab some food (which is always great) stay for a little while and leave. Hope it turns out better than you think.


----------



## Paloma55 (Dec 12, 2013)

My job hosts a Sunday brunch, which I have declined 2 years in a row.


----------



## MP1977 (Dec 18, 2013)

Sunday brunch sounds more tolerable than an evening party where everyone is getting loaded.


----------



## Liability (Jan 11, 2013)

> I'm never a huge fan of these parties either. Even though I work with these people every day to see them outside of work in a social setting makes me super anxious. But thankfully I have a buddy I work with so we usually show up together, grab some food (which is always great) stay for a little while and leave. Hope it turns out better than you think.


i think this is my problem. i have no friends at work. its literally just me sitting there saying nothing while the others chat and have a good time


----------



## jacko2 (Dec 31, 2012)

ours was 7 pm yesterday but never went. i should of went to get out of my comfort zone. maybe next year!


----------



## soulstorm (Jan 5, 2012)

Honestly if it made me that nervous I wouldn't go. To me, a job is a job. It is not for socializing or making friends. You are there to provide a service or to create a product. All the socializing and cross talk, especially if it becomes excessive and sophomoric, drives me insane. Then again sometimes a little small talk helps the day go by faster.


----------



## noconfidenceguy (Dec 16, 2013)

Liability said:


> i think this is my problem. i have no friends at work. its literally just me sitting there saying nothing while the others chat and have a good time


That's exactly how mines turned out. Whenever I have social gathers at work I usually have to choose between attending and having a miserable time and skipping out and getting confronted by several coworkers.

Seems like my social status will continually go down until I can miraculously improve my conversational skills. :|


----------



## munchio (Feb 8, 2010)

did a vlog about this recently from when i went about 6 years ago haven't been to one since, seems a few of my colleagues don't go now as well so i kind of started the ball rolling, in my work it was kind of expected that "everybody" goes so the pressure was huge at the time 






I didn't want to go but gave in due to peer pressure my god was nervous for like a month before it, went just how i knew it would as well but I gave it a try even if to me it was a complete fail and my co-workers seems to respect that. They still ask every year but they know the answer already


----------



## BeachGaBulldog (Feb 13, 2007)

I am on disability and can't work. I will be honest. This is the time of year when I am glad I am not working, because of the Christmas parties. Never being a people person, I always hated this time of year at work. Too many people talking too much!


----------



## anomnomnom (May 28, 2013)

lol yesterday was my first only proper work christmas..day/night out. The meal was fine but then they all wanted to go on into town and drink, I felt somewhat obliged to follow as I'd have been the only one who would have left and I don't think they think all that much of me in the first place. 

Some sort of pub crawl where everyone was paired off or chatting in groups while i stood to side and played on my phone feeling uncomfortable and bored, to be fair after like 7 long hours there was only a couple of us left and I guess I'd actually drunk enough by then to speak occasionally so it just about got better as it was time to leave. Ah well, I showed my face or it wouldn't have gone down well at work, least its over now. 

bloody dreadful stood in crowded pubs playing xmas music surrounded by drunk people in suits with their ties round their heads dancing all over the place badly and falling into you, yeah I don't really understand the appeal of that at all :|


----------



## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

The last three years the agency I work at has a potluck thing at Noon which I never go to. I don't get paid for my hour lunch so I don't want to spend it at work talking to coworkers. Plus, I have GERD and I have to be careful what I eat. Seems like every time they had a potluck at work at ate some of the food I ended up having gut troubles days after. This year I told them I had to go to an appointment which was true. I purposely made it during the noon hour. The one thing I can't get out of is when my supervisor takes me and my office partner out to eat. I make sure I have plenty of antacids on hand for that one.


----------

