Office Christmas lunch

Jewel_2

It's so nice being in your forties because you don't care what you say about things like this! Just don't go. I understand the company cannot afford it, so just say you can't either.

notisis

Try and make your excuses as others have suggested. Don't forget it won't just be £25 for the meal. What will happen is you end up paying for not only your own drinks but stand a round for others too. Then you find when it ends lateish that if it's too far to walk home you end up paying for a taxi as well. Or people egg you on to carry on the party to a pub then nightclub which is even more expense!

flossy_splodge

Honesty is usually the best policy.
If these things were arranged in consultation with those 'expected' to go it would be one thing but they are often sorted by a 'manager' who gets to choose venue, price etc.
I've declined mine this year for just this reason.
My manager eats garbage most of the time and i'd be blowed if I'm willing to fork out hard to come by money on a meal I don't want to eat.
I just said 'sorry, no thanks'. Should be enough.

diable

Just be honest and tell them you easily get drunk dance on the tables ending up naked and sleeping with the bosses either they will let you off or pay for you to go to the party.

tealady

When the peeps in my ofice suggested lunch I said as I was the newbie I would cover the phones and forego lunch, people seemed happy with that.
Though how I'm going to get out of next years I don't know, at least iIwill have 12 months to think of an excuse!

got-it-spend-it

Your post made me laugh, Diable, but if you're a newbie in the office you don't want to give all your secrets away .

I had a great excuse last year- had a three week old baby! Fortunately this year we are being taken out for lunch by my boss, but we didn't bother with my DH's do as it is always over-priced and the food is never even any good. We just said we couldn't get a babysitter, although I guess that wouldn't work for the OP.

Sambucus_Nigra

If THEY can't afford it - how do they think you can?

January20

Jewel wrote: »

It's so nice being in your forties because you don't care what you say about things like this! Just don't go. I understand the company cannot afford it, so just say you can't either.

Yes indeed! I have 2 part time jobs so 2 lots of parties which I have turned down because of the financial aspect but also because of the falseness of these events.

Ignore all the posts that advise you to lie. What if you are caught out? Then you will be sorry! Just tell the truth! After all other haven't been shy in stating their preferences, have they?

newcook

What is it with people who insist on telling porkies just to save face – why do they seem to find it shameful to say ‘its just over 2 weeks until Christmas and I cant afford it’?!

OP if I were you I would tell them the truth and say that you cant afford it. Nobody will think any differently of you – there may even be others who will follow suit but have been too shy (or felt obliged) to say otherwise!

globetraveller

Jewel wrote: »

It's so nice being in your forties because you don't care what you say about things like this! Just don't go. I understand the company cannot afford it, so just say you can't either.

:rotfl:I know what you mean! You get to an age where you couldn't care less