Office Christmas lunch

Svenena

My office Christmas lunch is on Friday. When I got the emailed invite, I just emailed my team leader and said "Just to let you know I'm not planning on going to the Christmas lunch", and that was that. No justification needed. I've been upfront about it with everyone though. They're all complaining about spending £27 on this meal, but I'm the only person who actually declined! On the plus side, I get to have the afternoon off, since everyone else does, which I hadn't even thought of when I decided not to go. I've been invited to join them after the meal for drinks, but I probably won't bother. Last year I really regretted spending £15/£20 (can't actually remember) on the work Christmas lunch at my last workplace, and I already feel smug that I won't be doing so this year, lol.

iceicebaby

I'm not going to my Christmas meal, Its this Friday in the evening. I just smiled and said no thank you I already have plans. nothing else has been mentioned. However if it's a lunch time do then I can understand it being a little harder to get out of.

londoner1998

iceicebaby wrote: »

I'm not going to my Christmas meal, Its this Friday in the evening. I just smiled and said no thank you I already have plans. nothing else has been mentioned. However if it's a lunch time do then I can understand it being a little harder to get out of.

Yes, it is planned for 1 pm onwards... not easy, but I am sending my excuses anyway- it is surprising how many peopel find these work lunches a real pain...

euronorris

Gavin83 wrote: »

Am I the only person know actually likes the people he works with? I'd happily socialize with any of them.

No, I like my colleagues too and socialise with them whenever I can. But....I find that they aren't very good at considering if something is affordable to other people or not. €50 may not seem a lot to them, but that covers my Qi Kwan Do monthly budget with €20 to spare.

With my debt, it IS a lot of money to me. Mainly because of the debt. A few of my closer colleagues are aware of the debt, but not how much.

I don't blame them. They are only trying to be nice, but I wish they would understand my position better and not give me grief when I decline something because it's too expensive for me.

(Just to add, I had the same problem in the UK too, so it's not limited to my current workplace. I even had someone else who was in deeper debt than I am (we had become very good friends at one point), always trying to get me out and throwing tantrums if I didn't go!)

londoner1998

SVM wrote: »

Yes you did - see below.


Was I being offensive? That wasn't my intention.

SVM, you were certainly provocative, but I am not going to argue with you-why wasting your time contributing to a thread that you find 'Frivolous'? It was a money saving issue and a request for opinions and help, like so many others.

But anyway, thank you for contributing and have a lovely day.

FakeIrish

Tell the truth was my money saving answer. So I did try to help.

tara747

iceicebaby wrote: »

I'm not going to my Christmas meal, Its this Friday in the evening. I just smiled and said no thank you I already have plans. nothing else has been mentioned. However if it's a lunch time do then I can understand it being a little harder to get out of.

Ours is at lunchtime, my God if it was in the evening I defo wouldn't go!!!! :eek::eek::eek::eek: Not a hope.

Bah humbug lol! Not really, I love socialising with family and friends and maybe the odd Friday drink with colleagues (like every few months) but I would love to get out of the costly Christmas do!

Louise41

I have got my xmas meal tomorrow with the team I work with and I don't want to go. Mainly because I don't like a couple of them as they are nasty about everyone (me included I bet). They upset me today (and I am a tough cookie :-)
I don't want to spend approx £60 with the meal cost and taxis to the place plus a couple of drinks. So what could I say to say I am not going? I fancy like telling them the truth but then we have all got work again Monday so I don't want to cause an atmosphere. Any suggestions would be greatly received - thanx

gratefulforhelp_2

tealady wrote: »

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!

This is a great idea. If this gets pooh poohed, then go for "I'm afraid all my cash is spoken for this month".

I'm in my thirties and I don't care about saying I'm not going to these things.

I like my colleagues, but if I'm going to pay for a meal out, I want to choose my company.

tara747

Louise41 wrote: »

I have got my xmas meal tomorrow with the team I work with and I don't want to go. Mainly because I don't like a couple of them as they are nasty about everyone (me included I bet). They upset me today (and I am a tough cookie :-)
I don't want to spend approx £60 with the meal cost and taxis to the place plus a couple of drinks. So what could I say to say I am not going? I fancy like telling them the truth but then we have all got work again Monday so I don't want to cause an atmosphere. Any suggestions would be greatly received - thanx

Fake a fall on the ice on the way to work/other illness/child's illness/domestic emergency?