Doe your spouse get invited to your office holiday party?

[Anonymous]

Ours doesn't allow spouses, but that doesn't stop the owner from bringing his wife, kids, and grandkids. Super annoying.

[Anonymous]

We have two. One is during the day where they have a big lunchtime party in the main conference room. Pot-luck sides and the company provides the entrees. No spouses because it's just a "working" lunch.

We have another event that is an evening affair and you can RSVP for whoever you want. There is a nomimal charge for the event. The charge was mainly instituted to try to get people to honor their commitments. When it was free, many people RSVPed and then didn't show and the company had to pay the catering fee for a lot of no-shows. Now, the company still largely subsidizes (it's something like $10 or $15 per person when the event costs the company more like $30-40) but you have far fewer no shows.

[Anonymous]

No, no outsiders or others from other departments. We pay and get time off to go. Otherwise, hardly anyone would go.

[Anonymous]

Yes for both spouses.

[Anonymous]

No. It's a conference room party. My DH would not be psyched to go so I'm sure he's glad there are no spouses.

[Anonymous]

We used to have a region-wide lavish hotel party with spouses in addition to a smaller party where they took us all to NYC with clients and such (but no spouses). Now post-recession we just have a pitch-in lunch where the company provides a turkey, so of course spouses aren't invited, and a 2nd small working lunch from Panera (no spouses).

[Anonymous]

We do a really nice lunch on a Friday, and then give employees the afternoon off to do holiday stuff. No spouses. New boss wanted to do evening dinner with spouses, but I told him I thought people would rather not have to use up a Dec weekend night for a work party with spouses and have to get sitters. We're an eclectic mix (age and demographics wise), and don't do a ton of socializing outside of work.

[Anonymous]

Yes but it's an evening/cocktail-type affair, no charge to employees.

[Anonymous]

Yes, spouses are welcome at our event. It's a weekend dinner though, and I hate that. I don't want to have to come back into town, find a babysitter, blah blah...I wish we'd just do something like 12:07, that would be completely awesome. I guess it doesn't matter, because I never go, and I would never subject DH to that either.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why spouses wouldn't be invited. If I was invited to a company holiday evening party and couldn't bring anyone, I wouldn't even bother.

[Anonymous]

Yes they are. Ours is in January though, once all the Holiday craziness has died down. Much easier for folks to attend on a Sat. night in January.

[Anonymous]

No, and it's an after work/evening party so I don't go

[Anonymous]

I work in hotel sales and our office is all women. We just do a happy hour on a week night right after work so no spouses.

[Anonymous]

I work for a defense contractor so we've always done luncheons although spouses are welcome. We've gone to hotels, Mt. Vernon Inn, done pot-lucks, dessert only and of course the buffet at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club. lol.

Honestly, when someone brings their spouse (wife) it's awkward... and the few times one coworker brought her little kids (under 4) they freaked and it was awkward.

My DH works in sales support so his office party was usually at a bar / restaurant and everyone just got blitzed... as a spouse, it was awkward.

I guess my final vote is do something during office hours with your coworkers.

[Anonymous]

No, which is fine with me and DH.