We recently had our Christmas party at work. It was fun (well, the party was). We had some good food, and it was nice getting to meet and hang out with the SOs of the people I work with. On top of that, we had a live band. One of our coworkers has a brother who plays in a band, and they always come to our annual Christmas bash.
However . . .
There was the issue of setting up the building. Overall, that wasn't too big of a deal. I arrived two hours early to help set it up, as did a few other people. I ran to the store to get some last minute things, as did one of the other people who came in early. We got the place looking nice for the party.
Then the Monday after the party arrived.
One of the people who helped set up the party seems to be under the impression that she did the lion's share of the work, when frankly, that isn't true. I heard her gripe about how no one except one person offered to help put the food away toward the end of the party---when several of us were helping put the food away. Then she complained about how it ALWAYS falls on HER to set up these events and then clean up after them afterward. Um, did me and a few other people NOT arrive early to help set everything up? Do I have a different perception of reality than other people have? I try to keep the peace, but it's hard when you try to do your share of the work only to be told that you aren't doing anything.
That's not all. Some people arrived late at the party, and this person says she's angry at them for that. She's also mad because some people "left early." Basically, a bunch of people left at around 9:30, and I was one of them. When she complained about this, I said, "Well, I thought the party was supposed to end at that time." She said it was supposed to end between 9:30 and 10:00.
Heck, we started putting the food away at around 9:00, and yes, I was there helping put it away!
I like having these parties. This is the first place I've ever worked that had a "company Christmas party" with a live band, drinks, food, etc. I love that, but honestly, the post-party bitching almost makes it not worth it. I'd like to suggest that next year, we just all go out to dinner together, but I'm sure someone would find a reason to bitch about that, too.
It's not just the Christmas parties, either. It's like this almost every time we have any kind of function. Every few months, we have birthday celebrations for the people who have had birthdays during the past two or three months, and every time, some people are accused of not doing enough or of getting the wrong things or doing the wrong things or whatever. Apparently, we can't have some fun together every so often without someone having to get in a snit about petty things.
However . . .
There was the issue of setting up the building. Overall, that wasn't too big of a deal. I arrived two hours early to help set it up, as did a few other people. I ran to the store to get some last minute things, as did one of the other people who came in early. We got the place looking nice for the party.
Then the Monday after the party arrived.
One of the people who helped set up the party seems to be under the impression that she did the lion's share of the work, when frankly, that isn't true. I heard her gripe about how no one except one person offered to help put the food away toward the end of the party---when several of us were helping put the food away. Then she complained about how it ALWAYS falls on HER to set up these events and then clean up after them afterward. Um, did me and a few other people NOT arrive early to help set everything up? Do I have a different perception of reality than other people have? I try to keep the peace, but it's hard when you try to do your share of the work only to be told that you aren't doing anything.
That's not all. Some people arrived late at the party, and this person says she's angry at them for that. She's also mad because some people "left early." Basically, a bunch of people left at around 9:30, and I was one of them. When she complained about this, I said, "Well, I thought the party was supposed to end at that time." She said it was supposed to end between 9:30 and 10:00.
Heck, we started putting the food away at around 9:00, and yes, I was there helping put it away!
I like having these parties. This is the first place I've ever worked that had a "company Christmas party" with a live band, drinks, food, etc. I love that, but honestly, the post-party bitching almost makes it not worth it. I'd like to suggest that next year, we just all go out to dinner together, but I'm sure someone would find a reason to bitch about that, too.
It's not just the Christmas parties, either. It's like this almost every time we have any kind of function. Every few months, we have birthday celebrations for the people who have had birthdays during the past two or three months, and every time, some people are accused of not doing enough or of getting the wrong things or doing the wrong things or whatever. Apparently, we can't have some fun together every so often without someone having to get in a snit about petty things.
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