As winter approaches, we turn our thoughts to ways to warm ourselves in the dark months and ask ourselves 'what WILL we do for the office Christmas party this year?'

Okay, this is a blatant call for ideas - we're currently debating what to do for our company Christmas party this year (in London) and it occurred to me that it might be interesting to get some wider views from people who opinions aren't restricted to 'let's go on a pub crawl round Soho'.

So, do you have Christmas parties where you work? Do you go out to an event or just have nibbles in the office? If you had your choice, what would you do? Ice skating? Murder Mystery Party? Abseiling down Big Ben?

Remember the location is London, so if you can think of anything appropriate for this grand city....

Budget is generous, but not unlimited. I can't see the bosses forkng out for a weekend in Lapland, for instance.

Kate

We have 3 at our place - greedy lot, I know!
We are in a satellite office, so we have our own in the local gastro-pub; then there is the company one, at a venue close to head office, chosen by the MD's PA; thirdly is the group-wide event, where a suitably large venue is hired, we go to be talked at by the group chief exec (a lovverly bloke, really) and the stuff ourselves silly at the groups expense - no free bar though!

3 - 5 p.m. on the Friday before Christmas. Punch and cookies in the 'big' conference room (can hold all employees).

Have punch, leave early, spend time with family.

Very glad I don't have to hang out with some of my co-workers. Sorry I don't get to hang out with some of my co-workers.

Though there is a new top boss so I don't know what will happen this year. I don't really want more than the above except a handshake and congrats on doing a great job, the company would be nowhere without you and other pleasantries.

Hi K,

Usually we would have everyone bring some food native to their home country, stuff ourselves, drink too much, and sneak off to smooch in a broom closet.

I miss the days when we were a smaller firm. One of my bosses would have the party at his house. It was always so much fun.
Now we're a design firm of 36 (not that big I know, but too big for one house). We still exchange names which I really like to do. It started when we were a firm of 6 and has managed to continue.

We have a dessert/drink gift exchange before Christmas.

Then we have a reserved party room at a restaurant some time after Christmas.

Last year the room was huge. They had several types of wine and martinis and faux gambling.
DH and I played roulette for a couple of hours. It was fun. I hope they have the gambling again this year. I get to learn how to play for free.

An ex botfriend of mine had his Xmas do in the national history museum - origional if nothing else.

My sister used to work at a place who had a secret santa/ugly ornament exchange. The idea was to find the ugliest ornament and the receiver HAD to put it on their tree that year.

And because this is so inexpensive, people would take a collection of what you'd normally spend on a gift and make a sizable donation to charity.

They would have wine and cheese etc. and laugh hysterically at everybody's ugly presents.

(downtown Seattle small architectural firm) We go to a restaurant on the waterfront, that is walking distance from the office, for drinks and a generous hot and cold appetizer spread from 6-9pm on a Thursday evening.

Okay, so ignoring the fact you may hate your colleagues (just pretend it's a big gang of mates), what would you do if you had a free rein? There'll be about 20 of us.

Suggestions so far here in my office have included:
- clay pigeon shooting
- a night on the town in Brighton (seaside resort near London)
- ice skating at Somerset House
- pub games
- a treasure hunt round central London
- going to 'the dogs' - the dog racing track at Walthamstow, East london
- lunch in Paris (actually, can't see the bosses going for that one)
- going to a Pantomime (a good one - such as the production of Aladdin last year at the Old Vic that had Sir Ian McKellen as Widow Twanky)

All of the above would be followed by a slap up dinner.

We take our Christmas parties very seriously round here.

I'd pick lunch in Paris!
Second choice would be the pantomime and third, iceskating....

Really lunch in Paris with travel on Eurostar will probably cost about the same as pantomime tix and slap up dinner in London...check costs before you rule it out!

Due to the rabid PCness sweeping our country - we're no longer allowed Christmas parties. For a while, we had a "Holiday" party late in January when venues were cheaper and more readily available. Even those have stopped now.

I like the idea of a treasure hunt/scavenger hunt ending up at a pub or restaurant.

Suggestions so far here in my office have included:
- clay pigeon shooting
The down side to thisis you simply cannot drink before or during - also if you have office feebs they probably won't be able to cope with a 12 bore - they pack quite a kick.

- a night on the town in Brighton (seaside resort near London)
Good call. Bournemouth is party central these days too - with much cheaper accommodation.

- ice skating at Somerset House
Hmmmm….What if you can't skate? Also I think you only get about 30 minutes per ticket.

- pub games
All pubs will be packed to the rafters - how will you get space?

- a treasure hunt round central London
This is really a pub crawl round soho in anorther guise isn't it? Again the problem is that central london pubs are rammed with amateur drinkers and pissed secretatries with deely boppers on.

- going to 'the dogs' - the dog racing track at Walthamstow, East london
Good idea - Wimbledon is good too (Romfords not bad - but smaller)

- lunch in Paris (actually, can't see the bosses going for that one)

- going to a Pantomime (a good one - such as the production of Aladdin last year at the Old Vic that had Sir Ian McKellen as Widow Twanky)

Wimbledon Theatre has the Fonz in Peter Pan. That could be fun. Good restaurants in Wimbledon Village too. There's no panto at the Old Vic this year.

All of the above would be followed by a slap up dinner.

Don't forget the paper hats.

Whats the mix of blokes to bints - that makes a huge difference. Wimmin wan't to do things like go to health clubs. Blokes want beer.

Hi Kate,

My DH's company party is the usual dinner, music, dancing, etc. What is original is the timing... for the last several years, they have it around the second week of January. At first we were like :-?, but actually it really is nice. Quite relaxing, you are not thinking "I really need to be shopping because I still have to buy a gift for _______ and _______." So many people have several holiday gatherings, this makes it really nice that it is a couple weeks after the rush. I know many people have enjoyed it more since they did the big move to January.

If I remember correctly Kate, I think you reside in England. My DH and I hope to visit your beautiful country some day.

One place I used to work would give us a big dinner and hire a hypnotist and a comedian to entertain. Seeing co-workers hypnotized was absolutely hysterical. We also did a murder mystery trip one year with transportation to the site provided but too many people smoked pot on the bus on the way there that they changed it to an onsite event.

Yes, Tiff, I do indeed reside in England. My office is in London, so the city is our oyster, as it were.

"Whats the mix of blokes to bints - that makes a huge difference. Wimmin wan't to do things like go to health clubs. Blokes want beer."

About 50/50, but even the girls are tombiys, and like the beer. Only one person suggested a spa day, and she was laughed out of the office (even though she's the boss).

Oh, yes, celticdreams, very PC to make sure everyone is included by calling it a "holiday" party. Odd how some people resent it when their traditions aren't given preferred treatment.

Straight from work one weekday during the holiday season, we teachers go to a place known for "buffalo wings" (which are free) and a cash bar. Definitely a "why bother" little affair.

Here in sunny olde england christmas is christmas and no one gives a stuff about Kwaanza or any of that other stuff. Everyone joins in and no one gets offended.

Maybe it's the paper hats that makes the difference?

One thing we've done here is to take a tour at vinopolis. They take you through a selection of wines(which you get to drink) and tell you about them, and then you can either eat there (which ain't that great) or make your own arrangement.

You could get the boss to take you all up the Oxo Tower.

Vinopolis! Now THAT'S a good idea.

I don't like to be forced into spending extra time and activities by my office (and I like my co-workers just fine). That's why we choose what I described, just a quick after-work, week-day cocktail party.

I have been lobbying to have our winter party in January. It makes so much more sense - absolutely nothing is going on in January and we need an event to life our spirits out of the post-holiday doldrums. Besides, every year my company's winter party conflicts with my husband's company party so we have to choose.