Christmas parties

Do people still have massive company Christmas parties? I remember donkeys years ago when I was in London working for the same company I do now, although probably a takeover or merger removed, we used to host huge outside tented Christmas 'do's' at great expense at locations like Spitalfields or themed inside ones at places such as The Brewery at Chiswell Street. Bloody brilliant they were. Do companies in London still do that?

The reason I ask is today we have our team Christmas lunch. Seven of us eating, getting a little tiddly but a far cry from the glory days of 90's excesses. In fact when I was in Chicago we used to put our team lunch up for sponsorship because team Christmas lunches, expensed ones anyway were banned. Actually we had some very good and guilt-free afternoons.

I suspect most companies these days struggle to warrant an expensive end of year staff blow out, preferring to offer days off or hampers or bottles of cheap plonk instead. Mind you some still may not agree with such nimiety.

Shame really because most employees work their balls off all year and a little free drink-up can go a long way. My lot are happy to have a late lunch and write the afternoon off and as an added bonus the company are hosting a two-hour staff cocktail party in the office tomorrow after work, although more cheese and pineapple on sticks than bacchanalia.