Many companies put on an annual Christmas or holiday party for the employees, and while it is often not strictly mandatory, it is highly encouraged that people attend.

Unfortunately, many people hate these types of events, but they have to go anyway or they will look bad with their management.

That is what the employee in this story had to endure, and he would have rather have been doing anything else that night.

Just survived another soul-crushing corporate holiday party

Four years at this company.

Now they want to be best friends?

Four years of bosses who’ve never once spoken to me outside of mandatory meetings.

But tonight? Tonight they needed me at (OC City) Country Club for our “holiday celebration.”

This seems miserable.

We’re expected to show up after a full workday—unpaid, obviously—and stay until 9:30pm on a Thursday night. The location alone is a 45-minute drive from the office for most of us.

The “festivities” included forced participation in trivia games with questions about stupid bro things. Real festive stuff.

It isn’t even good food.

The buffet featured five options: three varieties of wilted, flavorless salad and two types of overpriced, under-seasoned meat that had clearly been sitting under heat lamps since 6pm.

Not once did anyone say “thank you.” Not once did our leadership acknowledge that we regularly pull 12-hour days.

They don’t care, they are just putting on appearances.

No mention of the actual work we do or why they value having us there. Just vibes of “if you don’t show up to celebrate, we’ll remember that.”

Not so much pressure from the owners (cheaper for them). More so from our department’s leadership (makes me look better).

They only care about their own careers.

These are the same young white bros who’ve walked past my desk for four years without a single conversation.

But sure, let me drive to South County after work to watch you pat yourselves on back at a country club I could never afford to join.

Why would you want to connect with these people?

I know I’m supposed to be grateful for the “opportunity to connect with leadership.” I know this is “just how corporate culture works.”

But honestly? I’d rather have gotten those three unpaid hours back to spend literally anywhere else.

Company Christmas parties can be just awful and most people hate them.

Let’s see what the people in the comments think about this story.

Yup, this is the way.

Now that sounds like a fun party.

They can’t force you to attend.

This sounds awful.

Just don’t go.

Why do they try to make fun mandatory?

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.