It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s also a time when office Christmas parties are happening left and right, and alcohol flows almost freely. And when booze-filled behavior takes over, you can expect an unhinged event to take place.
These responses to a recent Reddit post prove that. One user asked, “What's the craziest thing that has happened at your work Christmas party?” People shared personal accounts of their wildest work party experiences. Some are laughable, while others may induce feelings of second-hand shame.
Enjoy scrolling through these stories, and if you haven’t celebrated your company's Christmas party yet, do so responsibly. This thread should be your cautionary tale.
#1
We played Yankee Swap. Fairly early in the game, one of our older, obnoxious, and rude employees unwrapped a homemade painting and made a joke along the lines of "I didn't realize we were doing gag gifts. I'll definitely try and get someone to take this thing that was probably grabbed out of a dumpster." I could see our very young office intern — who also happened to be one of the kindest and sweetest humans I've ever met — go red in the face, and she was clearly trying hard to hold back tears. Of course, the rude employee was clueless. Needless to say, I stole that painting later in the game and hung it up in my cubicle with pride, where it remained for several years before I changed jobs.
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106points
#2
I worked at a large Call Centre, so Christmas parties were based on a team by team basis, so circa 18 people.
This year, ours was held at a local pub /restaurant which specialised as a carvery (in the UK big slabs of beef, turkey or pork etc plus trimmings)
The food came out, and this one very drunk woman, was unimpressed at her 2 slices of beef.
She complained to the staff, but they reiterated, 2 slices of the chosen meat only.
She went back to her table, still grumbling and drank some more.
Eventually she snapped... She went to the counter, picked up the entire roast beef and ran off into the car park with the pub staff in pursuit, leaving the rest of us dumbstruck.
She seemed to be heading for her car, but a few yards outside of the pub, just before being caught by the following pub staff and our manager, the burning hot roast beef, made it's feeling known through her hands and to her brain.
Burned, and defeated, she dropped the beef and fell to the floor... Along with her meaty trophy.
She had burned her palms quite badly, so we had to call an ambulance to take her to hospital.
The night came to a sudden and flat end.
She was released from hospital, and on her return to work was given a final written warning, and asked to reimburse the pub for one, lost roast beef joint.
We had expected her to get sacked, but as was typical for this company, they waited another month and engineered her dismassal for something else.
The whole saga went down in company folklore as 'Beefgate'.
This year, ours was held at a local pub /restaurant which specialised as a carvery (in the UK big slabs of beef, turkey or pork etc plus trimmings)
The food came out, and this one very drunk woman, was unimpressed at her 2 slices of beef.
She complained to the staff, but they reiterated, 2 slices of the chosen meat only.
She went back to her table, still grumbling and drank some more.
Eventually she snapped... She went to the counter, picked up the entire roast beef and ran off into the car park with the pub staff in pursuit, leaving the rest of us dumbstruck.
She seemed to be heading for her car, but a few yards outside of the pub, just before being caught by the following pub staff and our manager, the burning hot roast beef, made it's feeling known through her hands and to her brain.
Burned, and defeated, she dropped the beef and fell to the floor... Along with her meaty trophy.
She had burned her palms quite badly, so we had to call an ambulance to take her to hospital.
The night came to a sudden and flat end.
She was released from hospital, and on her return to work was given a final written warning, and asked to reimburse the pub for one, lost roast beef joint.
We had expected her to get sacked, but as was typical for this company, they waited another month and engineered her dismassal for something else.
The whole saga went down in company folklore as 'Beefgate'.
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69points
#3
One year I was asked if I'd be willing to dress up as Santa for our Holiday Party. I didn't think I was going to be very convincing but reluctantly agreed. Day of the party were were all hanging out in the warehouse eating cookies and drinking coffee and having breakfast and I told the few people I was sitting with that I had to go outside and make a call. I really went to go change into my Santa costume. I came back yelling Ho Ho Ho as loud as I could, put on my best jolly old man voice, drew names out of hat, handed out prizes, took pictures with staff, ate cookies, then said I had to go as my sleigh was double parked....
Came back in after changing and the amount of people that legitimately thought I missed Santa was very surprising. People I stood next to and took pictures with were telling me how I missed out. Like, grown a*s adults. I couldn't believe it. At first I thought people were just being nice or just joshing me, but throughout the day people kept asking who Santa was and telling me how bummed I must be for missing it. One of the girls finally put two and two together when she asked "weren't you there for breakfast?" and I said yeah I was sitting with so and so and she asked where I went and I said I went outside to take a call and didn't realize I was out there for so long and that by the time I came back in santa was gone and she just gave me suspicious eyes and I winked at her and left it at that.
S**t was crazy.
Came back in after changing and the amount of people that legitimately thought I missed Santa was very surprising. People I stood next to and took pictures with were telling me how I missed out. Like, grown a*s adults. I couldn't believe it. At first I thought people were just being nice or just joshing me, but throughout the day people kept asking who Santa was and telling me how bummed I must be for missing it. One of the girls finally put two and two together when she asked "weren't you there for breakfast?" and I said yeah I was sitting with so and so and she asked where I went and I said I went outside to take a call and didn't realize I was out there for so long and that by the time I came back in santa was gone and she just gave me suspicious eyes and I winked at her and left it at that.
S**t was crazy.
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67points
#4
In the first hour of the party, the CEO grabbed a microphone and lectured us all to not “get wasted and embarrass the company tonight”.
Four hours later, we watched him argue with his pregnant wife about which of them was going to drive since she was stone-cold sober and he was s**t-faced. He got pulled over not 50 feet out of the restaurant parking lot and we all watched him get arrested for DUI while still wearing his blinking Santa hat.
Four hours later, we watched him argue with his pregnant wife about which of them was going to drive since she was stone-cold sober and he was s**t-faced. He got pulled over not 50 feet out of the restaurant parking lot and we all watched him get arrested for DUI while still wearing his blinking Santa hat.
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62points
#5
My first job was at a shipyard; the Christmas parties were always beer-filled & raucous. During one party, two people who hated each other immensely got stinkin' drunk; one was 5', 160 lbs (call him Small Guy), the other was a 6', 300 lb weight lifter with a very nasty attitude (Big Guy).
Near the end of the Party, Small Guy decides to walk up behind Big Guy and p**s down his leg. Big Guy was totally oblivious to what was happening; and so the p**s was loosed upon him. Their two supervisors and I are having a conversation, which suddenly stops as both of them see what Small Guy is doing. We held our breath to see what Big Guy would do; he was so drunk as to be oblivious to what happened.
The supervisors talk quickly to each other, out of my earshot. Small Guy's supervisor rushes to Small Guy and ushers him out of the room at light-speed. Big Guy's supervisor quietly and surreptitiously spills a beer on the floor and places the bottle at Big Guy's feet. He tells Big Guy he must have spilled a beer on himself that was on a table near where he was standing, and told him to change his clothes (our lockers w/ coveralls were near-by) and he would mop up the mess. Big Guy thanks his supervisor, and goes to change without a question. No one but we three saw what happened, so damage was contained.
When I was leaving, both of the supervisors came over to me, and asked if I had seen what transpired. I told them I had. Both swore me to absolute secrecy, because Big Guy would twist off Small Guy's head, then come after the supervisors. I told them I didn't want him coming after me either - he was a nasty piece of work - so I told them no problem.
Near the end of the Party, Small Guy decides to walk up behind Big Guy and p**s down his leg. Big Guy was totally oblivious to what was happening; and so the p**s was loosed upon him. Their two supervisors and I are having a conversation, which suddenly stops as both of them see what Small Guy is doing. We held our breath to see what Big Guy would do; he was so drunk as to be oblivious to what happened.
The supervisors talk quickly to each other, out of my earshot. Small Guy's supervisor rushes to Small Guy and ushers him out of the room at light-speed. Big Guy's supervisor quietly and surreptitiously spills a beer on the floor and places the bottle at Big Guy's feet. He tells Big Guy he must have spilled a beer on himself that was on a table near where he was standing, and told him to change his clothes (our lockers w/ coveralls were near-by) and he would mop up the mess. Big Guy thanks his supervisor, and goes to change without a question. No one but we three saw what happened, so damage was contained.
When I was leaving, both of the supervisors came over to me, and asked if I had seen what transpired. I told them I had. Both swore me to absolute secrecy, because Big Guy would twist off Small Guy's head, then come after the supervisors. I told them I didn't want him coming after me either - he was a nasty piece of work - so I told them no problem.
48points
#6
Around 11-13 years ago a male colleague showed up to our fancy ball in a dress, long wig, full face of makeup. No one knew if he did drag previously or anything, it was completely out of the blue to us all. He downed many drinks, accused every one of being judgemental about his life choices, picked fights with individuals, and was then found almost passed out in a toilet stall where security was called. He ended up punching on with the security guard and more were called so he was removed from the event kicking and screaming, whipped the wig off his head and then kept whipping the second security guard with it.
It was a lot.
But on the Monday it was even weirder. He was called to the big bosses office and proceeded to say it wasn’t him, he never did drag, he wasn’t even at the party, he’d been at his wife’s work Christmas party on the other side of the city.
Wish I knew what happened but I left that job soon after.
It was a lot.
But on the Monday it was even weirder. He was called to the big bosses office and proceeded to say it wasn’t him, he never did drag, he wasn’t even at the party, he’d been at his wife’s work Christmas party on the other side of the city.
Wish I knew what happened but I left that job soon after.
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45points
#7
All in the same night, one of the guys broke up with one of the girls and she ran out crying, two of the married workers hooked up in the bathroom (they were not married to eachother), one of our guy's wives got extremely drunk and was flirting with EVERYBODY and I managed to win a tablet and $100 in amazon gift cards.
45points
#8
I won $1000 in a charity 50/50 draw we did a few years back.
That covered my bar bill, and hotel costs (since the party was some distance from where I actually live). Plus prob paid off most of my Xmas shopping.
Huge win.
That covered my bar bill, and hotel costs (since the party was some distance from where I actually live). Plus prob paid off most of my Xmas shopping.
Huge win.
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43points
#9
OOOH, I have so many! (All different years, some different companies)
1. Urinal torn off the wall.
So many fights, but a few that stand out...
2. Drunk salesguy on the dancefloor runs his mouth about something. COO turns around and asks "I think you need to stop." Salesguy takes a swing at the 6'6" COO. He was not a salesguy the next day.
3. Sales manager followed one of the ladies in sales administration up to their hotel room. Tried to force his way into her room. Had to be pulled off by two other people. Also was not a sales manager the next day.
Back to non-fighting...
4. Guy barfed during the awards presentation. On stage. Not sure if he got to keep his award.
5. Tried to talk a drunk coworker out of telling the CEO his opinion about all the mistakes that he was making. I did not succeed. Had a fun all-department meeting about appropriate decorum at social events the following week.
Corporate America is wild. Remember everyone, Monday comes eventually and you have to see all those people again. Alcohol is your friend until it isn't.
1. Urinal torn off the wall.
So many fights, but a few that stand out...
2. Drunk salesguy on the dancefloor runs his mouth about something. COO turns around and asks "I think you need to stop." Salesguy takes a swing at the 6'6" COO. He was not a salesguy the next day.
3. Sales manager followed one of the ladies in sales administration up to their hotel room. Tried to force his way into her room. Had to be pulled off by two other people. Also was not a sales manager the next day.
Back to non-fighting...
4. Guy barfed during the awards presentation. On stage. Not sure if he got to keep his award.
5. Tried to talk a drunk coworker out of telling the CEO his opinion about all the mistakes that he was making. I did not succeed. Had a fun all-department meeting about appropriate decorum at social events the following week.
Corporate America is wild. Remember everyone, Monday comes eventually and you have to see all those people again. Alcohol is your friend until it isn't.
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42points
#10
Our very drunk, very white CFO walked up to the only black man in the company, clapped him on the back and exclaimed "Billy! My n***a!".
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41points
#11
President of the company pulled a “don’t you know who I am?” When a girl rejected his advances asking to dance. She walked over to the head of HR (who was also at the party) and explained what happened. Head of HR said she was going to arrange a meeting Monday morning. President stepped outside and shot himself in his car.
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40points
#12
Guy who was normally really nice always turned into a mean drunk and had too many. Insulted one of the older sales reps to his face in front of his wife. We were a very button down group and this went over very badly.
Monday morning he's sitting in my office despite not reporting to me ashamed as hell and I'm giving him the Dutch uncle advice because his whole management chain is pissed at him.
Basically told him he was a mean little drunk and that I advised he give up drinking because I had never seen such a Jekyll and Hyde transformation. Told him he needed to go apologize to everyone and mean it and especially the rep.
He didn't get fired but it was a close thing.
Monday morning he's sitting in my office despite not reporting to me ashamed as hell and I'm giving him the Dutch uncle advice because his whole management chain is pissed at him.
Basically told him he was a mean little drunk and that I advised he give up drinking because I had never seen such a Jekyll and Hyde transformation. Told him he needed to go apologize to everyone and mean it and especially the rep.
He didn't get fired but it was a close thing.
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34points
#13
The assistant manager had a few and she did a strip tease to the Shrek soundtrack.
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33points
#14
I met my future boss while photocopying my a*s. Said boss later made out with intern. Someone else broke the photocopier while copying own a*s and was badly cut.
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30points
#15
Small office Christmas party at the owner's house. Party was going normally, everybody was drinking and having a good time. At some point some of the office girls start dancing and the owner, just some middle aged schlub, gets a boner watching the festivities. His wife notices and loses it and sends everyone home. 10/10 would party again.
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30points
#16
Small company, one of the sales knobs got really s**t faced and starting hitting on the CFO's wife. Plot twist all three went back to their hotel room together. The rumors about that were still swirling around when I let 2 years later.
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28points
#17
Wall Street in the early 2000s. A banker bit another banker’s ear off over a love triangle with a coworker.
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28points
#18
Company used to rent a hotel ballroom for big christmas party for all 400 employees that cared to attend (and even subsidized hotel rooms in case of drinking). HR Director got shitfaced drunk, took off her panties and started twerking/humping random male employees on the dance floor (in front of their partners). Two HR people came out and tried to get her under control, but were also shitfaced. All three ended up literally rolling around on the floor laughing and fighting anyone who tried to get them up and to a room to calm down. Then the vomiting started.
We haven't had a christmas party since.
We haven't had a christmas party since.
26points
#19
Fist fight over someone winning a 32" flat screen tv. This was back in like 2006 or 2007. Our company never held a Christmas party again after that.
26points
#20
Posted this about a month ago when this was last asked…
There was a guy who was known for being “handsy” at the Christmas party, and the mental thing was he’d been doing it for so long it was just kind of accepted and expected by most of the women in the company that they would get felt up on the dance floor by him. Any woman who did object to it would almost get shouted down by others, and if anyone tried to say “hey, this is all a bit weird” they be told it was all fine.
One year the party was in a place with other companies and he was doing his normal stuff and he full-on groped a woman from another company mistaking her for someone else. The whole place went mental.
There were women from my company properly screaming at the woman who was groped for having the audacity to be a bit upset that this random guy had grabbed her tits. Then some guys were getting involved and defending him too because some guys from the other company were willing to kick the s**t out of him. It was like a lot of people collectively lost their f*****g minds.
The outcome was handsy-guy got arrested, charged and ended up in court and fined. He probably ended up on the sex offenders register too but I can’t remember if that was the case. He resigned too presumably before he was sacked.
The cherry on the cake of this being absolutely mental was I heard people saying how much they missed him at the next years party!
There was a guy who was known for being “handsy” at the Christmas party, and the mental thing was he’d been doing it for so long it was just kind of accepted and expected by most of the women in the company that they would get felt up on the dance floor by him. Any woman who did object to it would almost get shouted down by others, and if anyone tried to say “hey, this is all a bit weird” they be told it was all fine.
One year the party was in a place with other companies and he was doing his normal stuff and he full-on groped a woman from another company mistaking her for someone else. The whole place went mental.
There were women from my company properly screaming at the woman who was groped for having the audacity to be a bit upset that this random guy had grabbed her tits. Then some guys were getting involved and defending him too because some guys from the other company were willing to kick the s**t out of him. It was like a lot of people collectively lost their f*****g minds.
The outcome was handsy-guy got arrested, charged and ended up in court and fined. He probably ended up on the sex offenders register too but I can’t remember if that was the case. He resigned too presumably before he was sacked.
The cherry on the cake of this being absolutely mental was I heard people saying how much they missed him at the next years party!
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24points