My company had its holiday party this past Friday. It wasn’t a party like the ones we’ve had in years past. No big party in the Vista, no open bar, no karaoke. Money’s tight (check this post for possible reasons), so all we got was one covered-dish lunch, and I missed all the food. Of all the days to have off from work, I picked this one. I’m trying to use up my vacation days before the end of the year. I should’ve taken Monday off instead.

Nothing gets done on a party day, of course. If the boss is lucky, he can squeeze two hours of work from you in the morning, in between goofing off and checking email. By eleven, you’re looking forward to Alice’s deviled eggs, Bob’s fried turkey, and Carol’s nacho dip. Lunch lasts a good two hours. Before you know it, it’s somewhere between two and three in the afternoon, and leftovers are calling your name. Time to raid the refrigerator.

We got the best of both worlds last year — a formal party and a covered-dish lunch. I brought my brother-in-law as a lunch date, which established me in short order as the company mooch. (He invited me to his work drop-in, so I repaid the favor.)

My favorite of all the holiday festivities is the unofficial one. Every year, on the last work day before Christmas, the few stalwarts still in the office go out for a lazy lunch. The company buys, and adult beverages are allowed. No RSVPs, no dressing up, nothing cluttering up your evening schedule. Just a couple of hours of fun on a day when nothing’s getting done anyway.

You can tell a thing or two about a company by its holiday party. During a stint with a previous employer, the holiday party evolved from a small daytime affair into a rented-out, fully catered soiree in a tailgating clubhouse. The designers spent hours on invitations and a video presentation. HR handed out awards and prizes. That was the last party. A year later, the company was no more. The money ran out.

There’s really no need to spend all that precious cash on a big party. Just take the employees out, show them your appreciation, and let them kick back a little. I don’t know if there’s enough in the budget to do even that much this year.

Hope springs eternal, though. I’m gone to check the fridge for leftovers. Merry Christmas.