spouses not invited your husbands or wive's company Christmas party

Just wondering if it's normal not to invite your husband/boyfriend, wife/girlfriend to your company Christmas party. My husband has his company Christmas party this Friday, Black Tie and all and I am not allowed to go, it's staff only! haha let me tell you I got really upset about this! I am starting to think it's a Brit thing, because in the US your allowed to bring your other half.

My company's the same, although we'd never do black tie, since I work for a charity.  No biggie in our case, since it's basically going out to eat and for a drink or two - some always continue on after that, the rest of us go home...(pretty much like in the US, except spouses were included).

I think spouses are invited to my DH's, though - but we never go, as everyone has to pay (he works for an NHS hospital)...

I have worked for the same company in the US and UK. You were allowed to bring guests to the US Christmas party, but not the UK one. So I think it's typical for the UK.

thanks! I just personally thought it was silly to do a Black Tie when only your co workers are gonna see you, I wanted to reason to get dressed haha

That's not really true. Some companies in the US allow spouses; some don't.  My last company in the US didn't. Personally, I prefer that spouses don't come. A company party is supposed to be for bonding with people from  your company - a spouse won't get all the in-jokes that come from spending 8+ hours a day working with the same people in the same field.  It can also make people who are single, people in non-conventional (define as you wish) relationships, or people who's spouses/partners just can't be there uncomfortable. Finally, I would rather that the money that would have been spent on spouses' food and drinks be spent on giving me a pay rise.

My company has actually ditched our Christmas party this year, we're just getting free drinks for a couple of hours, due to the economic enviroment and our being a financial company - it doesn't look good for investors who have been losing money (or for the people who have been made redundant).

I don't understand why people wouldn't want to dress up in front of just coworkers though. I think it's nice to see coworkers dressed up.

I think it just depends on the company.  Rather than a Christmas party - my employer has a 'New Years Ball' (smart dress required - some wear black tie & ball gowns) usually toward the end of January.  Apparently it's cheaper to have it then.  Also, since we have probably around 500 employees (a guess), it's also just employees only - no spouses or partners, again because it would just get too expensive to do that (not to mention finding a big enough venue).  It's usually a nice enough do - catered meal with wine, etc, followed by annual company announcements and a disco.  I went the first couple of years, but it's lost its appeal - mostly because I can't take my husband.  Also, unless I want to get drunk and dance with anyone/everyone (there's always some scandal being discussed afterwards), it's really kind of boring - the big cheeses' speeches are boring etc.  I'm not going this year & a lot of people opt not to go.  I don't care about bonding with my workmates - the time I spend at work is bonding (bondage?) enough.  Also some of the big cheeses are allowed to bring their spouses & partners, but nobody else is, so it all gets a bit hypocritical - for that and other reasons.

My husband's company opted not to have an official Christmas party this year - but when they've had one, it's usually been employees only, I think.  He'll still probably go for a night out with his immediate work mates - but he works with a bunch of guys, and I've never been much interested in joining in - though I probably could if I wanted.

The American company I worked for had a no-spouses Christmas party every year, where people famously got drunk and did embarrassing things they spent the rest of the year living down.

I never went.

We also had no-partner parties at our company in the US but they weren't black tie. Actually, they were dull beyond reason: most people just ran down from their desks, grabbed a plate of food and left.

My experience in the UK varies.  It depends on the company, on what kind of 'do' it is, and on finances.  Our Christmas Party last year included partners, but we are only small and had a good year.  This year we are inviting partners to drinks but not a dinner, because we have more people to invite.  My boyfriend's Christmas Party was a Black Tie dinner, so when you are talking about a £70 per head dinner during a recession then partners simply aren't invited.  In the past I have worked for places where partners could come but they ahd to pay for themselves.  So it is not a UK/US thin, it differs from company to company.

Vicky

Finally, I would rather that the money that would have been spent on spouses' food and drinks be spent on giving me a pay rise.

I'd rather that the money spent on the whole lot (even the party for employees - no spouses) be spent on pay rises instead.

In the US, I worked places where partners were invited (for a fee), and places where no partners were invited.  Again, it all depends on the employer - it's not a US/UK thing as others have said.

The best work Christmas party ever was when I worked at a charity in Kansas City.  We closed the office early on Dec 23 (I think it was), and all went out for a really low key meal at an Italian restaurant - exchanging Secret Santa presents during the meal.  Then we all went home - and we had the entire time off (as an extra freebie!) from then until after New Years. 

I have to go with an "it depends".  My company's xmas party does include spouses, but they have to pay (staff go free).  At my husband's company, partners are invited only after the meal.  At my previous employer, partners were invited (this is all in the UK, btw).  It really depends more on the type and size of company rather than location, I think.

thanks for all the comments. I actually would not have mind paying for my part. I just feel it's so unfriendly. I used to work at a newspaper in Texas and every year partners of employees were allowed to come. oh well, just thought it would be nice to meet the people he spends half the day with

I'd rather that the money spent on the whole lot (even the party for employees - no spouses) be spent on pay rises instead.

Me too.

oh well, just thought it would be nice to meet the people he spends half the day with

You're always free to get together at the pub on your own time.

I don't work here in the UK, but my US experiences are similar to a lot of others who have posted here. Some places included spouses at holiday parties, and some didn't. To be honest, I always thought it a little dull for the poor spouses who didn't know all of the office gossip and in-jokes.

To be honest, I always thought it a little dull for the poor spouses who didn't know all of the office gossip and in-jokes.

That's what I was trying to put across. I would rather stay home or do something else with friends than tag along with my husband politely pretending to be interested (if he wasn't self-employed and had a work Christmas party to go to). I'm sure he feels the same about going to my work events.