# When Christmas Parties Go Bad **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 16, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194 "2012-12-16T16:48:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/1 "2012-12-16T16:48:55Z")
Not sure if this was a bad party or the best one ever: [Over 30 hurt in company party brawl](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/326319/over-30-injured-in-company-party-brawl) Thailand has New Year’s parties, but they’re essentially the same as Christmas parties, with gift giving and much of the Christmas decorative trappings. But fights broke out during this party’s lucky draw for prizes on Friday night. Even homemade grenades were used! What Christmas/New Year’s parties have _you_ seen go bad in a spectacular way? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/2 "2012-12-16T16:57:44Z")
Circa 1996 - our division Christmas party was in a hotel’s banquet room, three steps up from the lobby. 911 had to be called for a coworker right after she climbed those steps; she had a heart attack and the paramedics couldn’t save her. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/3 "2012-12-16T17:12:00Z")
At the restaurant I worked at, our staff parties could get be pretty wild. They’d close the restaurant for us, hire a band, install dance floor while the GM tended bar. Two hammered waitresses broke out the cocaine and started snorting at the table. GM fired them on the spot. Not suppose to get that wild. My mother recounted one x-mas party she went to at the bosses house. A woman got promptly smashed, insulted the boss, hit on her husband, pissed her pants and passed out. She never showed up for work after that. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/4 "2012-12-16T17:15:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not sure if this was a bad party or the best one ever: [Over 30 hurt in company party brawl](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/326319/over-30-injured-in-company-party-brawl) > > Thailand has New Year’s parties, but they’re essentially the same as Christmas parties, with gift giving and much of the Christmas decorative trappings. But fights broke out during this party’s lucky draw for prizes on Friday night. Even homemade grenades were used! > > What Christmas/New Year’s parties have _you_ seen go bad in a spectacular way? I have a strange desire to work at this place. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/5 "2012-12-16T18:13:59Z")
The homemade grenade is the interesting part to me. Was someone carrying a homemade grenade around, like ya do, just in case? Or did someone McGuyver one up in mid brawl? ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/6 "2012-12-16T18:35:53Z")
When I worked on an airbase, we were dealing with budget cuts and several civilian departments were being closed and the employees terminated after New Year’s. At the Christmas party after announcements of the layoffs had been made, several of the employees on the chopping block got hammered and got the base CO backed into a corner and verbally tore into him. That was the last Christmas party where alcohol was permitted. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/7 "2012-12-16T18:38:31Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > The homemade grenade is the interesting part to me. Was someone carrying a homemade grenade around, like ya do, just in case? Or did someone McGuyver one up in mid brawl? [Judy Garland] “…And have yourself A Merry little Christmas… Row…” [/Judy Garland] ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/8 "2012-12-16T18:42:30Z")
My last boss of my working life crashed the Christmas party (I say ‘crashed’ because our prig of big boss would not allow alcohol) drunk on her ass with her drunken female friend. She proceeded to paw most of the men there, which I found very funny. The big boss didn’t find it very amusing, which was even funnier to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/9 "2012-12-16T20:16:31Z")
I mentioned this a few days ago here; I worked at one company where they didn’t have Christmas parties any longer after all the divorces from all the fooling around at one memorable one. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/10 "2012-12-16T20:53:16Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Not sure if this was a bad party or the best one ever: [Over 30 hurt in company party brawl](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/326319/over-30-injured-in-company-party-brawl) > > Thailand has New Year’s parties, but they’re essentially the same as Christmas parties, with gift giving and much of the Christmas decorative trappings. But fights broke out during this party’s lucky draw for prizes on Friday night. Even homemade grenades were used! Over 4,000 partygoers, so that’s really only a .75% casualty rate. Sounds pretty tame to me! I second the amazement of “homemade grenade”. Maybe a molotov dragonfruit? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/11 "2012-12-17T00:14:36Z")
Gunshots were heard. I don’t know about you, but I’d never go to a Christmas party without packing a piece. Ya never know what’s gonna happen! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/12 "2012-12-17T03:35:58Z")
I was surprised to read there were 10 cops assigned to the party before any trouble started. I’m guessing there’s some history there we haven’t heard about. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/13 "2012-12-17T04:37:49Z")
Even basic weddings around here at party centers require an off-duty police officer, so I’m not surprised a gathering of 4000 people would require a bit of security. But really, how does one fit a homemade greande into an evening bag? I can barely get a cell phone, lipstick and ID into one! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/14 "2012-12-17T13:36:42Z")
Homemade grenades? Sounds like the party was a real blast. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/15 "2012-12-17T14:47:58Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Thailand has New Year’s parties, but they’re essentially the same as Christmas parties, with gift giving and much of the Christmas decorative trappings. But fights broke out during this party’s lucky draw for prizes on Friday night. **Even homemade grenades were used!** Damn, those people know how to seriously party!! ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/16 "2012-12-18T19:44:45Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Circa 1996 - our division Christmas party was in a hotel’s banquet room, three steps up from the lobby. 911 had to be called for a coworker right after she climbed those steps; she had a heart attack and the paramedics couldn’t save her. That is a seriously out of shape person if three steps was enough to cause a heart attack! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/17 "2012-12-19T14:39:25Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Damn, those people know how to seriously party!! A party that went with a bang. Holy shit though - imagine it. Oh dear, must go to works party tonight, shower dress, sort out right jewellery, shoes, money, mobile phone, handkerchief, ingredients for home-made grenade … :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/18 "2012-12-19T14:48:33Z")
Just had our holiday pigout yesterday. Not even a food fight. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/19 "2012-12-19T15:07:43Z")
Several years ago a company I was working for decided to merge our “office worker” christmas party with the “call centre” christmas party. As you can imagine they were completely different demographics. The party was traditionally a dinner and dance with a pay bar but bottles of wine for each table and champagne at midnight. The company also provided taxi’s and/or substantial discounts on rooms in the hotel. Well a couple tables of call centre employees quickly discovered that many of the others didn’t drink all of their wine so they cruised the banquet hall retrieving excess bottles and returning them to their table. Several hours later the very busy dance floor was cleared when a woman screamed “OMG they’re having sex” Yes, standing up in the middle of the dance floor. 2 employees were terminated several more warned and they never ever had a merged party again. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194/20 "2012-12-19T15:27:59Z")
What? if it was a merged party how can you terminated for merging? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-christmas-parties-go-bad/644194.md?page=2)