Politically correct Christmas parties

It’s official: the season of Christmas parties has started.

Last Thursday stood out as the night many companies decided to stage their Christmas parties for clients or their media partners. Several events took place that many of us in media simply could not show up in all of them.

In fact a bunch of us had to make a choice between corporate invitations versus tradition. Yes tradition! Because of the increasing influence of both Evangelicals and Jews, many Filipino Christians have started observing “Thanksgiving day” which is also a very important holiday for Americans and a big number of Filipino Chinese families many of whom are historically protestant Christians.

Although some companies were smart by holding their media Christmas parties ahead, it would be politically correct to check the calendar. If you respect Ramadan, shouldn’t you respect “Thanksgiving” as well? Just because you don’t observe it doesn’t mean you should ignore it.

* * *

While I had several invitations to party, my first Christmas party for the year was the Jollibee Food Corporation event, because from all the invites the JFC seemed to be the only “family oriented” event. Other events were “For adults only ”and did not open the door for the spouse or children.

I shared this thought with the folks at JFC because most of the year is spent working with corporate people, which actually take media persons away from their families. While most corporations strive to have close relations with media or other stakeholders, 95 to 99 percent of these companies have never invited, met or made contact with the spouse or children.

In fact large numbers of companies have failed to do the same thing for their own employees. Office parties are for employees only. Often the spouse and kids are just “sabits” or tag along because no one can watch the kids at home.

The one time in the year that the companies can give back to the ones who sacrificed the most is during Christmas. If Christmas is for children, then it’s about time we reward them for all the times they could not be with Mom or Dad. It is the one time that the company has a chance to show why their parents work for the company and what kind of company they are.

The JFC people certainly got my attention very early in the party when they gave away prizes for the early bird or people who came on time or earlier for the party. The first three each got an Ipod Nano. Putting value on Family and the value of time speaks more than any overexplained CSR.

* * *

As far as Christmas parties go, I wonder how much thought company owners give to what goes on. Yes we all want to have fun, but what sort of fun do we choose and what sort of consequences are we prepared to deal with.

As a part time Motoring Journalist, I have often expressed my concern for the lack of thought and responsibility among automotive manufacturers, dealers and related companies whenever they host product launches or media events.

While I’m not a games and prizes type of person, I am not an alcoholic either. Yet most of the motoring parties I have been invited to are nothing short of “Eat, drink, drink more, then lets all get drunk!” Even more embarrassing are some media outfits that hold “drink till you drop” type of parties.

Did anybody even think of what would happen if a well- known Motoring personality or Auto industry executive ended up killing people or himself after “Driving While Intoxicated” (DWI). So far the industry has been lucky, but I will be the first to attest that at least thirty percent of people who leave a product launch are intoxicated beyond the legal limits.

* * *

As the final jab for Ebenezer Scrooge in the flesh, please stop to think about our “Raffle driven” Christmas parties. Through the years many of the parties have become impersonal. If your hosts have to introduce themselves because none of you know each other, then there is no relationship to speak of, much less appreciate! It seems to me that many parties are being done for “political correctness” and “Just in case” or because everybody does it. That’s hardly cause for “celebration”.

Introductions are in order. And while you’re at it, remember, a casual wave as false humility is actually dishonoring to your guests. At least let them know who is feeding them or poisoning them.

To make it even less palatable, especially in the case of media, the parties have become “all about the raffle prizes”. I remember when droves of “media” people attended a Senator’s Christmas party every year because he had the biggest and the most raffle prizes. But when the Senator became the jailed President Joseph Estrada, guess how many members of media ever drove to Tanay to say Merry Christmas!

Just think about how many Christmas parties you yourself have gone to. Right after the eating the food, everyone wants to do the raffle so they can get up and go to the next party with the next raffle. That’s why the rule is “those absent in the flesh cannot receive the prize in the spirit…of Christmas”.

Sadly everyone immediately zeroes in on the grand prize so much so that those who win the minor or warm-up prizes almost feel cheated or like losers. It’s supposed to be a party, NOT a lottery.

The politically correct Christmas is about family and relationships. It is about celebrating partnerships not maximizing attendance or crowd estimates. It is about giving gifts and giving “thanks” not a conference on “Materialism 101” where raffles replace gifts. It is not about 16% wines, 18% beer or 90% proof Vodka. It’s about sending your guests home both body and soul together not just in the spirit.

Enjoy the parties and watch your weight!