Don’t tell my boss, but I was thinking of skipping my office holiday party. Dear J.T. Reason 1: Office holiday parties are stressful If you want proof of how stressful holiday parties they are, just cast your eyes around the internet at this time of year. Challenger, Gray & Christmas says that 70 percent of companies will hold holiday parties this year, and only 30 percent will hold them on company premises. Whatever you do, sometimes you end up feeling even worse than you think you would have otherwise. Why Skipping Your Company Holiday Party Is A ... has previously told Business Insider that the office holiday party is never ... Nearly 60% of employers are planning to throw a holiday party… Go up to your boss, smile, shake his/her hand and simply say "Happy Holidays, glad to see you outside the office." Just last week on Thursday we had a holiday party for one department that I did go to that was from 12pm-4pm with plenty of food and drinking out of the office and socializing and holiday stuff etc. I’m not very comfortable at parties, either, so after attending my office’s holiday party for my first two years on the job, I reduced my attendance to every other year. Whether it’s a family showdown or an office party from hell, everyone has a few holiday gatherings on their itinerary that they wouldn’t mind skipping. So, tonight is my office holiday party and I am skipping it. Go up to your boss, smile, shake his/her hand and simply say "Happy Holidays, glad to see you outside the office." Whatever you do, sometimes you end up feeling even worse than you think you would have otherwise. Sometimes skipping the holidays sounds a lot better than it actually is. Don't pass up the invitation to an office party; not attending could hurt your reputation. You don't have to stay long, you don't have to drink, but you should make an appearance. How great for morale! It’s not because I hate my co-workers or worry that it’s going to be incredibly lame. This year you should consider skipping the holiday office party. According to a 2018 annual survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., 65% of employers planned to host an office holiday party for employees. Reason 1: Office holiday parties are stressful If you want proof of how stressful holiday parties they are, just cast your eyes around the internet at this time of year. Sometimes skipping the holiday backfires. The Office Party: You MUST Attend Lucy Kellaway has pondered the perils of the annual holiday office party in her workplace column for the Financial … But you'd better have a good excuse if you plan to skip it. Sometimes skipping the holidays sounds a lot better than it actually is. skynesher/Getty Images. Eight reasons why I’m skipping the office Christmas party. Yes, you really do have to attend your office holiday party—here's why. Published Wed, Dec 12 2018 12:26 PM EST Updated Thu, Dec 13 2018 2:04 PM EST. Party Pros: Advantages Of Office Holiday Gatherings Holiday parties reinforce the company culture. Maybe you decide to fly to the tropics and lay on the beach, maybe you decide to hole up in your bed and watch movies all day. Battle Stress Before and During The Party. And when you attend, do spend at least 30 minutes at the party for appearances. So, just keep that in mind. i have a long commute as it is, but the party is much further away than my office because they’re accommodating 2 locations in my city (last year the party was closer to my office location, this year it’s closer to the other one). (CNN) — Office holiday party season is upon us. At the very least, excess celebration and etiquette mistakes at the company holiday party can become fodder for next-day stories and eventually office legend for future parties.