Rapid City Journal

Mondo Times editors    Boulder Colorado USA

Posted at 3:26pm on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Office potlucks are replacing holiday party blowouts, the Rapid City (S.D.) Journal reported on November 29, 2009:

"At O'Keefe Communications, employees will celebrate the holidays this year as they did last, with a potluck in the office rather than dinner at a nice restaurant.

"We have a lot of people in our office that like to cook and swap recipes and it worked out nicely," said Catie O'Keefe, president of the Washington-based media and event production company. "It was a good change of pace. I think it was so well received that we'll do it again this year."

Last year, at the height of the recession, many companies scaled back or canceled holiday parties altogether. Others donated to charities that money that would have been spent on parties. This year, even with signs the economy may be improving, many businesses still are reluctant to throw big holiday blowouts, especially after rounds of layoffs and pay freezes.

"Companies' budgets are still very tight," said John Challenger, CEO of outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "They're not convinced their business isn't going to turn south again."

The full story:
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/lifestyles/article_e8928960-d96d-11de-a90c-001cc4c03286.html