The majority of people in the UK would rather be given the money it costs for them to attend their office Christmas party, rather than actually go.

New research conducted for budgeting account provider thinkmoney.co.uk has revealed that three-quarters of respondents (76 percent) say they would prefer that their work Christmas bash was scrapped and they got the cash instead, if they were given the choice. Young people were more likely to want to keep the expenses of the work festive do, with just over two-thirds (65 percent) of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they would take the money. Furthermore, four-fifths (81 percent) of over-55s and a similar number of 45 to 55-year-olds (78 percent) claimed they would rather the party was cancelled and they got the money instead. Yet respondents’ attitudes about going to their office Christmas celebrations were far more positive. One in five (19 percent) said it was “nice” to be able to socialise and let their hair down with their colleagues. Meanwhile, 16 percent admitted they loved the annual party and looked forward to attending.

Again, it was the younger age groups who got most excited about the office party. Nearly a third of 18 to 24-year-olds (29 percent) and 25 to 34-year-olds (31 percent) said they loved their work’s Christmas celebrations and looked forward to them, compared to just one in 20 (5.3 percent) over-55s. There is always a Grinch though, with one in 20 (4.8 percent) of those surveyed admitting that although they attend their party every year, they do not really enjoy the celebrations. And slightly more than this (7.2 percent) claimed they thought of the occasion as “something to be endured”. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of respondents did not go to their Christmas party at all. Close to a third (30 percent) revealed their employer did not throw a festive do.

Ian Williams, spokesperson for thinkmoney, says: “The work Christmas party is often a huge talking point and subject of anticipation among employees for weeks or even months before the event. It’s therefore surprising to learn that three out of four people say they would rather the party was cancelled and they were given the cash equivalent of their attendance instead. These findings suggest that money is still tight for many people, so they would prefer that their office festive do was sacrificed and they got the cash instead – despite many respondents still claiming they “love” their work party.”