Despite continued tough economic conditions most employers will be getting their party on this holiday season, and many of them plan to serve booze.

A study released today by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found alcohol will be flowing at many companies this year.

“The most surprising finding of the survey was that about half of the respondents said their companies would be serving alcohol at their holiday parties,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer for the firm. “In addition to the added cost, serving alcohol adds a level of risk that most companies should strive to avoid. However, despite the increased cost and risk of including alcohol, many companies still embrace it as part of the festive atmosphere.”

Employers want you to party hardy, but that doesn’t mean you should whip out the lampshade. (more…)

We were at a friends house over the weekend for a BBQ and after a day of drinking and playing volleyball in their pool I made what turned out to be a dumb request. I asked for a cup of coffee.

The couple looked at my husband and me like we were crazy and proudly announced, “we don’t drink coffee.”

I asked, “you don’t have any in your house?”

“No, we don’t even buy it,” the wife chimed in.

Feeling I was bordering on being rude, I decided to drop the matter. But I sat there in silence wondering how any adult could survive without coffee. I get bypassing it on the weekend, but what about during your workweek? The couple were both hard workers. “How the heck did they get through a day?” I thought to myself. Was I the only one who desperately needed it to survive the daily grind?

Clearly the expected battle of coffees between Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonalds and Starbucks shows many of you out there are also in my boat; and statistics show many of you may be worse off than me. (more…)