f you were working for a small company and you overheard colleagues talking about a christmas party which you?

Were they talking about your company party, or a private party thrown by a mutual friend of theirs?

You would be automatically included in a company party. Otherwise, wait for a invite.

Ok, first off, ignore the whereabouts, since irrespectively, the whereabouts has little impact on the rights and wrongs of 'inviting yourself along'.

If it were a family gathering, and you overhead the convo between family members, and weren't told - you could reasonable invite yourself as you are a family member - but still, if you weren't told, you either were assumed to turn up if it suited you, or simply your presence wasn't wanted.

If it were a gathering amongst friends, and you were in the same situation, pretty much the same applies, only you have no obligation to be there irrespective and no obligation on the part of those invited to accept your uninvited presence.

As for work, if its a formal thing (organised as part of the work year, such as an office party at Christmas) then you have a fair reason to 'invite yourself' if you work in that office/department - and sometimes the message just doesn't go around in a formal manner, so you get to hear directly maybe nearer to the time. In the office scenario, if you worked for a neighbouring department or just somewhere else, and it was very much a department party, then simply inviting yourself would be rude and inconsiderate at the very least - how people take it is very much down to them, but don't expect to be welcomed with open arms.

Personally, i relied on what i knew of the people in question, and if i knew the fact they hadn't asked was down to the fact they expected me to make an appearence. then i'd turn up and make an appearance.. but just as a matter of curtesy since i hadn't actually been invited (playing safe either way). But on the whole, i was pretty lucky that whilst i wasn't a social animal at work, i was never 'not invited', just kinda left to turn up to things if i suited me to do so - since my hours and location were highly variable (as a field technician's work tends to be, especially with call-out duties too).

But unless i felt it was an expectation for me to turn up if i could or felt like it, i'd assume to be not invited and just stay out of the whole thing.

A little consideration, thought, and curtesy goes a long way in life - arrogance & selfishness is definately a way to be remembered for the wrong reasons. So reflect on that, with the concepts outlined, and maybe you'll see more into what you 'heard' than you thought immediately and then will make the right call.

If in doubt, don't be a pain and simply forget the matter - one missed Christmas party is not the end of your world or social existence :p

No there's no point they clearly do not want you to come along.

So F##K them. It's work people they are not your friends or family.

you just have to work with them when you finish work you leave them behind. Plus work parties are a good way of finding out who's a C### but you don't have to worry about that cos they have confirmed it for you.

Have a good christmas with your friends and family

Well, at my office they just talk about it. They don't say anything directly. They just give us the list of what each person is going to bring. So I don't know.

I would just ask them about it if I was you and you can tell by their reactions whether or not they want you to come. Or if they say something like, "well, it's a small party."

in basic terms supply a card that would want to need to be adequate. if you're doing a secret Santa at paintings, then get a up to date in the different case do not hardship. What I used to do changed into supply out a up to date to those in my crew, and playing cards to all and distinctive else, and a large tin of chocs to flow round

I WOULD NOT bother to attempt to go, its obvious thay dont wont you there, stuff um !

I would go just to embarress them but it depends how confident you are as its not easy being somewhere that you are not welcome.