Boss throws extravagant Christmas party after round of layoffs, then posts about it on social media: 'It was quite inconsiderate on their part'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 18, 2025 8:00 AM EST

There is a time and a place to celebrate with one's employees. This was not one of those times.

It's no secret that many businesses are struggling right now, which inevitably means that tough decisions have to be made. This author shared the story about how unfortunately he was one of the casualties during a massive round of layoffs at his now former company. This revelation caught him off guard, but he acknowledged that he was lucky enough to have saved enough money over the years so that he could take a moment before desperately running into a potentially worse employment situation. Several of his fellow coworkers, however, were not quite as prviileged.

Still, if that challenging dynamic wasn't uncomfortable enough to navigate, what happened next on social media platforms such as LinkedIn brought a whole new meaning to discomfort. The author had been looking at various job postings on LinkedIn and doing that thing that all folks do during this transition period: applying to countless jobs en masse. Any available opening in sight, he was filling applications for.

But then, the author came across something he was not expecting. He saw several photos posted by his former boss showing just how extravagant the office Christmas party was, despite the fact that so many people at the company were recently let go. Not exactly the best look, sir!

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  • Look, most employees who work at companies that aren't doing very well financially would much rather no Christmas party at all if it meant that people could keep their jobs and even potentially get raises. However, this boss was part of an old school tradition of ensuring that the Christmas party needed to be the most over-the-top celebration no matter what. It was as if these optics were more important to him than the happiness and wellbeing of his employees. Talk about shameful!

  • Recently got loff about 1 month before Christmas. Went on LinkedIn to apply for jobs aimlessly as one does, to see a post about an extravagant corporate company Christmas event that was just held - fancy food, raffle gifts, funny outfits,
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  • flying in/compensating out of state workers (higher-ups) for the travel and what not. A large number of people at this company just got let go (###+)
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  • most who are probably in worse shape than I am over this (mentally and regarding money), and just seeing this celebration. that looked expensive and like a grand ol' time really made me
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  • question a lot of stuff about where I worked and I thought it was quite inconsiderate on their part. There are a lot more things I
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  • could spew, but I just wanted to share and see if I'm just biased and bent out of shape for no reason over this, or if anyone else thinks that's kind of stupid.
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  • A group of employees take a selfie during an office Christmas party.
    via Unsplash+ (Yunus Tuğ)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • u.. One week after All-Hands- Meeting to announce restructure and layoffs, CFO arrives with a brand new Range Rover. Granted preorder took place 6 months ago, but the optics were very bad. Agree with you it is infuriating the pain is not shared evenly.
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  • BuffMan5 My last company was just like this. The real kick in the nuts came when we didn't get sh for raises but yet the board voted to give the CEO a raise from 4,000,000 to 11 1/2 million dollars a year.
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  • bhamdad3 I'm with you and agree. The people that run companies justify this stuff as morale building for those that are left and think that this makes them more loyal.
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  • Ultimately, companies don't owe anyone anything except a paycheck for hours worked. Paycheck only is the loyalty. We want to believe that when we sacrifice our well being and or our time away from family
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  • that it is remembered and rewarded. In reality, it is the company that benefited for free.
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  • Bottom line is I don't operate that way. Do as I say not as I do. I'm loyal because I want to be seen by my family as someone who gives more than he takes and to be a positive example for those around me.
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  • KeyboardComm... Well said, The rich get richer, that's the law of the land, unfortunately that's how capitalism works where we are headed is zero middle class
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  • xauronx Valid feelings but layoffs (regardless of what they say) are almost never about financial hardship or "survival". They're all the rage for either shifting labor
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  • overseas, or good old fashioned "keep the workers scared" so they say "gee I'm glad I still have a job" and not "why did I get a pay decrease with inflation when the VP+ all got 30% raises"
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  • Crying TearsOf... My former company just did the same thing to me and others! Orangetheory Fitness. Laid off 8% of corporate staff less than 1 week before extravagant holiday party. They don't give a sh.
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  • Administrative... This is the very reason I live well below my means and paid off my home. No debt whatsoever.....
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  • At anytime the magic carpet ride can end in corporate America. I don't care what they do now......impact is minimal to me.
    via Specialist_Ebb4137

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christmas fired coworkers Christmas party layoffs Horrible Bosses employment
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