Much of the joy of the holiday season has been dampened by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the company Christmas party is one of its casualties.
The traditional holiday gatherings have been severely curtailed, where they were not completely postponed, which has put a damper on both holiday cheer and the local economy.
Restaurants, many of which depend on holiday parties for a significant part of their yearly earnings, are feeling the pinch this holiday season as sales are down 30-40% in some places. Owners say they are doing okay, but they hope restrictions loosen up soon.
“We are really taking it on the chin,” said David Sonnier, owner of 531 Liberty Café in Houma. “Compare last year we did 19 Christmas parties, this year I had 12 scheduled and all but three cancelled.”