I'm not sure if head office pay but supermarket Christmas parties do happen because Sainsbury's asked people to move them to January and offered to cover any lost deposits etc.
We had a paid up one, just didn't fancy catching Omicron so didn't go. Lots of people didn't go compared to normal non covid years and normally we still have to pay drink, it was all free now.
I'm not sure if head office pay but supermarket Christmas parties do happen because Sainsbury's asked people to move them to January and offered to cover any lost deposits etc.
https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/uks-sainsburys-postpones-christmas-parties-due-omicron-emergence-2021-12-03/
(Sainsbury's head office have quite a good office party. I used to go as a +1. Got very drunk one year and nearly bought a lathe)