A company-sponsored holiday lunch with the rest of the afternoon off was favored by a majority of workers in a new Internet survey on how they would like to celebrate the holidays at work.

According to a survey released today by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 28 percent of 347 survey participants said that if given the option, they would choose a holiday company luncheon with the rest of the day off as paid leave. Only 14 percent voted for bringing their spouses or significant others to an after-work cocktail reception.

The online survey was posted on the Website of international outplacement firm through November 26.

Following the holiday lunch with time off, the next most popular option was having no holiday function at all. Nearly 25 percent suggested that employers take the money that would have been spent on a party and split it among employees as a special holiday check. Another 22 percent favored giving the money to a charitable organization.

“In today’s fast-paced society, where everyone seems to spread him/herself thin between various obligations, time has become a valuable commodity -- even more valuable than money for some,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.