The office Christmas party incites equal amounts of dread and excitement. On the one hand it (usually) means free food, drink and celebration of the year gone by. On the other it (always) means overindulgence, questionable dancing and embarrassing stories on Monday morning. To save you the fear and self loathing we’ve compiled a list of tips to get you through the night unscathed.
Mingle
The Christmas party is a great opportunity to mix with colleagues you don’t work with everyday. Make an effort to chat to people from different departments and get to know those outside your circle of friends. If you want to chat to your boss, their boss or even the CEO do it at the start of the night and keep it brief. The last thing you need is a wine-fuelled-hiccup-laden-emotionally charged-chat with one of the higher ups. You may feel the need to express your gratitude for the free booze or for finally being given a job, but resist. It won’t be as flattering for them as you may think and you’re likely to slide down the shame spiral when it comes back to you the next day.
Dress appropriately
Tis the season to be jolly so feel free to don yourself in all the baubles and tinsel that money can buy. However, the less risqué your outfit choice the better. You might find that custom tshirt with hilarious slogan a real hoot but Wendy from HR might have a different take on it. Likewise, we all want to look glam and gorgeous but be sure your outfit is comfortable and practical too. We suggest shoes you can walk in and an outfit you don’t need to fully take off to go to the bathroom.
Don’t bring a plus one
Don’t be the guy that brings their significant other to a work do. These things can be awkward enough without having to explain your job to a stranger who doesn’t even work for the company. Save your colleagues the trouble and leave your plus one at home.
Lay off the alcohol
Just because the drink is free doesn’t mean it’s not costly. One minute you’re enjoying a few glasses of wine with your colleagues, the next you’re crying to your boss about the one who got away. To avoid the embarrassment have a meal before you tuck into the open bar and try to pace yourself.
Don’t talk shop
Talking about work can be the easiest way to break the ice with colleagues you’re not too friendly with but make an effort to broaden your conversational horizons. Why not dazzle them with a Yeats reference, your in-depth knowledge of the Brexit negotiations or your predictions for the future of education? If that fails a good rant about how it is cruelly cold this winter is sure to go down a treat.