Christmas is nearly upon us, which means festive parties will be taking place up and down the country. You may have even had yours by now, if that's the case ladies, unfortunately this advice will be a little too late!
Christmas parties are a unique experience; a night out with your colleagues that you usually just sit with at your desk. You will have good and bad working relationships, which makes for an interesting combination.
You've all heard the horror stories from Christmas parties; passing out drunk, affairs, and the list goes on. You may even have first-hand experience of them.
We thought it would be best to give you all some advice on how to avoid making a fool of yourself at this year's Christmas party, so that you don't have to take a day off work purely out of embarrassment!
Don't drink too much
It might sound obvious, but the best way to avoid embarrassment at your Christmas do is to take your time when it comes to drinking. Let's be honest, after a few glasses of Prosecco and a few shots - there's a good chance of you doing something you'll regret.
Heavy drinking also leads to bad memory loss. A weekend of worry isn't fun and then having to walk into the office unsure of whether you made it through the night unscathed.
It may sound difficult, but limit yourself to one glass of the 'welcome champagne', say no to the shots from a co-worker. This is the best way to prevent making an idiot of yourself, whether or not it happens is a different matter.
Befriend a lightweight
If you can't stay away from the relentless amount of booze, it's important to choose the right drinking partner in crime. Like anything in life, if someone is worse than you at something, it makes you look better at it. That rule can be applied to drinking.
Stay close to someone who you know is a lightweight when it comes to their drink. Perhaps one of the girls who you know doesn't get out much. The beauty of this tactic is that they will be the centre of attention, which means they will be the talk of the office come Monday morning.
Lightweights also have a tendency to throw up as the evening progresses; this is your chance to save the day by holding your girlfriend's hair whilst she hangs her head over the toilet. This will make you look like the caring and careful one!
Keep your thoughts to yourself
We all have thoughts and opinions of fellow employers, but it's usually best practice to keep them to yourself. But, as you know, the truth is often revealed after a few cocktails.
It's never a good idea to tell some home truths at a Christmas party, no matter how true they are. Be sure to tell yourself that before the party and hope that your drunk self keeps lips sealed for the entirety of the evening. Remember, these are you work mates at the end of the day.
Avoid married men
Everyone loves work gossip, especially if it involves romance. No doubt, you will have heard the stories where someone sleeps with someone they shouldn't. It's almost common practice!
We suggest avoiding this scenario, unless you want to be number one gossip topic for weeks to come. As tempting as it may be if you're a single lady, it's not a good idea to hook up with one of the guy's in the office who has a wife and kids at home!
Do you really want to be known as the 'home wrecker' of the office?
Date Posted: Thursday 8th December 2016
Author: Jenna Halford
