The office holiday party: you love it and dread it. It’s a time designed to kick back, look back, and perhaps tip a few back in celebration of the year’s achievements. Sounds pretty fun and simple, right? Wrong! As things go, the few often ruin it for the many in situations like these.
You know who I’m talking about, but it’s also been about a year since the last time you put on your jingle bells. So let’s have ourselves a little refresher to help you avoid being “that guy” or “that girl” during the festivities.
Don’t Be Billy Brewsky
Having a drink or two with your coworkers in honor of the holidays is all well and good. But we all know the guy or gal who imbibes just a smidge (or five shots) too much at the party. They’re talking loud, leaning in close, and touching everyone just a little too much. Keep your drinks in check and you won’t have to worry about doing the Monday morning walk of shame or, even worse, calling your work friends to make sure you didn’t make a pass at the CFO. If you can’t trust yourself to avoid becoming Billy, go sober. It’s never a bad idea.
Choose a Better Outfit than Revealing Rebecca
Why is it that holiday parties seem to erode our daily inhibitions in the worst kind of ways? From consuming too much food and alcohol to feeling all right with basically wearing underwear out in public, there’s always a few girls who dress for teen night at the club – at the office party. Short skirts, lacy tops, heels that go on for days — listen, if you pull it out of a dusty dresser drawer, don’t wear it to the holiday party. If you haven’t worn it in years, don’t wear it to the holiday party. If you look like your daughter, niece, or babysitter, don’t wear it. If you wouldn’t wear it to work on “fancy day” (we all have those, right?), for the love of all things, please don’t wear it.
Go Home Earlier than Late-Night Lauren
When it comes to the holiday party, you absolutely need to know when to say when. Just like your parents told you in high school, nothing good happens after midnight. The same rules apply here. More drinking, more dancing, and more talking only leads to more opportunities to make a fool out of yourself or do something you may deeply regret. Do everyone a favor and take off about an hour into the after party. Call a cab or an Uber for ultra-success.
Steer Clear of Party Paul
He may be a manager and he may love to have a good time, but trust me, Party Paul is up to no good. “Shots all around! Drinks on me! Crash at my pad!” No, no, and no. Party Paul makes his name by being “that guy”; don’t tarnish yours by following along. You don’t have to be Debbie or Derek Downer, but you can also practice some self-control by knowing when to hit the road (or toss that shot into a nearby potted plant). Party Paul should respect you for the work you do, not the drinks you take.
Alright, you’ve RSVP’d “yes” for the party, and it’s going to be a great time. You love hanging out with (most of) your coworkers. Just make sure you’ve got your smartest party pants or pantyhose on and have a great time! And maybe drop us a note about your best or worst office holiday party memory from this year or years past. We’d love to hear about it!