It’s coming up to Christmas again and that, of course, means that it’s nearly time for the annual office party. For many of us, it’s something that we actively look forward to, while for others it’s something a little more daunting. The lowered inhibitions brought on by the festive spirit(s), coupled with the presence of company management, can sometimes lead to moments that everyone would prefer to forget.
To help you avoid any sticky or even career-altering moments this Christmas, we’ve spoken to Damien from Social and Cocktail Events, an events company in Glasgow, who specialise in providing cocktail bar experiences for office parties. We also had a word with magician Steven Dick, who is regularly asked to perform at work events, including Christmas parties.
Office party dos and don’ts
Damien has built up a lot of experience in identifying the essential dos and don’ts for a successful, enjoyable and consequence-free Christmas bash with your colleagues – and crucially, he’s shared them with us…
You spend all year deliberately not going for a drink with them, then up pops the Office Christmas Party and suddenly you’re expected to thoroughly enjoy an evening with the weird guy from accounts and the awkwardly chatty woman from HR.
The boss might be paying, but that doesn’t mean office parties are any less of a social minefield. Here are our top tips on how to make the most of the situation, and maybe even have a good time!
Do
- Be a strategic drinker. Avoid the potential for being cornered by someone you’d rather move on quickly from by minimising the fluid level in your glass. Small top ups of wine, short cocktails and bottles/half pints of beer mean that you can relatively easily drink up and politely move on from an awkward conversation to grab another drink without having to quickly drink up a larger amount than you’re comfortable with.
- Pace yourself. Getting so drunk that you to have to avoid eye contact with most of the company for the next 6 months isn’t a smart move. Far better to still be capable of making a good impression on the boss’s boss at the end of the night and edging yourself an early lead in the next promotion opportunity.
- Know your drinks. Wasting a free bar because you don’t know your Claret from your Pinot, or your single malt from your basement blend is a schoolboy error. The smart drinker sets the tone for quality drinking and establishes a reputation as a leader in the process. Ever met someone awesome at their job who imbibes low-quality drinks? No chance; make sure you’re not the first.
Don’t
- Dance sexily. You’re at an office party remember; getting all booty-shaky on your colleagues will either result in you being the butt of the water cooler jokes come Monday, or worse, being labelled the office weirdo. Best just to prop up the bar and have a good natter.
- Insult the boss. There’s a reason the boss is paying for a good ‘ol knees up, and it’s not because s/he is nice. Christmas parties are intelligence gathering events used to identify who is loyal and who is not. Don’t be that person who reveals all at the first sniff of ethanol.
- Eat too much. Do eat, of course. Drinking without eating is dafter than a mad hatter. Scoffing vol au vents like it’s the 1980s, however, is uncouth, and will leave insufficient space for those drinks.
Knowing your limits at work socials
Magician Steven has this cautionary tale for those who may attempt to show off in the wrong way at the Christmas do:
“A few years ago I was performing close-up magic around the tables at a work Christmas party. One of that company’s employees was going out of his way to try to play ‘the big man’ over the venue staff and the entertainers, like myself. At the end of the evening, I was approached by the company’s CEO who apologised, told me that he’d noted the attitude and behaviour of the employee in question and that they wouldn’t be going much further in the company! I’d remind people that Christmas parties might be an opportunity to relax but they’re not an opportunity to behave rudely or disrespectfully.”
Thank you to Damien and to Steven for giving us the benefit of their experience. We hope that we’ve brought you some useful advice and haven’t put you off your upcoming Christmas party. Remember, it’s fine to enjoy yourself, just make sure that you’re still able to enjoy going back to the office after Christmas…and that you don’t have to spend the festive period working on your CV.
Photographs supplied by interviewees.