A festive blog with lots of ideas on how to make a party great, or keep it from going south. Themes, recipes, do's and don'ts, and any other helpful information I've stumbled across and thought you readers might appreciate.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Offfice X-mas Party - Don't Have a Great Time

Office X-mas Party - Don't Have A Great Time
by PartyFan

Normally, being a fan of parties, I relish any excuse (or no excuse at all) to throw or attend one. The office Christmas party is one event, though, that has very little upside and a lot of potential downside, so I usually try to avoid them if I can. Unfortunately, while attendance is rarely mandatory, social customs and other pressures frequently mean you have to go. Even the most determined eventually wind up attending one. One of my past employers always gave out the Christmas bonuses at such a party, and while no one actually believed he would withhold the bonus of someone who didn't attend, they didn't believe it strongly enough to test the theory! So, make the best of it, have a good time if you can - just don't have a great time.


The impressions you make may have lasting repercussions in the workplace. I'm not just talking about getting roaring drunk and dancing on tables, or Xeroxing parts of your anatomy best left covered, although that certainly would have impact. Much more subtle events can have effects for months to come. Here's a few tips to minimize the potential risks, while still managing to enjoy yourself. No need to suffer, just for suffering's sake, it is a party after all. Just don't overdo it.

Good cheer is a wonderful thing to bring, but don't be too enthusiastic about it. Laughing too loudly or too often, overdoing the personal charm, or otherwise goofing around can make you seem frivolous. Frivolous workers don't get serious assignments. No need to be a buzz kill, but stay away from over the top behaviors and jokes - especially the risque. If you wouldn't feel comfortable saying it at an office meeting, it is probably a good idea not to say it at the party. If the joke someone tells you is really funny, don't be afraid to guffaw, but polite chuckles are better, especially if the jokes aren't that funny.

Moderation with the booze is key, and avoidance altogether might be your best option. If you don't drink alcohol for whatever reason, you are ahead of the game. If you do drink, make sure you don't go past a pleasant but mild buzz. Alcohol lowers the inhibitions, making it more likely you'll do something silly. People who have been drinking also have a tendency to be much louder than the sober, and this can be quite annoying, so even if you don't do anything you wouldn't do sober, you may give a bad impression without realizing it.


For some reason, there is always someone who will want to pour the booze into you, don't let them! Sip slowly. If the bar is self-serve, mix your drinks a little weaker than normal for you. Drink something non-alcoholic in between your cocktails. A great trick to fend off that person who seems determined to get you drunk is a mock-tail - something that looks like the cocktails you are drinking, but without the booze. Rum and coke your thing? Have a few plain cokes - but throw a wedge of lime in there so it looks like a Cuba Libre. Clear sodas (club, lemon-lime) are wonderful for this, the only way to tell it isn't a gin or vodka tonic is to taste it. Keep a few appropriate stock phrases at the ready: "I'm still working on this one, thanks!" and "No, thank you, I'm driving" usually work well.

One area you can indulge in safely is food. Holiday overeating is almost traditional, and making a pig of yourself is mostly expected and overlooked. If the spread is anywhere near decent, and it usually is, go ahead and stuff your face. So long as you mind your table manners, don't pile things on your plate approaching record altitudes, or get caught sneaking food into your pockets or purse for later consumption, you won't get much more than a stray joking comment, and no one will be talking about your appetite in January. Take reasonable servings, and go ahead and go back to the buffet eight, nine, a hundred times.


Try to avoid talking shop, although a certain amount of this is unavoidable, and try to mix and mingle with people you don't normally see much of at work. There is a natural tendency to clique up, and hang out with people who are familiar, but you'll probably enjoy yourself more if you aren't hearing the same stories from the same faces you see every day. Use the opportunity for a little informal networking, but keep it casual, or you might come off as overly anxious about your job, or just mildly annoying. There is almost always one person in the office who thinks they are everybody's friend, and most of the office can't stand them - don't be that person!

Last, but not least, don't be a pest to the opposite sex, and keep any potential romances exactly that - potential. Keep your flirting casual, or don't flirt at all. Be aware of signals, and if your casual flirting isn't going anywhere, stop. Serious flirting should probably be saved until a better time and place. If you really hit it off with someone, go ahead and make a date (assuming inter-office romance isn't forbidden in your circumstances), then you can pursue it in a more appropriate venue. Don't get caught necking in the hall, nothing can spoil your professional image like being seen behaving like a teenager. Behaving like a teenager can be fun, is certainly OK in certain circumstances, and I'm all for it, but getting caught at it when it isn't appropriate could be ruinous.

Don't let me scare you too badly. You probably already knew most of this stuff, and can carry it off well. Keep these tips in mind, but do try and relax and enjoy yourself. No one wants to see you bored or uptight, and I'm sure you don't want to *be* bored and uptight. Have a good time - just not a great time.

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