If you drink carefully, you’re less
likely to be gossip fodder
How do you navigate the minefield of the office
Christmas party ensuring you leave with your reputation, and your job, intact?
‘We’re always on our best behaviour at work'. ‘We pretend to be the perfect
employee; we’re polite and do our best not to offend anyone.
However, for Christmas party night, everyone is on
an equal level, from the CEO to the post boy. But this often leads to regrets
the next day.’
The first rule is obvious: don’t drink too much.
You want your colleagues to see you as sparkly and fun, not slurred and vulgar.
The second? Don’t hurl yourself at the nearest colleague.
Party night is not necessarily the time to snog the fit guy in marketing. ‘The
more time we spend with someone in a close-knit community, the more we become
like each other,’
‘We do this as a survival mechanism in order to
bond and it can lead to strong feelings of attraction. You might think the
Christmas party is a chance to finally taste forbidden fruit but that can be
dangerous.’
Also, remember to eat before you arrive. An empty
stomach is a sure-fire way to being drunk and disorderly before midnight. ‘Have
something substantial before you make your big arrival, such as vegetable soup
with granary bread, or low-fat hummus with vegetable sticks,’ says Sioned
Quirke, British Dietetic Association spokesperson.
‘This will help you avoid spilling food over your
best Christmas outfit at the buffet table, too.’
That said, you should still go easy on the nibbles.
‘The buffet usually consists of fat-filled stodgy offerings, such as quiche and
sausage rolls, which are not good for the waistline or your cholesterol,’ says
Quirke.
‘While it is important not to drink on an empty
stomach, it is a myth that any one type of food, such as fat, is better at
soaking up alcohol than others. In addition, alcohol is actually an appetite
stimulant, so make sure you don’t detour to the local kebab shop on the long
walk/stumble home.’
Finally, ensure you have the right conversation for
the right people. ‘This is not the time to bring up with the boss that you want
a raise for next year,’ says psychologist Linda Papadopoulos. ‘Everyone wants
to let their hair down, so don’t get deep and meaningful.’
If you have problems with conversation then
Papadopoulos suggests having a game plan. ‘Read the news before the party,’ she
says. ‘That way you have a few topics to talk about. And ask about Christmas
plans.
‘When in doubt always ask people about themselves,
just be careful not to sound like a stalker.’
And remember to have an exit strategy. ‘It’s not so
much getting into a conversation, it’s being able to get out of one.’
Calum Curry’s Top Five Tips
1. Don’t
be the office twerk. This is not the time for sexy dancing or over-the-top
flirting.
2. Remember
the world is watching. In an era of camera phones, anything you get up to may
end up on Facebook.
3. It’s
judgment day. Don’t wear something you wouldn’t wear in the office. You will be
judged by your workmates.
4. Wait
to date. Don’t jump on the first person who’s up for it. Wait 24 hours and see
how you feel.
5. Be a
secret Santa. If you do want to cop off with someone, find a quiet place and
nobody will be any the wiser.
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