Your embarrassing/funny Christmas work party stories

Zascar wrote: »

She tried to joke in a serious way saying "I'm going to have you fired tomorrow" to which I replied "I just handed in my notice today - so please be my guest!!". You should have seen her face...

DeanAustin wrote: »

Nothing worse than waiting over the weekend to get to work on Monday knowing you're the idiot everyone is whispering about.

Do's and don'ts of office Christmas parties

The office Christmas party season is now in full swing so The Telegraph has spoken to a number of experts for some simple effective advice to help you survive the festive season without mishap

1. Stay away from office gossip

Jo Bryant, etiquette advisor at Debrett’s, said: “Don’t gossip or spread rumours. Confessing your sins to colleagues or clients is never sensible.

“Keep small talk general. Be armed with a few social icebreakers, families, children, holidays.”

Khalifa Mustapha, a recruitment consultant at Morgan McKinley, said: “It’s far too easy to get caught up in the he said, she said conversations while having a good night with your colleagues.

“However, office gossip and alcohol is probably almost never going to end well. It’s best to stay away.”

2. Don’t drink too much

William Hanson, etiquette expert and teacher at The English Manner, said: “The mistake that people make with office Christmas is that it is still a work event and I think a lot of people see it as, ‘Oh good, free booze, free food, well let’s be merry.’

“Okay you can let your hair down but you are still being judged and watched by your superiors and your actions are still accountable.

“The smarter people use the office Christmas party to present themselves in the best possible light as opposed to getting completely and utterly drunk.”

He added: “Know your limit and stick to it, even if the boss is getting absolutely trollied, it does not mean that it’s acceptable for you to do that yourself.”

3. Dress appropriately

Mr Mustapha said: “The Christmas party isn’t the place to wear that ‘a bit too’ slinky black dress, or that ill-fitting suit that’s been gathering dust in the back of your closet.”

Mr Hanson said: “Just make sure you know what the dress code is and stick to it. If you are really worried speak to other people in the office about what they are wearing.”

4. Don’t trap people in very long conversations

Mr Hanson: “An easy trap to fall into is that you find someone you like who you want to talk to and you stay with them for the entire evening.

“Well, that person probably wants to talk to other people and other people probably want to talk to that person.

“Try not to hog people, ten or 15 minutes is fine.”

5. Don’t leave too early

Ms Bryant said: “Always stay for a reasonable amount of time, especially if there is a sit-down dinner. Leaving early may look antisocial or unappreciative.”

Mr Mustapha said: “In most cases, a lot of time and energy has been spent planning the Christmas party. Don’t leave after the first hour.

“The Christmas party is the ideal place to let your hair down and unwind after what’s most likely been a stressful year of work.”

6. Do attend

Mr Mustapha said: “Although your attendance is optional, it is a good idea to make an appearance.

“Even if you despise the thought of spending of a whole evening with the people you work with everyday, making an appearance shows that you are part of the team.

“They’re great for company morale, and sometimes a great night out is all that’s needed to turn work mates into real mates.”

7. Mingle

Mr Hanson said: “You should use the opportunity to talk to people in the office, perhaps that are higher up, who you have been desperate to talk to for the whole year and haven’t been able to.

“Use it to social network and to make a good impression, rather than thinking I am going to bond with my colleagues.

“That’s marvellous but you can do that in your own time, this is perhaps the time to go and impress the bosses.”

7. Always have one hand free to shake people’s hand

Mr Hanson said: “You need to ensure you have one hand free all the time, don’t have plate and glass, and if you are being sensible you will hold your drink in your left hand so you can still shake with your right.

“It just looks rude if you don’t shake hands. Hopefully your host will have the foresight to make sure there are plenty of surfaces available for people to put stuff on.”

9. If the party is being hosted by someone at work, bring a gift and send a thankyou

Mr Hanson said: “If you are going to somebody’s party make sure you turn up with a gift, it does not look good to be empty handed.

“Avoid flowers that are uncut because it gives the hostess a job as she has to then go and put them in water.

“It doesn’t have to be a big present, a box of chocolates or bottle of champagne is fine.”

Ms Bryant said: “It is well-mannered to send a thank-you email the following day to bosses and those who helped organised the party.”

10. Don’t leave people standing on their own

Mr Hanson said: “If you find yourself stuck with someone terribly dull and you want to get rid of them, it is impolite to leave them on their own.

“What I would do is pair them off with someone else by saying, ‘You know I have just seen someone I must go and talk to but have you met so-and-so and introducing them to someone else before you escape.”