Tonight, is marked on calendars up and down the country as it’s the most popular date for Office Christmas parties. You and your colleagues from offices and places of work far and wide, across the land will be coming, or should I say thrown, together to celebrate the Yuletide season. The Office Christmas party is up there with a UN Peace Conference or a Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, for being a potential volatile environment and in light of the recent debacles involving such figures as Harvey Weinstein, you need to ensure you have no regrets or dread when you open your bleary little eyes on Saturday morning. So make sure your conscience is clear even if Ken in Accounts gets into a fight with Bill from Marketing or Peter from Head Office is caught in the disabled toilets with Karen from HR or Susan from from the Kendal office finishes the night in tears because Nigel from I.T. who were smooching to Wham’s Last Christmas, had gone in for a snog and Susan has just got engaged to Paul and sees Nigel as just a friend.
Ohhhh Office Christmas Do’s can be great fun, honest, but there are a couple of golden rules that you need to adhere to, to stop that FEAR when you awake on Saturday morning-ish.
Do: Enjoy yourself, get to know your colleagues a little better, but not too much better, if you know what I mean, cough, First aid cupboard.
Don’t: Goes without saying Don’t drink and drive, book a cab beforehand.
Do: Treat people as you would like to be treated, remember that one, not always easy but in the long run it’s the best way.
Don’t: Be the talk of the Office on Monday Morning leave that to someone else.
Do: Be fun, til the season to be jolly.
Don’t: photocopy your bits and bobs (Or at least don’t get caught)
Don’t: Sit in the corner and sulk, It’s a party, have fun.
Do: Dance, it’s Christmas ! In the words of Noddy Holder of Slade.
Don’t: Bring a dodgy friend that may get into a fight or decide to dance on the desks.
Do: Be cordial to that person that person you really don’t want, in the cold light of, the next, day, it’ll make your life so much easier. It is Christmas so try to put on your happy face on, if just for one night.
Don’t: Decide it’s a great time to tell your co-workers what you really think. How you are sick of him/her not pulling their weight. Speaking of weight, do not mention how he/she could do with losing a few pounds, NO !
Do: Keep the conversation upbeat and casual, til the season to be jolly, after all.
Don’t: Get into office politics, it’s easy to fall into this trap. Work is common ground so inevitably the conversation will be work based. Try not to talk about Sandra’s boyfriend or the fact that she’s going through her third divorce.
Do: Dress well, if your office is a suited one, still dress smart but wear a decent pair of jeans, don’t end up looking like Jeremy Clarkson, think more David Beckham or Ryan Gosling.
Don’t: Wear novelty Christmas Clothing, it might be a party but you do want to keep your dignity and want people to see you as professional come Monday.
Do: Talk to your boss. If it’s at your boss’s house, thank him or her for having you, it’s polite, but don’t hog his or her time, particularly if you’ve had a drink or two.
Don’t: Decide it’s a good time to talk about a raise or Christmas bonus. Maybe bonuses were cut this year, if you are deeply upset by this, maybe you should give it a miss, yeah, you will thank me for following this advice, someday.
Do: Remember to take your Renew Life Liver DTX capsules to give your body a much needed re-boot and help eliminate that was Yuletide toxins.
The Ideal Christmas Party Outfit
You don’t want to be accused of being a party pooper and its a fine balance of looking like its natural, you’ve made an effort, but no the too much. This shirt from Flintoff you Jacamo strikes that, aforementioned, balance perfectly.
These lightweight chinos are designed to sit comfortably above the hips and bolster a straight silhouette for a contemporary finish, by Community Clothing, an ethical label and creative outlet for skilled workers with a main aim to restore Britain’s textile industry.
Aldo has created pieces revered for their luxury, attention to detail and blend of classic and modern styles. Take these Wyanet loafers: a timeless classic, made in rich suede, making this sophisticated pair the perfect finish to smart-casual codes.
Like all of these pieces they are versatile and easy to wear, which sounds strange but can be interchangeable with lots of items already in your wardrobe. The shirt could we swapped with a plain, crisp white shirt. The chinos with a pair of quality raw denim jeans or black jeans. The loafers with a pair of Oxfords or Brogues and this great velvet blazer from Marks & Spencer Luke easily be replaced with each Navy suit jacket from an exist suit. The result, your looking cool, suave and sophisticated without appearing try hard.
