The infamous Christmas Party season is approaching, and the work Christmas party is a night to remember. If you have never been to a Christmas party with your colleagues, chances are you have no clue what you might be getting yourself into. You should not be worried, but planning for the event might just give you that extra boost of confidence before the day comes.
There are many things to consider such as the party theme, getting corporate gifts your employees will actually like, venue, dress code, your budget, and many other things which ideally you wouldn’t want to be worried about. Having the basics covered can leave more time for making memories and just overall having a great night. You have spent all year hitting targets, working hard, and dedicating most of your free time to working for the company. The Christmas party is the night you have a chance to forget about all the stress of the year (assuming that you aren’t back at work the next morning!) and to keep your employees happy . It is still important to keep some level of decorum and dignity, however, and you can achieve this in more ways than one.
Stick To The Invitation Rules
The very basis to start is by firstly sending your RSVP to the event invite. You do not want to let them know at the last minute that you will be attending the event, after having months to reply. Perhaps they might give your space to another person, so make sure at your earliest convenience that when you know you can give a definite answer, let them know if you can attend.
Be On Time
Ensure that you also show up to the event at the correct time. It can come across as rude if you show up late to any organised event. We would say the acceptable threshold for lateness is 30 minutes, however, if you show up hours late then you might have completely missed the main chunk of the event and wasted your own time. Make sure you also arrive with someone you know to remove any feelings of anxiety and perhaps notify a close friend or family member of where you are going just to be safe.
Check Before You Bring A Plus One
Bringing a personal friend or partner when plus ones are not mentioned on the invite might be considered
rude. Unless the invitation states that plus ones are welcome, or you have discussed with the colleagues organising the party that you are bringing a friend, you should refrain from bringing anyone unexpected. This party is to celebrate the year you and your colleagues have had together, enjoy it!
How To Greet People
Christmas parties are one of the best times to mingle with people in the office that you have not had the chance to speak to yet. Work gets busy and overwhelming, so people will understand if you have not had the chance to introduce yourself. As uncomfortable as it might feel, try to force yourself to at last greet everyone that enters the event, shake their hands, and make conversations with those that are open. Being remembered as the friendly, kind colleague that spoke with everyone is a better opinion for others to have than being the unapproachable one!
What To Wear
Mainly for the ladies, dress codes can be a complicated subject, as you may be heading to anything from an outdoor garden party to a gala! If you have been given a dress code on your invitations you should try to stick to the guidelines. This would be the safest option, however, if you have not been guided on what to wear, it would be worth asking around to your colleagues about what has been worn in previous years.
You should also consider the venue. We have compiled a basic dress code list depending on the location. Again discuss with your colleagues first what they’re wearing as that will give you a better indication, but for now, use our ideas as a stepping stone:
Local Pub Get Together
If you are a very laid-back, and potentially low-budget office, a drink at the pub before the Christmas holidays is always a good idea and many offices follow this venue idea. If you are attending your work party at a pub, you might want to keep things slightly more casual. The same idea should also be kept if the party is being held within the office space. For example, a woolly sweater dress with some statement boots would be a beautiful and comfy look. Or you might keep things upbeat and show up in your favourite Christmas jumper. The pub get-together will be very light-hearted and casual, and your clothing choice should also reflect that.
Hired Event Space
Chances are if your office has splashed some cash on the event space for your Christmas party, they will be expecting you to show up in style! These can be the best type of events with an open bar, great music, and overall memorable nights. In this instance, you might want to spend a little more time finding the perfect dress. A great dress for you might be a satin cocktail dress. Satin and velvet are great fabric options for the festive seasons, and to top it all off you might go for a pine green colour choice. On the other hand, you might want to make things a bit sexier, but not too sexy! These are the people you work with so there has to be an element of modesty. Little black dresses and some sparkly heels might be the statement outfit of the night. People will be wearing gowns and suits for this event style, so go all in and all out.
Conclusion
There isn’t too much to think about when attending the office Christmas party. You just need to remember to be yourself, enjoy your time, and have a basic knowledge of the ideas we have shared. Just some of the key takeaways you need to consider:
- Make sure you read the invitations and respond with your attendance in due time
- Try to be on time, or at least not too late.
- Only bring a plus one if applicable
- Be remembered as the friendly co-worker that made the most effort to speak with people at the event, it’s a great reputation to have.
- If you are unsure about what to wear, keep the event space in mind, speak with your colleagues that are attending the event, and look and online inspiration
- Overall, have fun! You have worked hard all year, it’s time to wave off the year and step into Christmas.