My partying responsibly at Christmas guide should help you to still have a great time, while keeping your image and reputation intact at work!
With Christmas party invitations popping up left and right, it seems only right to give a few reminders on the dos and don’ts of partying this season. Especially when it comes to navigating work-related gatherings.
It makes sense to take note of some of the moves and behaviors which could potentially affect how others view you after a work party!
Drink moderately.
This is number one for partying responsibly. It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway.
Drink only what you can handle!
Don’t drink and drive.
Know your alcohol tolerance.
Booze is often free-flowing at Christmas parties, and you should be the one to set your limits. If you do feel like you have gone past your limit, try to find someone you trust to drive you home.
If the worse comes to the worst, there are always ride-sharing apps you can call to safely take you home.
It might not be the best idea to use a motorcycle ride-sharing app though! You wouldn’t want to be falling asleep, while hanging on to kuya along a busy highway!
Don’t be late (or absent!) for your duty the next day.
Number two of partying responsibly, be a responsible colleague.
Everyone has a party or gathering to get to. Or places they need to be after work. Or things they need to do. You not reporting for duty, because you got too wasted or overslept, puts a crimp in other people’s plans.
If people have to do a double shift to cover for you, trust me when I say you’ll definitely get coal in your stocking this year!
If you’re going to PARTY, make sure to do it just enough that you are still able to get up the next morning and report for work. AND do your job properly, without leaving a trail of drunken, or sleep-deprived mistakes which the next shift has to remedy for you.
Remember! Everyone has a camera phone nowadays.
Partying Responsibly number three. Gone are the days when you could do something embarrassing, for it to be eventually forgotten with time.
Nowadays, everyone is carrying a phone with a high-tech camera.
This means that anyone can capture photos of your embarrassing moments. Or worse. Video you dirty dancing up on the bar. Or making out with ‘that’ person from the other department.
If it then gets uploaded on someone’s FB, MyDay, TikTok or IG stories for everyone to see, it’s there for eternity. Even deleted video or photo posts can be traced.
There really is need for CCTV cameras anymore, there are eyes everywhere! So, keep that in mind should you suddenly feel inspired to do a drunken striptease in the middle of the dance floor.
Don’t hog the videoke microphone.
Don’t be that person, just don’t! The person who punches in song after song, practically holding their very own concert at the Christmas party!
Give other people a chance to have fun!
Regardless of whether you have a golden voice or not, people will only enjoy listening to you for the first few songs. After a while, it will get annoying. AND you will look like a show-off.
Be a good sport and let others have their turn! You may think you are the best singer in the room, but it’s not a contest and everyone should have their share of the videoke fun!
Don’t be that person who “forgets” to bring an exchange gift
There is always one in every party! That one, anonymous person who takes part in the exchange gift, by taking one of the gifts, without having brought one to exchange for it.
Come on! Have pity on the poor teammate who doesn’t get to bring home a gift! Be fair and responsible.
And while you’re at it, wish lists are becoming more common for company Christmas exchange gifts. This means they are already making it easy for you; all you have to do is follow the list!
And don’t just pick out whatever item you can recycle from your house. The point of gift giving is to make the recipient feel good about the present they receive, not ripped-off!
Don’t have a honey where you make your money.
This partying responsible point applies outside of the party season too.
When you combine alcohol, with an out-of-work setting and seeing your colleagues in something other than their uniform, you’ve got yourself a situation that can potentially turn sticky if you’re not careful!
Always remember that relationships are complicated. And even more so if it’s with a person you work with. Many hotels have a policy against going out with people from the same department or property anyway.
And even if yours doesn’t have that particular rule, it’s best to think twice before getting involved with a coworker. If things head south, it will be extremely challenging to work with someone whose face is the last thing you want to see!
Which leads me on to Partying Responsibly rule seven….
Remember you have to face the same people at work the next day.
Unlike other parties you may attend, company parties are unique in the sense that the people are not exactly your friends, but people you work with every single day.
They could be your staff, your peer or even your boss. And while the casual and fun atmosphere of a company Christmas party may make it seem otherwise, it’s best to keep yourself in check.
Remember that these are not your usual friends, who would laugh and forgive whatever hare-brained, drunken thing you think of doing at the party. These are people who could potentially lose all their respect for you as a professional.
What you do, or how you behave, could affect how they see you as a co-worker moving forward.
So …..
Maintain your boundaries.
Especially when partying with your boss.
Some bosses choose to let their hair down during Christmas parties. They have fun with their team and joke around, like they are one of them. At times like these, it’s easy to become complacent and start treating your boss like an equal.
While for some people, this is not a problem. It can be for others.
When partying with your boss, it’s best to remain careful with the things you say, the jokes you crack and the stories you share. Especially work anecdotes, which could result in you sitting in the HR office the next day!
At the end of the day, your boss is still your boss. And one wrong, alcohol-induced move could potentially cost you your job!
Don’t be that person who does not contribute.
While most company parties are subsidized, some departmental parties may require some sort of monetary contribution from the team to get the party going.
Don’t be that one person who makes it so difficult for the person in charge, to collect money from.
Sure, it may not be something you think is worthy of spending money on, but, come on. It’s once a year! And a chance to spend some time unwinding with your teammates.
Be a team player and cough it up. Then make sure to attend the party and get your money’s worth!
And finally. I hope that my Partying Responsibly rule number ten, is only relevant for the 2021 Christmas and New Year. And next year we don’t have to think about it anymore….
Stay safe, wear your mask and follow social distancing protocols!
For now, while we are all about having fun and celebrating the season, we should continue to keep in mind that we are still in a global pandemic situation. So we must continue to keep ourselves, and our colleagues, safe amidst the celebrations.
And we do that by keeping our masks on, keeping a safe distance, or not going at all if we’re feeling unwell.
Having a great time is important, but your health and safety is still of utmost priority!
I hope that, despite everything that is happening worldwide, you will still have many reasons to enjoy the season.
After all that we’ve been through, over the last couple of years, hoteliers deserve to have fun, and celebrate all the good things that still exist in our lives.
Please commit to partying responsibly!
From Hugot Hotelier and MY RANGGO, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
