Hi All,
Christmas Party season is upon us, I currently have a couple of dates in the calendar but I am sure that these will build up over the next week or so. For the majority of us the main Christmas party will be your works one, but even if you aren’t having one there is always nights out with friends and of course Christmas Day. Even though this is the time of year that we are all overly excited (I know I am) and have been looking forward too since September, it can equally be daunting.
From buying new party dresses all the way through to being placed next to a colleague you never work with; it is not the easiest time of year. So to help you out and make sure it’s a fun season, here is the Clever Little Buttons Christmas party survival guide. ENJOY!
Stick to the 2 dress rule.
This is something that has taken me a long time to understand and latch onto. It used to be that I would buy a new dress for many different functions, now however I stick to a two dress rule – one smart casual and one party dress. There are many reasons that this is the best way to approach needing a new dress for your Christmas party – firstly it is cheaper than continuously buying new clothing – which for me was the number one reason to take this approach.
Secondly it means that you have to get creative. Yes people may realize you are wearing the same dress, but if you dress it up differently with shoes, jewelry changes and a different bag each time then you will have a whole new look.
Finally and most importantly; if you have two dresses that you feel comfortable in and enjoy dancing in, then why wouldn’t you wear them over and over again? Enjoy them and forget about people seeing you in the same dress and they will notice your confidence rather than your choice of clothing.
Get the cameras out.
Christmas arties are notorious for fun at the time but a hangover in the morning – do I need to say more than this? One of the issues, that I know I have faced before, is that I completely forget the fun I had by the next day and have very little to show for my night of dancing other than sore muscles. This is why you need to remember your camera! Forget about purposely posed pictures, this is for the moments that you were eating your way through a 4 course meal, dancing with your boss and singing very badly at karaoke (we have all done it).
For this you will need a decent camera and a plan of attack for the photos afterwards. Whether you choose to take a handy sized digital camera, or you are a full blown SLR fan from somewhere like Park Cameras; the type of camera is up to you what is important is the photos afterwards.
Secret Santa’s and Presents for colleagues.
We have all pulled out the names of our co-workers from a little hat – sometimes you are lucky and sometimes you are not – but the point of Christmas is to give your colleague a fun and memorable gift whatever the budget. Many of us will be handing out gifts at our Christmas parties, making the whole experience even more daunting, especially if you don’t know what the person’s reaction will be to your gift. So to have some fun with your gifts, why not make them as memorable as possible.
One way to do this is to take some funny, fun or exciting photos of your colleagues. I know this sounds strange but it may be that they have had a massive breakthrough at work, or if they are friends then you may have spent a fun evening together. Whatever the photo or memory, you could turn it into something fun such as a badge or a key ring for them to keep forever. This way you know that the secret Santa gift is safe, thoughtful and fun – without stepping over the mark or being offensive, which some gifts can be.
