December is now merely days away and many of you will be gearing up for your work’s Christmas party…Whether this may be a last minute attempt at losing weight to squeeze into that new outfit or maybe stopping drinking until the day of the big party, the anticipation will undoubtedly be high. For some however, the annual office party can be a source of huge worry and anxiety. In theory, the Christmas party is a chance to let your hair down, chat to those you haven’t said much to all year long, and enjoy food and drink – all at the employer’s expense. Surviving the potential minefield that is the office Christmas party could prove difficult, but not impossible to do. Therefore, follow Medical Specialists® Pharmacy’s tips in order to make sure your dignity, reputation and most importantly, job are all left intact! Pace yourself It is entirely pointless being the life and soul of the office party at 8pm, but by 9.30pm being a drunken mess with your head over the toilet. Some parties may have an open bar, but it isn’t an excuse to hoover up drinks every 2 minutes. It isn’t a drinking competition. Also, don’t mix drinks and try to have some water in-between rounds. Be aware of your limits and try to remember it is still your employer and not a night out on the town with your mates. Watch your mouth There is nothing wrong with engaging in polite chit-chat or talking about your life outside of work. In fact, it is good to show you actually have a life outside of the office and not just talk about the latest sales statistics at work. However, when it comes to matters of work, try not to overshare. Of course, this is far easier to accomplish if you are not blind drunk! Nobody wants to wake up with fear of having gossiped about the businesses secrets or told the boss exactly what everybody else thinks of him/her. Moreover, the Christmas party is not the best time to mention how you want a pay rise in the New Year. Don’t jump on your crush Be very careful that you don’t take your flirting one step too far. You may be feeling in the mood for fun and frolics, but not everybody will be sharing the mood. Plus, if your crush is reciprocating the feelings, is the office Christmas party really the most ideal time for drunken hook-ups? Surely you don’t want to be the topic of conversation for malicious post-party rumours and gossip around the office. If you and someone at the party feel its inevitable things are going to go further later in the night, then at least make sure you’re equipped with condoms to avert an unwanted pregnancy or even a potential sexually transmitted infection. Remember the social media aspect It’s unlikely your Facebook friends want to know about an attractive work colleague you are lusting over, or wish to see endless drunken selfies taken in the toilets. What was initially meant as a bit of harmless fun posted to social media could run the risk of having more serious ramifications. As Wayne Rooney recently found out at a hotel wedding party, an excess amount of alcohol and camera phones are generally a bad mix. Try and avoid any opportunities for damaging photo opportunities that can risk the security of your job, make you look immature and irresponsible, or that will result in endless mockery from your colleagues until the next Christmas party! Don’t over-indulge Christmas time is usually the most challenging time of the year for our weight. The buffet at the party will more than likely feature a whole range of fat-filled stodgy foods such as pizza, quiche and sausage rolls. All are disastrous for the waistline cholesterol levels. Alcohol is known to contribute to low blood sugar levels, dehydration, and the typical binge-eating session that many people fall victim to at the end of a heavy drinking session. As alcohol is an appetite stimulant, try not to make a pit-stop to the local kebab shop on your walk home. If you are attempting to lose weight, devouring a doner kebab is not the way to go. Some contain as much as 1,990 calories. This is almost the same as a woman’s recommended daily intake of calories, in addition to a staggering 70g of saturated fat – three and half times the daily guideline amount for a woman, not forgetting a whopping 16.5g of salt. Show up the next day Regardless of how bad your hangover the next day is and how much you are suffering, if you are due in the office the next day then make sure to show up! Anyone that has drank a bit too much alcohol and stayed out late will be in the same boat, so you can at least suffer together whilst trying to get through the day. Pulling a sickie will not go down too well with your boss and fellow colleagues, and will probably only ignite rumours you had too much to drink and make a fool of yourself! A glass of water with a sachet of rehydration salts such as Dioralyte will help in the morning after the night before, and sipping water throughout the day is also advisable.