The holiday season is only a couple of days away and if your company functions in the same way as most, you probably got invited to an office holiday party. So, you check your invitation to see what type of event it is and you notice that there is a ‘plus one’ option, meaning that you could bring your partner with you.
Now, whether you’re in a relationship or if your planning on finding a date to bring to the celebration, you should know that there are various tips that could guarantee that you and your potential companion have a fun and interesting time. Before we take a look at the tips, let’s first look at how to decide if it’s better to go alone or with someone:
Should I go Alone or With a Partner?
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To be completely honest, there isn’t really a right or wrong decision. It all comes down to what you actually desire and feel comfortable with. Now, if your planning on spending the entire night hanging out with your favorite colleagues, it might be best for your companion to stay at home, especially since they won’t know anyone with whom they can spend the night with.
On the contrary, if you aren’t really friendly with your colleagues, you may want to take a date with you, especially since you’ll be able to spend some quality time together. Additionally, if you’re single, but still want to take someone with you, you could always opt for services such as bentleysoflondon.com or you could choose to invite one of your close friends.
Tips For Spending an Office Holiday Party With a Date
1. You Must Always Introduce Your Plus One
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If there is one thing that you should ensure, it is that you always introduce your plus one to your colleagues. After all, they have been hearing all about ‘Sarah from the IT department’, so they’ll finally be able to put a face to the name. Once you introduce your date, ensure that you talk about some personal details in order to ensure that they don’t only talk about work.
For example, if your coworker recently got a new pet, you could say something like “This is Sarah, she’s my colleague and she recently adopted a cute little cat!”. Your entire objective should be to give your plus one a lot of information in order for him or her to communicate and engage with the people at the celebration.
2. Don’t Forget The Beverages And Food
Your date might feel uncomfortable at first, which is why you should assure that they stay hydrated and that they eat well. If she gets low on her beverage, you might want to always ask if you need to refill their glass. And, since there will be a lot of alcoholic beverages at the party, both of you have to eat properly.
If you, at times, need or have to mingle with your coworkers a bit, you should always let your partner know, especially since they’ll be prepared to engage with other people. Nonetheless, you should keep an eye on your date since you don’t want to leave them standing alone in the corner.
3. Never Make Your Date Your Sitter
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You might be planning on drinking, and if so, you must ensure that you keep track of how much you drink. By doing so, you can avoid uncomfortable situations such as your date carrying you to your house, helping you while your standing over the toilet, or both of the things mentioned.
Trust me, this won’t only be completely uncomfortable for both of you, but, you’ll surely regret it in the morning, especially when you arrive back at work. So, yes, you can consume a few drinks, but you need to drink a few glasses of water in order to stay hydrated.
4. Your Plus One = Your Responsibility
Keep in mind, your plus one is entirely your responsibility. What does this mean for you? Well, besides guaranteeing that she or he has fun and that you don’t leave your date alone, you must also ensure that you roll them back in if they start behaving badly or consuming too many beverages.
5. Greet Your Boss Together
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One of the things that you should definitely do together is to greet your boss. After all, the entire point of going to the gathering – even if you didn’t want to – is for your boss to see you there. Of course, you don’t need to spend the entire evening talking to your boss, instead, take your date, introduce them, chat for a while, and then move on to doing something else.
6. Ensure That It’s Fun!
Last on the list, but not least significant is the fact that you have to guarantee that the entire evening is fun. Even if you or your date didn’t want to go, use the circumstances to your advantage and have some fun with your partner. Besides, going to an office gathering can be a good time to bond, especially if you usually don’t have a lot of time.
Bonus Tip – You Need to Be Your Best Self
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It’ll always be awkward for your companion to attend such parties, which is you need to always be polite and friendly to them. Even if you desire to use the entire evening for chatting and joking with your work buddies, guarantee that you always include your date. Additionally, you should not forget to take care of their needs as well.
For instance, if your partner wants to leave home earlier, you don’t really need to go with them. If you find yourself in this situation, explain that you would like to spend a little bit more time at the party and then call them a taxi in order for your plus one to get home safely. Doing this will assure that you don’t have any issues later on.
Conclusion
It is quite overwhelming and daunting to bring a date to an office holiday celebration, especially if you recently started seeing each other. However, if you choose to follow most or all of the tips mentioned above, you’ll be able to guarantee that you and your companion have a fun and interesting evening.
So, now that you’re aware of all the things you might want to do during the party, you should really not lose any more time. Instead, you should ask your date if they want to attend the party and then start thinking about what you’ll wear during the holiday celebration organized in your workplace.
