As work Christmas parties begin across the country, what are the dos and don’ts for not getting fired the following Monday?

On Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Examiner lifestyle editor Esther McCarthy gave her tips for appropriate office party behaviour, and gave Christmas jumpers a firm ‘do’.

“Glitz it up [and] embrace the glam,” she said.

“Absolutely, it’s the one time of the year for God's sake - go for it.

“I'm going to be in sequins from now until January 1st.”

Ms McCarthy said arriving “fashionably late” is the ideal scenario, but she warned not to go for “sneaky pints” beforehand.

“You want to look like you’re fierce popular and you’ve loads of parties to go to, and you don't want the barman throwing you sympathy looks when you’re there on your own – but don’t go for sneaky pints first,” she said. 

"Read the room"

Inappropriate jokes are okay, Ms McCarthy said, but “inappropriate touching or feeling” is not.

“Read the room” when it comes to who you’re telling inappropriate jokes, she said.

Surprisingly, Ms McCarthy said a Christmas kiss with an office co-worker is okay.

“It's the only time of the year that there's an actual plant that allows you to do it,” she said.

Ms McCarthy clarified that you shouldn’t be angling to kiss someone who you have been being “creepy” to in the office.

"Judge Judy"

There is no right advice on drinking too much or too little, Ms McCarthy said.

“I've had experience of both,” said.

“I've ended up doing a cartwheel to try to seal the deal on a dance off, and possibly didn't have optimal clothing on to do that.

“But also, the first [Christmas party] after covid… I wasn't drinking – surprising and shockingly – at the Christmas party, so I was the kind of the moany Joanie in the corner. 

“I was the kind of Judge Judy, kind of watching everything and trying to… and there was this fella sort of hovering around my friend and I was really kind of keeping an eye on him.

“Eventually he wasn't taking my eye cues, so I was like, ‘Would you ever go away and stop annoying her?’ and then he was like, ‘I'm actually working in marketing for the last three years’.

“I thought I was protecting her, whereas if I'd had a few drinks, I'd have been like, ‘Yay we’re all friends’.”

"Power ballad with the boss"

Ms McCarthy doesn’t believe you need to leave a work Christmas party early.

“Some of the best parts of the Christmas party that would keep us gossiping happen kind of at the karaoke at three o'clock in the morning behind a casino somewhere,” she said.

“You know when you're doing a power ballad with the boss.”

Listen back here:

Closeup of a smartphone with the text office christmas party in its screen. Image: Alamy