7 Dos and Don'ts For a Successful Holiday Office Party

When choosing your party outfit, remember to select an appropriate option for the occasion. If your venue is at the local brewery, go more casual, but if it's at the office during work hours, it is best to stick to your normal daily attire. The goal is to feel comfortable and look professional all while enjoying time with your colleagues. If a particular garment feels too tight or makes you question how you look, consider a different option.

Whether your party is a potluck, a brunch, or an evening get-together, you don't want to show up to the celebration empty-handed. Grabbing a bottle of wine or Champagne is one way to go, or you can even get ingredients together to assemble a beautiful cheese plate. Any gesture, big or small, will surely be appreciated by your co-workers, and it will also add a little dash of your own personality to the mix.

Going to an event and breaking off into your clique immediately is a big office party no-no. Even if you want to spend the majority of the time with your office besties, it is rude to not take the time to greet everyone in attendance. So, take a moment to smile and say hello.

There are certain topics that have the potential to ruffle a few feathers. If you know a particular co-worker has different political views than you do, now is not the time or place to bring up the recent election. If another colleague just experienced a work mishap that they are still reeling from, it's best to avoid bringing that into the conversation. Keeping things lighthearted, fun, and enjoyable for all is the route you want to take.

A glass of wine or a cold beer can do just the trick to help loosen you up during an office party, especially if you don't socialize with your co-workers on a normal basis. However, there is a fine line between having a good time and becoming the drunken horror story of 2016 that will be told at all future parties for years to come. Absolutely don't be afraid to have fun — just as long as you keep it cool.

These days, who doesn't love to document fun events, parties, and other celebrations on Snapchat and Instagram? While it is more than OK to take advantage of these nifty photo-sharing apps, you should still remember to be polite. Before posting any snaps or 'grams from the office party, respectfully ask for your co-workers' permission and approval. No one likes a bad photo of them (or an embarrassing one) blasted all across the internet, so just be mindful of what you share.

We get it, depending on your work atmosphere or your team, you may not be looking forward to your office shindig. You could possibly even be tempted to opt out completely — but don't! A few hours of socializing with the people you see every single day won't kill you, and you will probably end up having more fun than you anticipated. Plus, you don't want to give yourself a reputation of being antisocial and uninterested. So get up and go, and we bet you will be glad you did.