Now that Thanksgiving is over, it is all about the holidays!
This is by far my favorite time of the year for many reasons. I love the decorations, the spirit, family time, holiday parties, and just being in the city. I was bummed this year when I found out there are 6 less days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year because I know this time will go by even faster. I love this time in NYC because of all the decorations and I want to appreciate every second of it. Another bummer is that this week I am actually in Chicago for work which means one less Christmasy week in the city. Womp. Anyways, I wanted to write about how you should approach the holidays in your office / corporate setting as not many people talk about the etiquette and I know people have questions on how to act / what to do during this time of the year.
The holiday party.
We all love a good holiday party especially when your company is sponsoring it, right? This is an event where it is always fun to hangout with coworkers in a work setting but also in a setting that is more casual and fun. Holiday parties tend to differ from company to company. I’ve worked at companies where they don’t have a holiday party to companies that rent out insane venues to host their employees. Holiday parties can be tricky because you have to act professional because your boss, your bosses boss, and etc are in attendance while at the same time you don’t want to be a buzz kill and be boring. This is a time to connect with coworkers on a different scale and create some memories with your team. Over the past couple of years I’ve known and witnessed a lot of holiday parties that have gone downhill for many people. Why you ask? Well alcohol and lots of free alcohol. People take advantage of the fact that there is a fully stocked bar and drink for the sake of drinking. Or people drink to avoid awkward encounters with their boss or less-social coworkers. Don’t be surprised if you go into work the next day and hear of someone getting fired at the holiday party, it happens. The only thing to do that is just be careful with what you are drinking and how much. The last thing you want to do is get in trouble or make a fool out of yourself in front of your boss!
Not everyone celebrates that same holiday as you do.
Always remind yourself that even if you celebrate Christmas that doesn’t mean that everyone else in the office does as well. I know we were raised to say Happy Holidays if you unaware of what someone celebrates but don’t be afraid to say Merry Christmas to someone you know who does celebrate Christmas. To me it makes it a bit more personable than the generic Happy Holidays.
The coworker gifts.
Again, this really depends on your company’s culture but to me holiday gifts are not necessary at all especially for your coworkers and your boss. I always right my boss and bosses boss a heartfelt note thanking them for their leadership and how much I look forward to the year ahead. I usually bake my coworkers some cookies and leave them at on of the empty desk by us for them all to enjoy. It is a simple and kind gesture that goes a long way. Presents are fine but do not spend a lot of money, and if you do bring in a gift make sure you don’t do it in front of your coworkers. You don’t want people to feel pressured to bring something in just because you did.
The office dress code.
Is it just me or does the office dress code go out the window this time of year? I know people are attending holiday parties after work but that doesn’t mean you need to wear your mini sequin skirt to the office. Pack it in your bag and change into it before you leave for the day. This is a time to bring out some festive reds and plaids but don’t go too crazy. It is comfy season after all but also please don’t show up to work in joggers and a sweatshirt unless your office is okay with that! I’m jealous if you can!
The OOO.
Since Thanksgiving and Christmas are so close to one another you will find this time to be pretty quiet in the office. I always try to save my vacation time for the holidays just so I can go down to Florida and spend some quality time with my family since I don’t get to see them much throughout the year. However, this is also not a time to take advantage of your manager and say you are working from home to save a vacation day when in reality you are out shopping for Christmas gifts with your mom. This time of year is very busy and important for most companies because you are trying to end out the year on a good front. Keep that in mind and try not to slack off.
Do you have any tips on how to spend the holidays in the office?
Thanks for reading Elle’s Edit. If you have any topics that you would like for me to discuss, feel free to email me at elizabeth.lane.dooley@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! xo
