Business -- 11 days ago
RULES FOR SURVIVING THE HOLIDAY PARTY SEASON
Words: Holly Macnaghten
Whether it’s a family function on Boxing Day or a raucous Christmas Eve drinks party with friends, if your calendar is anything like ours then no doubt you’re in for a rather busy few weeks (as if the last few weeks of fun and frivolity weren’t a whirlwind enough) so follow our rules for surviving the following few weeks of the holiday season and avoiding any Bridget Jones-esq blunders…
DO YOUR RESEARCH, Family parties or ‘friends of the family’ parties might fill you with dread initially, but you really never do know who you might meet – so do your research. Find out from the host or someone who knows all the details what the guest list is looking like, who is recently divorced? Who just lost their job? It’s this kind of research that will help you avoid any awkward moments. On a brighter note, the girl you used to live next door to might be newly single – so certainly worth the time and effort!
CIRCULATE THE ROOM, It doesn’t matter if your group of best friends are all in the same room amongst a host of others you’ve never met before – you have all year to hang out with them. Far better to spend 20 minutes talking to half the people there (and potentially meet the woman of your dreams or the man who might offer you your dream job) than to stand in the corner with the same clique all night.
LEARN TO SAY NO…TO EVERYTHING, From ‘one more glass of champagne’ to ‘just a little after party’, if you want to make it through to January with both health and credit cards in check then you need to start saying no. Far better to leave a party at midnight than to spend Christmas in bed with a hangover induced illness or worse still in fact, be the drunk and disorderly man that’s asked to leave the party.
DRESS TO IMPRESS, Good news for dapper gents and stylish guys, this is the season for dressing up. It doesn’t matter what the occasion is, you’ll never look over-dressed during the festive season.
BALANCE FRIENDS & FAMILY, From family drinks to a friends Boxing day party, make sure you distribute your time evenly and know when you need to say no to a friends party over time with great Aunts and Grandmothers – it might not be what you want to do, but remember that family comes first this time of year.
BE THE PERFECT GUEST, Bring a gift – no matter the occasion a bottle of something festive, a scented candle or even a box of luxurious chocolates will always go down well. Help the host, from topping up glasses to clearing plates away, being the perfect guest will never go unnoticed.
DO YOUR TIME, Even if there are two beautiful women standing on one side of the room who you desperately want to talk to, don’t forget to put some time in on those you might not want to – think great-uncles or your cousin’s excruciatingly quiet girlfriend. Now is the time of year to put others above yourself, remember?
PACE YOURSELF, If you’ve got three nights out on the trot, followed by a huge family affair on Christmas day then you’re going to have to pace yourself. We like to stick to a 1 drink an hour limit, and also live by the rule that “nothing good ever happens after 2am” – we say try because let’s be honest, sometimes it just doesn’t happen does it? But, if there is one time of year to stick to these rules then this is it. That, or endure your whole family (screaming nieces & nephews included) hounding you on Christmas day off the back of a three day bender – the choice is yours.
KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE, There is nothing worse than the guest who won’t leave. Judge the mood and know when to make your exit. On that note, if you’ve double or triple booked a night then whilst it might not seem the most gentlemanly of things to do, sometimes a swift French exit is better than an obvious dine and dash.
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
