The booze factor

For some reason, free booze is always so much harder to resist than that which you pay for. And you should enjoy it - there's no harm in letting your hair down. But don't get so drunk that you're dancing on the bar with a lampshade on your head and gyrating in a way that makes Christina Aguilera look like the girl next door.

Printwork

On the drinking/embarrassment theme, don't drink so much that you get lured into unseemly office shenanigans. If the party is in the office, steer clear of the photocopying machine unless you want prints of your backside waved around the office the next day. And don't pilfer the stationery cupboard - it's not cool to leave the party with the office stapler and a wad of copy paper.

Honesty, the best policy?

The consumption of booze always leads to a certain openness. But don't tell your boss exactly what you think of them and how you make overseas calls when they're out. The office party is also the worst place to have a good bitch about fellow colleagues - this is the one environment in which they're most likely to hear you.

Don't talk shop

It's easy to talk about work as it's something in common but, let's face it, if that's all you can talk about it, move on to a different person. The office party also isn't the place to persuade your boss to promote you or provide you with that new type of chair that's good for your back. And be careful about what jokes you tell - if in doubt, don't tell them...

Most importantly, have a good time and just enjoy being with your colleagues outside of the office. Go easy on the booze, don't be too touchy-feely with everyone and you'll be just fine.