To plan on getting quite drunk at my work Christmas party?

Do not do this. You’ll look like an idiot, very unprofessional. Stick to drinking a lot when you’re with your own friends.

Drinking too much with colleagues blurs boundaries and can even ruin your career if you say or do something inappropriate while drunk. You also risk annoying your colleagues for making them feel responsible for your safety.

Even if others drink a lot you don’t have to try and keep up. And will any of you have work the next day? Going and caring for patients while hungover is not on.

Let your hair down but remember these people aren't your friends, they are your co workers. You have no idea what type of people they are with a bit of alcohol in them. You don't want to accidentally say the wrong thing, to the wrong person.

I have worked in the NHS for over 20 years. Every Christmas party has involved a few drinks. Just don't get really drunk. Have soe drinks and have fun. NHS work isnt easy and you deserve to let your hair down. Make sure you aren't the most drunk person there! Enjoy x

Just get merry but not blind drunk! I still am mortified and regret something I did back in 2004 after too many drinks at a work party. Remember you have to face these people the next days,months, years….

Word to the wise......you will fare far better if you are the one who stayed sober and remembered what they all did. 51 years old, not at all bitter but wise because I made the mistake you are about to make.

But you'll make it anyway, I was young and arrogant once too...

One thing to be aware of us that there are some people who like to look out for you when you are slightly the worse for wear, set you up to say something indiscreet (it doesn't even have to be something big:in fact mostly it is something relatively benign). Then, when they want to look good at your expense, they will take this minor indiscretion and twist it to make you sound terrible and them sound good.
I worked with someone who did this to several colleagues and it left me paranoid about ever letting my guard slip

Was exactly like that last weekend 🙄
It’s not a piss up in the coffee room at the hospital but work friends getting together for some fun and down time in their own time, at their own expense.

I didn’t mean treat it like a royal garden party, I meant treat it like something you would not want to make a tit of yourself at, like your DH’s boss’s wedding, or a charity ball or an industry awards event. Have a good time but stay in control.

I'm public sector so we also fund our own Christmas dos. For a number of years, there's been a general email reminding us to behave ourselves on work nights out. New CEO this year and it hasn't appeared - yet!

It's really not worth doing otherwise!

You would have got away with it in 1996, if you were lucky. It's nearly 30 years later and it's really not like that any more.

Tell us you don't have a clue without telling us you don't have a clue.

You are the one "out of touch with reality".

I guess it depends on what how the staff are behaving inappropriately ,having a few too many drinks and being a bit silly and loud ime was fine
Fights ,verbal and physical well obviously would bring the organisation into disrepute, not something i ever witnessed though

Really drunk people are fucking tedious to be around, don't care if people can 'handle their drink.' They're loud and obnoxious and not even remotely as witty as they believe.

Have a few, be merry but don't get blasted. Do that with your non work mates, much safer environment.

You'll be thankful you did.

I work in a&e and our Christmas parties have about 200 attendees and you bet we all get merry and have a bloody good time. Nurses, doctors, consultants, pharmacists, domestic staff, non clinical staff. Have people done embarrassing things? Yes of course, doesn't mean we will get ostracised and pull through a disciplinary for getting pissed! Obviously don't get bladdered and vomit over everyone but definitely have a drink and have fun!

No it's embarrassing

@Alondra in my experience of the NHS, Christmas parties were a lot more drunken 20 years ago. A HCA in my team came to my leaving do, where my manager was present. She drank 3 pints and then went to her night shift. That would never happen now. I also remember people working long days, going to the pub for a couple on their break and going back to work. Staff would also spend the whole shift in the smoke room in psychiatric wards. Standards are much higher nowadays when it comes to drugs and alcohol I promise you.

Depends what sort of a drunk you are I guess. Your 'crazy lady' is probably the type who provides the free entertainment with her 'hilarious' behaviour (aka makes a tit of herself so people get a good laugh) but never makes a nuisance of herself by getting scrappy, teary, sick or in need of help home. If you're that person and don't mind being the entertainment then fill your boots. Personally I'd take it easy especially on a first night out with them when you don't know how the land lies and who you can trust.

No, do not treat your Christmas night out like a formal event. You'll get the piss taken out of you.

Same, people are so out of touch with reality and so miserable.

OP; have fun, let your hair down, just don't get so drunk you vomit or make a fool out of yourself.
Posters on here are acting like you're going to a board meeting ffs. Miseries the whole lot of you.

Xmas drinks,Xmas do ,Xmas party same difference ,I did the same when I was a, newly qualified nurse in 1996 our Xmas parties /Do,s /Drinks were legendary and all self funded

The OP, as the title thread she started, is planning on getting drunk on the Christmas party.

The fact she says she's a newly qualified nurse in 2024 making a post about getting drunk in MN, is apparently not important.

No wonder standards of work are going down the gurgle.

To be fair, I’d have thought the same when I was young and daft. But being the butt of everyone’s jokes wears thin. Doesn’t make folk bitter - just life experienced.

Seriously, grow up.

I’ve worked in the NHS for 25 years and I have definitely been to Christmas parties where people were absolutely bladdered. But it varies SO much from team to team, that honestly I wouldn’t do it at your first one. I’ve been to parties where just one person got really really drunk and everyone else was just slightly merry, and you do not want to be the one person falling over and starting fights with herself because you haven’t paced yourself well.

The point I'm making is that the Xmas parties I have been to when I was a nurse were self funded the NHS did NOT pay for them, the Op has confirmed its just her and her team going out for drinks who, I assume they are paying for themselves