Embarassed myself at the work Christmas party

[Jbrum]

Right so. For the most part when leadership were there I was fine. Didn’t say or do anything stupid.

towards the middle of the evening I went for a cigarette and the door knocked me a bit and one guy went “ooo steady on” but it was just that the door knocked me. And yes I was tipsy but not totally messed up.

later in the night I think I walked over and said that was rude making out like I’m some p*sshead. I also touched his arm for no reason while I said this. I then had no recollection of the rest of the conversation at all because he brought me a shot.

But by the end. My close colleague and I had a couple more and by the end it was both of us and a few others. As my close colleague and I were heading home I fell over and then because of the motion in the taxi I took home with her I had to step out and throw up.

My colleague and I are at the same level and have gone on nights out together and got like this before. But I just still feel ashamed of myself.

I’m so embarrassed and I’m supposed to be applying for a leadership role. What do I do?

Just laugh and shrug it off , trivialise it . If you show your upset and embarrassed it will be seen as a weakness and people will tease you about it and maybe use it as a stick to bully you with .

You are massively overthinking this. I really wouldn’t worry. In my younger years I used to get completely wasted on white wine and did so many embarrassing things on nights out which never got me into much trouble and I’m now director level.

On one notable occasion I stroked my boss’s leg under the table and then when he decided it was time to call it a night, I called his phone about 25 times. I think the worst thing was that it was a Friday night so I spent the whole weekend mortified and convinced I was getting fired on Monday morning. He was very kind and subtly and privately mentioned it was inappropriate and shouldn’t happen again.

I’m okay with the falling over and stumbling and being sick. But I’m not okay with not remembering certain conversations because goodness only knows what i said😭

What your mother did 40 years ago is irrelevant to me. The world is a different place. We are asked for our own opinion and I gave mine. Yours may be different and that's fine.

@LuluBlakey1 always in the kitchen not invited at parties

Can you text him and find out?

No I don’t have his number. I’m so scared I said something really damn silly

I think just approach him Mon morning and ask him how's the head etc. Say you don't remember much after the last drink, so apologies for anything you said or did. Let it be struck from the record ha ha etc. Keep it light, it will be OK.

Do you think they’ll start to reconsider me for the initial leadership role that I applied for?

Honestly we have all been there! Best thing is just to go in like normal and act like it never happened. If you’re lucky everyone else was pissed too and has forgotten. If not just laugh it off. I think times like this are good bonding opportunities….you will always look back fondly on those nights where one of you was sick or did something stupid.

Honestly I wouldn't think so, depends on the culture of the place bit certainly it wouldn't be an issue anywhere I've worked. Try to relax and get some sleep, I think there is an element of hangover paranoia going on. You'll be ok.

Why are people’s work places having their Christmas work event up to 4 or 5 weeks before Christmas?! Some of them seem to start mid November😣I know it can be hard to book, but at this rate it will join up with Halloween!
Sorry you’re feeling a bit rubbish OP, I hope things seem better soon.

Don't worry OP. I'm a Senior Manager now and I have had my moments of getting a bit pissed and making a dick of myself. I have had many conversations that I don't remember but nobody I was speaking to did either.

But what makes you think that your male colleague was totally sober and didn't get rat arsed after you went home? Which is always what happened on our nights out.

Don't stress about it. In the extremely unlikely event that anyone mentions the night out to you just say that you don't remember much about it other than it was a lovely team night out as you don't normally drink and change the subject.

I guarantee you that there will be other team members who will want to forget about it far more than you do!

One of the partners accidentally set her bag on fire at the last Christmas party I went to. A very close colleague (one level up from me and someone I respect enormously) followed me back to my place absolutely pissed and sat on my bed for ages crying about his relationship. No idea if he remembers it, we've never spoken about it and nothing changed about our relationship. Oh also my senior manager got kicked out of a nightclub at a staff social and was drunkenly walking down the middle of the road. Also at a training week I was incredibly hungover on the last day after a night out before (even though I was 100% not drunk), I had to keep leaving the classroom to vomit. I think as long as you keep your vomit in appropriate places, keep your hands to yourself and don't get violent then you're good.

No. We haven't all been there. Some of us exhibit professionalism at christmas parties. If you can't manage your alcohol, don't drink so much. It isn't difficult. I would be embarrassed if I vomited at a work party or event of any kind because I drank too much. Grow up and stop drinking so much!

You find a reason not to go next year.

I really wouldn't bother going on some of the Christmas parties mentioned on here. No drinking, maintaining professional behaviour.....that's not a night out, it's a very boring extension of the working day.
I am glad I work for a company that expects us all to let our hair down and have some fun!
Anyone that gets sick/falls over has the piss taken out of them for a few weeks and then it gets forgotten.

Probably because it's cheaper in November and easier to book

Absolutely. They sound like the very definition of boredom. Competitive professionalism - 'well on my Christmas soirée I didn't even breathe because the CEO might disapprove and requiring oxygen is just soooo unprofessional'.

Oh come on. Dont you ever just let go.

One of our very high up and well respected managers got trollied at xmas do. He was great company and we all laughed so much. He went outside in the snow and for reasons best known to him liked an icy car bonnet and got his tongue frozen stuck. We all helped him. Back to normal monday. So what.

@Redlarge Not at work parties to the point of vomiting in front of colleagues, no. I suspect that where I live the 'drinking' culture is different though. By all means have a bunch of drinks, but if you can't handle your alcohol you deserve to be embarrassed.

Around my family/friends, it's a different story, of course I let go!

If OP didn't overdrink then OP wouldn't now be making thread about how embarrassed they are. I mean isn't that the simplest solution? But you see these 'ooooh I'm so mortified' posts on MN every Christmas. Like clockwork.

@Scalottia you sound very uptight! We’re all human and sometimes it’s good to let your hair down and get drunk!

😂😂😂 my thoughts exactly!

OP I feel for you, we have all been there, but nothing you’ve said is that bad! All totally normal for a work party. You just have beer fear.