15 things you should never do at the office holiday party

Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Keep it together.

• Holiday parties are a great opportunity to spend time with coworkers, but you still have to be on your best behavior.
• The choices people make at the party carry over to the workday, and can impact their careers.
• That doesn't mean you should skip the party - make an appearance, talk to your coworkers, and drink responsibly.

'Tis the season for office holiday parties, which can be fun and festive if everyone is on their best behavior - or disastrous when too many people decide to let loose.

Unfortunately, the latter happens far too often.

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"People need to remember that although the holiday party is a time to celebrate, this activity is still a business event and how you behave matters," says Barbara Pachter, an etiquette expert and the author of "The Essentials of Business Etiquette."

"People have said and done all sorts of inappropriate things that have impacted their career by not following simple etiquette rules," she adds. "For example, it is important to stay sober. One young man got drunk at his holiday party, cursed out his boss, and got fired on the spot. The next day he couldn't understand why his badge didn't work. He had no recollection of the previous evening's events."

According to a new CareerBuilder survey, a whopping 69% of employers say they'll throw a holiday party this year. If your company is one of them and you want to keep your job and reputation intact, here are some simple etiquette rules to follow: