It’s the night you and your colleagues have been looking forward to all year; a chance to let your hair down and celebrate all of the hard work you’ve achieved together. But, as with any big work do, there’s always a list of things you can count on happening. From somebody over indulging at the bar, to romance blossoming between the most unlikely pairing – it all seems to happen at the office Christmas party. To have a little fun, and mentally prepare you for this occasion, we’ve put together a list of the 10 things you can guarantee will happen. Enjoy.

1. Getting ready in the toilet

We’ve all been there, the work’s party is mid-week and straight from the office. Your dressing room? The work’s toilet. Not quite as glamorous as you’d like. Avoid the queues to the mirrors, and persuade your boss to party with us at Coombe Abbey. With an array of fabulous rooms to choose from, your pre-party prep could take place just 5 minutes from the dance floor.

2. Secret Santa

With a £20 budget and the name of a guy from the tech team you’ve never met, Secret Santa was never going to be easy. But instead of the usual Boots multi-buy, how about you spoil your colleague with a £20 Coombe Abbey voucher. You’ll be their new favourite.

3. Overly festive get-up

At some point or not, you’ll be forced by the office party planner to don a Christmas hat and sparkly tinsel accessories. In need of advice? Embrace the festive cheer!

4. Everyone avoids the buffet

Here’s one thing we can definitely help with. With all of our festive parties, there’s a full menu on offer. From our Mediaeval and Murder Mystery banquets, where you can enjoy a three-course meal, to our Garden Room Restaurant, there’s really no need to waste your time on a boring buffet.

5. Shy colleague transforms into dancing queen

Once the Champagne starts flowing and the awkwardness wears off, you can guarantee someone will hit the dance floor and throw some shapes. It just so happens that it’s always the shyest person from the office.

6. Getting generous

There’s always someone that gets a little bit too generous when buying drinks. We’re not saying you should refuse a drink, but maybe buy them a breakfast in the morning when they’re feeling a little worse for wear.

7. Overindulging

Is Sandra from customer services glugging the Prosecco a little too fast? From falling over on the dance floor, to saying something completely inappropriate to your boss – help those who overindulge by making sure you come equipped with painkillers and water.

8. Let’s take a selfie

Cue the bleary-eyed toilet selfies and dance floor action shots. These photos will most definitely end up on your Facebook, and you will most definitely un-tag yourself.

9. Everyone wants to wear fancy dress

Someone suggested fancy dress, but you weren’t sure? Well, if your work decide to celebrate the festive season with our Gatsby Glamour Ball you’ll be able to glam up in 1920s dress, indulge in a 4-course meal and listen to live music. Not bad, right?

10. Everyone calls in sick

It’s morning after the night before, and you’ve dragged yourself out of your comfortable Coombe Abbey room to get to work on time. But wait, no one’s bothered coming in. We’d suggest returning to Coombe for a delicious afternoon tea. We know it’ll kick that hangover right out of your system.

We wonder how many of these you’ll tick off when your office Christmas party comes around – hopefully only the good ones! In the meantime, make sure you peruse our festive events ahead of December. From our renowned Mediaeval banquets, to our Gatsby Glamour Ball on 21st December, we promise we’ll deliver a night your whole team will remember.