The Work Christmas Party Without Overdoing It

The invite says drinks from 6pm, the bar is free until ten, and the last time you went you spent the next morning replaying a conversation with your manager. You'd like to go. You'd also like to wake up the next day without that sinking feeling.

You can have both. This is a plan for the office party that works whether you want two drinks, five, or none. Drinking less than last year counts just as much as not drinking at all.

Eat before you go

Office parties often start straight from work, with food that arrives late or comes as a few canapés on a tray. That leaves you drinking on an empty stomach. NIAAA notes that memory blackouts are more likely when people drink on an empty stomach or drink quickly.

The NHS advice is to eat something and have a glass of water before your first alcoholic drink. Have a proper meal at five, even if it feels early. A sandwich at your desk is better than nothing. If dinner is part of the party, don't skip it to keep chatting at the bar.

Decide your number before you leave the house

Pick how many drinks you'll have before you're in the room. It's easier to choose a number with a clear head than with a glass in your hand. Both the NHS and NIAAA advise setting a limit in advance.

Make the number specific. "Two glasses of wine, then soft drinks" is something you can follow. "Not too many" is not. Zero is a fine number too. Count in actual drinks, keeping in mind that a large glass of wine and a pint of strong lager each hold about 3 UK units, the same as three single shots. The guide to what counts as one drink has the sizes.

It helps to tell one person you trust. The NHS points out that letting people know you're cutting down means they can back you up, and a colleague who knows your plan can steer you to the door at the right moment.

What to hold

A glass in your hand is the simplest defence at any party. When it's full, there's less reason for anyone to offer. Fill it with whatever makes the evening easier: tonic with lime, an alcohol-free beer, sparkling water in a wine glass, or a plain cola. Nobody across the room can tell what's in it.

If you are drinking, the NHS suggests going smaller and lower in strength, such as a bottle of beer instead of a pint, or a small glass of wine instead of a large one. Alternate every alcoholic drink with water or a soft drink. There's more on the first awkward minutes in our party guide.

The free bar

One of the NHS tips for cutting down is to take a fixed amount of money and stop when it's gone. A free bar removes that brake completely. There's no moment at the till where you notice you're on your fifth.

Waiting staff topping up glasses makes it worse, since a glass that never empties is impossible to count. A few ways around it:

• Finish a drink before you accept another, and put your hand over the glass when the bottle comes round.
• Go to the bar yourself so you choose what you get.
• Order your soft drink in the same kind of glass as everyone else's.
• Keep count on your phone, one tap per drink.

Colleagues who push

There's usually someone. The manager ordering a round of shots, the colleague who takes your sobriety as a personal challenge. NIAAA's advice is to have a polite, convincing "no, thanks" ready before anyone asks.

Keep it short and say it again if you need to. "I'm good, thanks." "Not tonight." "I've got an early start." "I'm pacing myself." You don't need to explain, and a long explanation invites a debate. It may help to know that NIAAA's guidance to party hosts is to have alcohol-free drinks on hand and to avoid drawing attention to guests who aren't drinking. For more lines and how to handle the one who won't let it go, see how to say no to a drink.

Know when you'll leave

Decide your leaving time before you arrive, and book your ride home in advance if you can. Leaving at a set time means you go while you're still enjoying yourself, before the late part of the night when plans tend to slide.

You don't need a farewell tour. Say goodbye to the people who matter and go.

If a group heads on to a pub or a club afterwards, decide before the night if you'll go with them. Your number was for the whole evening, and a second venue doesn't reset it. If you do go, it's a good point to switch to soft drinks for the rest of the night.

The next morning at work

If the night went to plan, notice how the morning feels. That clear head at 9am is worth remembering the next time a party comes round.

If it didn't, go easy on yourself. NIAAA says there is no cure for a hangover other than time, and that coffee and showers don't cure it. Symptoms can last 24 hours or longer, and attention and decision-making can be impaired, so keep the important tasks for later in the week if you can. Drink water, eat something, and don't treat a foggy head or a worried mind as proof that you did something awful. The post on the fear after drinking explains where that dread comes from.

If the party has you thinking about your drinking more broadly, that's worth following up. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor first.