Last week, we addressed three holiday conundrums that many interns and new hires face. As promised, this week I’ll address two additional ones.

 

 

If you happen to receive a gift that you honestly know you will never use, instead of dumping it in the trash, I’d much prefer to see you either donate it to a charity or regift it to a friend or acquaintance who will make use of it. It’s the green thing to do. And as every consignment shop owner in the country will tell you, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.”

 

Before you regift, take a few moments to ensure you don’t regift to the original giver. (How embarrassing would that be!?!?) Also, re-wrap the regifted gift in fresh, new paper.

 

 

Before you head to this year’s office holiday party, remember this get together is still a business event and all the rules of business etiquette apply. Despite the fact that everyone calls it a “party,” smart employees act as if they were attending an important meeting. They dress in an office-appropriate manner, initiate conversations that help build collegial relationships with their co-workers, and they watch what they eat and drink.

 

Simply said, don’t be the person who over-tipples at this year’s office get together. In the end, you’ll only embarrass yourself, and you may limit your career. If you see a colleague teetering on the edge of over-indulgence, try to persuade them to head home. You may gain a friend for life. And if you are the employer-host of the event and see an employee down one too many, grab that person’s keys and phone a taxi. You don’t want to be held responsible for a drunk driver’s accident.

 

 

On that note, Mary Crane & Associates brings 2010 to a close. I wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season, and I look forward to reconnecting with you in 2011!