The holidays are filled with stress, and one of the primary goals heading into the holiday season is to just get through it. With that in mind, here's a collection of tips we're calling the Lazy Man's Guide to the Christmas Office Party.
Don't worry, you could be female instead of male, but our guess is that you'll be less likely to need these tips. Call us sexist if you wish.
And it's not solely about the office party. These tips apply almost anywhere.
Nevertheless, getting through the holidays is not about getting wrapped up in details.
Speaking of details, do this and be merry.
1. Buy some wrapping paper with gold stripes. Nothing says classy like gold stripes. It can also double as wrapping paper for birthday presents. These stripes don't lock you into a particular holiday.
2. Picture frames get almost as bad a rap as ties when it comes to gifts. The key, though, is what you put in the frames. If you're stuck giving a gift to a colleague at work, stay late and scan a photo of their dog (or cat) that's taped to the wall of their cubicle. Be warned, there will be hell to pay if you're caught; touching a pet photo is as bad as touching another man's hat or wallet. But turning a 3x5 of Fido into a 5x7 with a simple $5 frame will make you a hero.
3. You have to bring food? Go to the grocery store and stop by the deli. There will be cooked chicken there. Buy it. It's cheaper (albeit not quite as tasty) than KFC, but nobody expects anything you cook to be as good as KFC. Be sure to put the chicken on a plate (or in a bowl) and cover with tin foil and pass it off your own. For $20, you get the chicken and the rights as well. Take advantage of it.
4. You need to bring a salad instead? Go to the grocery store and stop by the deli. There will be salad there. Buy it.
5. Too lazy to pick up wrapping paper, and too busy to get to Walmart for frames? Many grocery stores now sell gift cards (iTunes, Amazon, Best Buy, etc.). Buy one. It's like giving cash, but classier.
What tips do you have that make getting through the holidays easier?
