Office Party Etiquette - Beware of Cameras

Office holiday parties are a great tradition. But it's harder to have fun at the office party in the age of the internet. It used to be everyone in the office would drink and look foolish, then it would be forgotten by the next day. Now, you come in on Monday and everyone is looking at pictures of you on Flickr singing Karaoke with mistletoe sticking out of the top of your pants. Avoid those holiday blunders with some simple office party etiquette.

Here are 10 Tips to Guide You Through the Office Party courtesy of Peter Post at the Boston Globe:

1. RSVP: When the invitation is issued, make sure to RSVP as soon as possible, but definitely by the "reply by" date.
2. Date: If the invitation includes a significant other, be sure to ask him first, and then let the organizer know if you're attending alone or with him.
3. Dress: Give your significant other the heads up about what to wear so they can plan accordingly.
4. Punctuality: Arrive on time. There's nothing worse than being late and looking like you either don't care or are disorganized.
5. Introductions: Be sure to introduce your significant other to your boss and to the people you work with, especially if he or she has never met any of them. It helps him or her to put a face to the names of the people that you talk about when you come home.
6. Inclusion: Don't abandon your significant other. Make an extra effort to include them in the conversation.
7. Conversation: Avoid talking about work. This event is a time to get to know your co-workers on a more personal level, discover their hobbies and interests.
8. Drink: Beware of drinking too much. Long before you're over the limit, alcohol can cause you to say or do things that you might regret or have to apologize for the next day. Avoid that possibility completely by not drinking at all or by adhering to a one-drink rule for the evening.
9. Food: Enjoy the food but eat in moderation, and most certainly don't ask if you can take a "doggie bag" home.
10. Thanks: Thank your boss and the organizer of the party twice: once at the end of the party when you find them and say goodbye, and the second time when you send a thank-you note to each of them.

I'm going to add "beware of cameras" to this list. Remember that anything you do can end up on the Internet. And before you know it, the picture has been Dugg, Tweeted, and Retweeted. Those images live forever.

Do you have tips of your own to add to this list?