It’s that time of year when everyone gathers in the pantry – or anywhere there’s ample space in the office – for some merry-making and cheer. Some use the annual occasion to let loose and free themselves from work-related stress. Unfortunately, a few go over the top with their behavior and regret their actions the next day when they have sobered up.
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Statistically, these are not rare occurrences at all. A report on workplace holiday parties revealed that 23% of office partygoers know people who were reprimanded due to their party-related behavior. Meanwhile, 14% know someone who was fired. This list takes you on a deep dive into the hilarious and embarrassing stories behind these unbelievable numbers. Read on, and make sure you never make the same mistakes these people did!
Office parties seem incomplete if the boss isn’t there, but these employees see things differently. They either forgot to invite their boss or made an effort to ensure he wouldn’t be there. Unfortunately, the man found out about the shindig and decided to show up uninvited.
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When he did, the room fell dead silent, but not for long. One employee described his boss as “super mad” when he walked into the room. Did he fire anyone? We hope not! If he fired people over a missed invite, he’d be a real party pooper.
Party photo booths are fun! But some take that fun a little too far. This Twitter poster shared a story about a co-worker who regretted the way they enjoyed the night in the office party photo booth. To be fair, there should have been a sign that informed everyone that all pictures would be posted on Facebook.
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If this Twitter user’s coworker was aware that the images would be made public, they might not have mooned the camera. Everyone could have been spared from seeing something they’d have to repress for years and then eventually bring up in therapy.
When this woman started her story with, “So my manager brought brownies,” it became obvious where the anecdote was going. Can you take a guess? And yes, the story ends with someone giggling uncontrollably.
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As expected, her manager brought a plate of brownies for a potluck party. Unfortunately, it was the wrong kind. They discovered the mistake when a director of operations ate a piece and was giggling thirty minutes after eating it. Fortunately, there were enough stoners in the office to finish up the plate without anyone else getting out of control.
Christmas parties and potatoes usually don’t go together, and this story demonstrates why. The union of these two forces did not produce a happily-ever-after situation. This Twitter user went to her dad’s Christmas party and saw her father’s boss remove a bolt from one of the food trays.
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Everything was fine until the tray unintentionally hit a small bump, and 50 pounds of mashed potatoes flew into the air and landed everywhere. But wait, there’s more! The boss slipped in the creamy mess and landed in the spillage face-first. The insightful realization from this incident was that emergency dentists are difficult to find at night after an office Christmas party.
The production company this Business Insider employee was freelancing for had a holiday party at a pub. Fortunately, the party was mellow and not at all wild, but all that changed when someone crashed the holiday party – literally.
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Apparently, a petite colleague was seated on the ping pong table when it suddenly collapsed. The poor woman found herself on the floor along with tons of spilled beer. The mild-mannered party-goers were shocked because no one was drinking enough to cause such commotion. In fact, the “literal party crasher incident” is still talked about in their office to this day.
Mountain chalets are all about relaxed, romantic vibes. So, when this woman and her boyfriend were enjoying their first meal of the day in a fancy mountain hotel, they had no idea that they were about to be drawn into a crazy unfolding of events.
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While this couple was seated in the “young people” area along with a few single individuals, a drunk guest made an appearance. She decided to forcibly make out with one of the single people who was not expecting a drunken encounter that morning. It was the height of awkwardness, and we’re not talking about the altitude of the event!
Bars can be a lot of fun, especially when you first arrive. However, at a certain point, things always start going downhill, which is why it’s essential to know when to call it a night. This incident backs up our theory. No one was hurt, but the woman at the center of it was certainly doused in embarrassment.
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She was dancing her heart out to Madonna’s “Vogue” when she struck a pose that caused her to slip and fall on a table – the same one the CEO of her company was sitting at. Food and drinks flew everywhere, and at the center of the chaos was the woman – face on the floor, rear end in the air, undies showing. From that night on, company parties no longer included an open tab.
Throwing up is the worst, but this woman had no choice but to get the booze out of her system. Fortunately, she was still lucid enough to know her limits. She grabbed a cab to head home fast, but as they rounded the corner that led to her street, she couldn’t hold it back a second longer.
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There was no time left for the taxi to pull over, so she did the next best thing – she opened her purse and threw up in it. Did we mention she was sharing the cab with a coworker? The barf story, of course, did the rounds of the office, and 15 years later, it is still part of the lore of the place.
A rafting trip is a fun thing to do with co-workers. When this restaurant organized just such a trip for its employees, one of the owners was thrilled to accompany them. At one point, she asked the staff to hold her arms as she had to relieve herself over the side of the raft.
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Unfortunately, when the owner crouched over, the boat swished into some rapids. She was thrown off balance, and then an errant oar knocked her into the water. Thankfully, she wasn’t harmed, and she had a good sense of humor about it.
