40 Office Christmas Party Fails That Made Us Cringe Way Too Hard

By Anni K

Christmas parties in the office can go one of two ways: they’re either really boring, and everyone drinks soda and some coffee. The employees and employers just stand around awkwardly until it is time to go home. Or they serve some alcohol, and things get a bit wilder than they should.

Some people break out in really embarrassing dances, sing karaoke with all the confidence in the world but the pitch of a rock, or say something really embarrassing to their co-workers or, worse, to their boss.

Some of these people that had a more embarrassing night to remember, or rather to forget, shared the things they said, did, and regretted deeply. The worst part is that they have to return to the office the next day and look everyone in the eyes after going crazy!

Here are some of the worst office Christmas party fails that we found online.

Grinch

It is no secret that when you ingest some alcohol, you lose your filter in some way or another, and many people become brutally honest when their filter is low. Office parties are not the place to spill your heart out to your co-workers!

Source: heritagesdairy / ig

And you should most definitely not spill your heart out to your boss, especially when it’s about them and how you feel about them. This person really thought it would be okay to call their boss the Grinch and Scrooge. Let’s hope they’re still employed. 

Keep Away From Politics

No matter the situation, place, or people you are with, it is never a good idea to start a conversation about politics if you still want everyone happy and smiling at the end of the evening. It seems this person didn’t get the memo. 

Source: Merzzie / shutterstock

After calling their friends and co-workers some rude names after they learned about which party they voted for, it’s safe to say they weren’t the life of the party anymore if they ever were. Plus, they insulted their boss in the mix too. Oops!

Cheapskate

You would expect this kind of behavior from broke people, not from the person on top of the chain in the company. When you treat your employees to a Christmas dinner, the most important thing, other than having fun, is paying the bill. 

Source: Coalkitchenuk / ig

It’s a shame this boss ran out of the restaurant and pretended to forget to pay the bill after throwing a dinner for their employees at a very expensive place. This is definitely not boss behavior, and we sure hope they found a way to make up for their employees after this disaster.

Bad Choice

It seems like this person had to do some shopping on the day of their office party and headed to the lingerie store to pick up a revealing Santa-themed lingerie set to surprise their boyfriend. But when the party rolled around, they had other thoughts. 

Source: Zipy.co.il

Alcohol makes you make some bad decisions, and wearing the lingerie set as a joke is a very bad decision to make at your office party. Remember that all your co-workers and boss can see it. That’s when friends come in; they’d stop people from doing stuff like this.

Food Poisoning

In some office parties, the employees and employer choose to cook and bring their own meals to the party. This is certainly an effective way to save money, as you won’t have to go to a fancy restaurant with your co-workers. But, sometimes, things go awfully wrong.

Source: Triocean / shutterstock

This person confessed that they were sure they had supplied the spoiled dish that caused everyone to get food poisoning. However, they didn’t confess at all; they let someone else take the blame. What would you have done if you were in this situation?

Where Am I?

When parties get wild, office workers can end up doing insane stuff. Especially if you’re taking public transportation home and have to get off at a specific stop to make your way home. This person was so drunk they ended up a bit far away. 

Source: http://www.scottishtours.co.uk/

For those who don’t know, Edinburgh is about five and a half hours away from Birmingham. And we’re guessing that this person does not live five hours away from their office. Now they have to take another multi-hour train home with a massive hangover. 

A Capella Nightmare

A capella means to sing or perform without any instruments and sometimes no backtrack of music, so we honestly feel bad for this person who was forced to sing a capella because no one else wanted to do it either. 

Source: Siobhann_meow / ig

We sincerely hope this person can somewhat sing since it would be twice as embarrassing if they were bad at singing. Imagine being forced by your boss to show that you haven’t got a talent for singing in front of the entire office. 

Hop On!

Having fun with your co-workers is great until someone breaks an arm, like this person’s co-worker did. They had a bit too much fun, and after jumping on their co-worker’s back, they both tumbled over and they broke their arm. 

Source: Muscle_mountain_man / ig

Besides the pain the friend must have felt, can you imagine how bad the person jumping on them must have felt? Even if it was just for fun and ended up as an accident, they’ll be reminded daily that they made their friend’s holiday a bit worse and more difficult. 

Mean Boss

It’s either flattering, fun, or embarrassing when someone has the same dress or outfit on as you do. But you should never be mean to the other person and make them change simply because you want to stand out. The only place that’s acceptable to do that is at your wedding. 

Source: Lisa_uyen / ig

But this person’s boss told them to change since they were both wearing the same dress, which we find embarrassing on the boss’ behalf. They could have had fun with it and said it was a joke or planned, but they had to go change. 

Caught Out

We’ve all been there – you’re standing in line for the bathroom, and the queue is just too long for you to hold it any longer, so you decide to go somewhere behind a wall or bush and relieve yourself But this person bumped into their boss while at it. 

Source: Pissing_men / ig

It could have been worse, where their boss accidentally walked by and spotted them, but it seems like their boss had the exact same idea, and they ended up sharing an awkward laugh about it. When nature calls, you can’t stop it. 

What A Mess

If you don’t know what shisha is, it’s a device used to smoke a tobacco blend, and it usually has water in the lower compartment and long pipes. Whilst you might get a headrush from smoking it, it won’t put you under the influence. 

Source: u/GuessImScrew / reddit

But only if it is not mixed with any drugs like cannabis. This shisha, in particular, didn’t have any cannabis in it, but this person didn’t know that. They confessed they had never smoked before and didn’t know that they wouldn’t get high, yet they acted as they did. Placebo effect, anyone?

Awkward Lockdown 

Have you ever woken up in a strange place because you had a little too much to drink and ended up passing out somewhere? This person passed out in the bathroom of a bar and woke up after everyone left and failed to check all the bathrooms.

Source: Montholz / shutterstock

They were locked in the bar and had to wait to be rescued. How awkward! Whilst it might seem cool to be locked in a place with lots of food or drinks like you see in the movies, in reality, it’s awkward and not fun at all. 

Don’t Return To Sender

Some people become a bit kleptomaniac when they have a bit too much to drink, and it’s more common than you think. But don’t worry; they rarely go for any items of high value. It’s usually salt shakers, a beer mug, or, in this case, a desk plant. 

Source: Jonathan adato

This person confessed to stealing their boss’ desk plant for some reason, probably their drinking, but they didn’t realize their boss loved the plant enough to send angry emails about it. Best to keep it a secret if you can’t bear the embarrassment. 

Urgent Care

We’ve heard a lot of funny calls being made to emergency medical services when people have consumed too much alcohol or other substances. However, it seems rare to actually ask an ambulance to pick you up when you are too drunk.

Source: Passione_emergenza / ig

That is what this person did, and whilst there is no harm in getting your health checked, you shouldn’t call unless you have alcohol poisoning. It is not a great idea to let the emergency ambulance drive all the way to your location because you’re too inebriated. 

No Party Tricks

Let’s keep party tricks for a sober mind, or if you have lots of experience with them. This person made the fateful mistake of trying the classic ‘pulling the tablecloth off the table without moving anything else’ trick. As you can probably tell, it was a very unsuccessful trick.

Source: Stevespangler.com

It’s obvious that it wouldn’t go according to plan. Whether it was because they drank too much or didn’t have enough experience doing it, they should’ve kept the party tricks in their hat for less formal occasions like a laidback barbeque at a friend’s house. 

Just Dance

Dance moves are always included in a good night, regardless of whether the dance moves are actually good or not. This person had a little too much to drink and performed a very well-known dance routine called ‘Lord of the Dance.’

Source: Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance / youtube

We can just hope they actually knew the dance well enough not to completely embarrass themselves or that everyone else also forgot about it the next day. Now they’ll either be embarrassed for life, or people will ask them to dance at every office party.

Have A Backup Outift

Dress-up parties are always fun, especially when everyone joins in on the fun. But when your costume fails in an embarrassing way, you better have a backup to avoid having to avoid everyone’s gaze every time you step foot in the office after the party. 

Source: http://downtowntraveler.com/

This person wasn’t lucky enough to have a backup, so, unfortunately, everyone saw everything since they didn’t have the best quality suit to start with. It’s a lesson learned; always have a backup or stress test your costume the day before. 

Overcompensating

You absolutely do not have to consume alcohol to have a great time at a party, but there’s a fine line between proving a point and overcompensating to prove your point. This person went a little too far to show they’re fun without alcohol. 

Source: Andrey_Popov / shutterstock

Somebody dared them to run around the office building naked, and they got locked outside with no way of protecting their naked body. Yikes. Next time, maybe do something that wouldn’t expose your naked behind to the entire office or walk away from those daring you. 

Office Romance

Office romances are very often frowned upon, and some companies forbid relationships between co-workers, which might seem unfair. However, if you have approval from your boss, it can happen. Though you should keep in mind that office romance can end up in a lot of drama.

Source: Cookie Studio / shutterstock

The drama wasn’t avoided for long for this person, as their manager started flirting with them and outright lying, saying he was single. Almost like in a comedy movie, his wife showed up and heard everything he said. We wonder if their marriage survived this.

Avoid Stripteases

It goes without saying, but you should never, ever do a striptease in your workplace – unless that is your actual job. In fact, avoid anything remotely sexual during these parties, as it will just result in a very awkward work environment once the party is over. 

Source: Artinmove.poledance / ig

This person was either dared or had too much to drink, so they ended up doing a striptease. We really hope the show didn’t last for the entire party. Maybe it was more of a private session. It doesn’t make things better, but at least everyone wouldn’t have seen it. 

Certified Instructor

If you’re good at something, you become the teacher, right? Well, this person decided it was a good idea to teach everyone at the office party to pole dance. Again, don’t involve anything suggestive or sexual in your workplace parties. 

Source: Is.a.pole / ig

And moreover, don’t teach a dangerous thing like pole dancing to anyone if you aren’t certified. You might think it’s just spinning around a pole with your feet off the ground, but it usually involves some serious core strength and risky moves. 

Car Frenzy

This person obviously missed all the lessons on avoiding romance in the workplace. Unless you have prior approval from the higher-ups or know the person before you start working together, it’s always a bad idea to have an office fling. 

Source: Hussai_og / ig

Not only will it get awkward if it doesn’t work out, but you’ll also be in some seriously hot water if your boss finds out you were intimate in their brand-new car. No one wants you and your partner getting naughty anywhere near their personal stuff!

Photocopy Mishap

It’s a classic, yet disturbing, office joke to photocopy your behind on the photocopy machine. Some people either show the pictures to everyone or leave them in the tray for an unfortunate soul to find when they’re printing their documents. 

Source: Nhl4hamilton at English Wikipedia (Original text: Rick Cordeiro) – Transferred fromen. Wikipedia to Commons. (Original text: own work) / wiki commons / public domain

But you would never expect to break the glass of the machine since it never happens in movies, right? That is likely where this person got the idea, but their machine couldn’t stand their weight, unfortunately. Ending up in the hospital was just the icing on this disastrous cake.

Birthday 

Even if somebody says they don’t care about birthdays, we are certain that they feel a little warm whenever other people remember that it’s their birthday. Now, if you love celebrating your special day, there is one thing you shouldn’t do. Don’t force people to sing Happy Birthday to you!

Source: Louigiofficial / ig

What baffles us a bit is that this person seemed to be at an office party, and there were clients as well. Were they having the party during office hours and still serving clients, or were clients invited? Either way, we bet this person was embarrassed the next day.

Wardrobe Malfunction

There is not a lot of context behind the confession that this person made, but we can imagine that regardless of what led to this situation, it did not make it any less embarrassing and awful to experience the moment. 

Source: New Africa / shutterstock

Having your dress fall all the way down to your ankles is an awful experience. Your entire body will be exposed! If you have underwear on, it makes things just a bit less embarrassing. We hope that this person wore undies, and we sure hope it wasn’t one of her granny undies!

Always Check 

If you’re ever suspicious of your friends or co-workers, you should approach a reliable and quiet person in the office and ask for confirmation since they’re less likely to pull any tricks on you and embarrass you at the party. 

Source: Patstrawser / ig

This person’s colleagues tricked them into dressing up all silly in a Christmas pudding outfit when the event was actually black ti. Imagine showing up to a super formal party while wearing a goofy costume. They probably never spoke to their colleagues again after that.

Stop With The Public Proposals

Some people like the idea of public proposals. Everyone around you is instantly happy and looking at you with awe…sounds great, right? What about the fact that you’re putting your partner on the spot and pressuring them to say yes? 

Dee_excel_events / ig

This person decided the office party was a good time to ask their girlfriend to marry them, but they got rejected in front of everyone. We applaud the woman for not feeling like she had to say yes, but we also feel sorry for the guy who got rejected. 

Keep Your Feelings Inside

There is a time and place to confront your colleagues if they are making you feel upset or if you disagree with their views. The end-of-the-year office party is not the place at all. It’s even worse if you are not saying it with a sober mind. 

Source: Saraciapetti / ig

This person decided to spill their guts to their co-workers on how much they hated them, which probably went down very badly. Way to ruin the vibe at the party and make everyone upset! Next time, write an email and schedule a meeting. 

Walk Of Shame

The walk of shame refers to someone waking up at someone else’s home and having to walk home looking like a mess while wearing the outfit from the night before. But for this person, the walk of shame probably will happen daily from now on. 

Source: Mngoldengirl / ig

They woke up on their boss’ couch the day after the office party and definitely made it worse by just disappearing without an explanation. We can’t imagine a situation where we’d be cool waking up on the boss’ couch either, but at least say good morning before you run off. 

Serenade Mishap

Serenading someone might be a romantic gesture, and the person would probably be flattered, but this isn’t a movie where you get your ‘happily ever after’ as soon as you’re done with your serenading session; this is real life, and things aren’t always smooth. 

Source: NBC

And in this real life, if the person you are serenading is already dating someone else, you will get into some trouble if their significant other is also witnessing your performance. How awkward will the normal office banter be now after that stunt you pulled?

To Quit Or Not To Quit

This is probably one of the worst things that could happen at any office party or company event. This person had a bit too much to drink and told their bosses off by quitting, only to forget the whole thing and return to the office the following Monday. 

Source: Gorodenkoff / shutterstock

There is some truth to drunk statements that are made, and we’re sure both this person and their boss realized it. They must have had an awkward meeting on that fateful Monday morning. Now, we do wonder if this person got to keep their job after the whole scene they made.

No Cameras

It’s your responsibility to drink within your personal limits and prevent yourself from doing inappropriate things at any event or place, like undressing or making a fool of yourself. But if you do something embarrassing, it doesn’t warrant anyone exposing you online. 

Source: https://therealblackcarriebradshaw.com/2017/08/23/one-missed-call/

This person got really drunk, and their co-workers snapped some photos of their inappropriate behavior and proceeded to share it with the world on their social media. We’re not saying what the drunk person did was okay, but keep your cameras away on nights that will get wild. 

Double Yikes

It’s somewhat expected that you keep your behavior in check and not get absolutely hammered with alcohol when you’re at a formal company event. It goes without saying that you should try to keep your outfit on at all times.

Source: Charlie lerman / linkedin

This person had way too much to drink, which is the first no-no at black tie events, and then proceeded to strip and jump into their boss’ pool. Two strikes, maybe even three. We’re sure the next working day wasn’t too pleasant to bear. 

No Accident

The most common sight at parties is people spilling their drinks all over. Alcohol makes you clumsy, especially if you have way too much of it, but other than a little embarrassment, spilling drinks is not the worst thing you can do when you’re drunk. 

Source: Thelitesetup / ig

But when you end up spilling an entire bottle of vodka over your boss’ desk, it’s a bit worse, especially since this was on purpose. We take it that they resigned shortly after or were likely let go. They deliberately damaged company property, so…

Stay Off Furniture

Chairs are meant for sitting, which is something no one has to explain to an adult. But it somehow seems that when some people have a drink or two, they forget that chairs are only suited for sitting. No one should stand on chairs, especially not wheeled ones.

Source: Wavebreakmedia / shutterstock

This person thought it was a brilliant idea to try and stand on an office chair with wheels and proceeded to fall down and break their nose. They’ll be reminded daily of their actions for a few weeks. We hope they at least learned the lesson that you never stand on office chairs, ever. 

Left Forever

If you are known to do stupid and embarrassing things when you are blackout drunk, we totally understand if you woke up not remembering anything from your office party and just never returned to your work ever again. Imagine the horrible things one could have done while drunk!

Source: BAZA Production / shutterstock

And that is exactly what this person did. They woke up, didn’t remember a thing, and just decided they would never return to work. We are just wondering what this person is capable of if they never even asked what happened – they literally just quit!

Boss To Blame

At some point in your life, whether it is your fault or the plumbing’s, a toilet will not flush properly. It doesn’t matter if you are drunk or not. It will happen and overflow, and everyone will know it is your fault. 

Source: Klotograph / ig

This person had the misfortune to have it happen to them, but they sneakily blamed it on the boss. Imagine how their boss felt when they found out everyone is suspecting them of clogging the toilet. At least everyone should forget about it easily. 

Keep Your Hands Off

It’s never okay to touch someone without permission, regardless of how drunk you were, and it’s never okay to give someone a wedgie if they do decide to trust you to touch them. This person gave their boss a wedgie. 

Source: DenisProduction.com / shutterstock

Of all the people in the office that they could have done this to, they did it to the one person who could fire them at any given moment. This, folks, is why you should not let your intrusive thoughts win.

Oopsie!

There is nothing wrong with fancying someone at the office party; as long as it isn’t a co-worker, you should be okay. Luckily, this person only suffered a little bit of embarrassment when they told their co-worker about a person they were targeting as an interest. 

Source: Kovalskiyandrey / ig

It turns out that the person they were telling the idea to was the partner of their alleged target! Yikes! At least they did not share any explicit fantasies or actually pull any moves on them. We can only hope that this person’s co-worker took things lightly and laughed about it instead of getting upset.

Blame Game

It is not cool to blame anyone for spiking your drink when you have just had too much to drink and want to blame your irresponsible choices on someone else rather than owning up to it. And when you blame someone, make sure you’re sure of your facts. 

Source: Denis Stankovic / shutterstock

And keep in mind that if you’re not sure, you shouldn’t blame the person who pays your salary for doing such an awful thing. You’ve broken their trust forever, and they probably won’t like you drinking close to them again. That is if they don’t fire you right away!