People@Work: Enjoy the holiday office party without injuring your career

With Thanksgiving behind us, the December holidays have become the focus of many people's attention. In the workplace, this is often the month for company-sponsored office parties, a way for bosses to say thanks for a job well-done and to inspire team loyalty among co-workers.

Of course, the recession's hangover likely means fewer such get-togethers than in years past -- and some organizations, such as Goldman Sachs Group (GS) have put the kibosh on office holiday parties altogether, even at employees' homes. But if you're fortunate enough to work for a company that's still planning a bash, now would be a good time to revisit some rules about merrymaking with co-workers.