This week, TalentEgg is having its first holiday party, so we’ve been busy planning food, drinks and games to ensure it turns out to be an egg-celent evening.

It’s going to be a small, intimate party with homemade food and drinks, and we’ll probably get our geek on by playing word and video games. We’re lucky because we’re already pretty comfortable with each other.

I realize, however, not everyone will attend workplace gatherings that feel like parties with some of your closest friends – especially if you’re an intern or co-op student. Here are some tips to help you survive and make the most of upcoming holiday work parties.

Participate

Unless you have a prior commitment, there’s no reason to not attend. Sure, it might be a bit awkward if you’re the new kid on the block, but it’s important to participate in these kinds of activities outside of work.

If you haven’t already been asked, talk to your manager or boss about volunteering to help organize the party. You’ll work on a rare project that probably has nothing to do with your normal job and get the chance to show off skills of yours that may normally be ignored, such as budgeting, organizing and creativity. At the very least, you’ll score some brownie points for lessening their workload at an already stressful time of year.

Go with the flow

There are dozens of holiday party guides floating around right now and they all say things like, “Don’t let a drop of alcohol touch your tongue” and “Don’t talk about work” and “Avoid the topic of religion.” I disagree.

Booze: See what everyone else is doing. If there are drinks available, drink! If you’re worried about drinking too much too fast, make a point of eating before and during the party, and sip a glass of water between every alcoholic drink. And even if he or she offers, it’s probably not a good idea to do keg stands or play drinking games with your boss.

Shop talk: Talk about work if it comes up, but don’t use the casual setting as an opportunity to chat about the raise you’ve been wanting, or to take charge of a project that’s on the go. Most people don’t want to hold a business meeting during a party, but if you’re all passionate about what you do, work-related topics are bound to come up in conversation.

Happy holidays vs. Merry Christmas: When it comes to religion, it’s probably best to avoid the topic altogether, but I think it’s fine to share stories about your holiday traditions and learn about the traditions of others. As long you’re non-judgmental about what your co-workers celebrate (or what they don’t celebrate), you can probably learn a lot about each other and become closer with people who have experiences different than your own.

Also, there are numerous culturally and religiously significant holidays throughout December and many non-Christians still celebrate some of the more secular aspects of the holiday season, such as gift or card giving, so don’t exclude them just because you’re not sure if or how they celebrate.

Listen for information you can use tomorrow and in your future career

While it’s not polite to spend the duration of party talking about oneself, your co-workers and managers are bound to be more relaxed at the party than they are on the job. Take the opportunity to learn a bit more about them, whether it’s personal information such as the name of their dog and the ages of their kids, or more relevant career information such as how they worked their way into your dream job.

On the flip side, don’t be afraid to disclose a bit of information about yourself either. Once your co-workers and superiors know what you’re interested in, they’re likely to offer some tailored career advice and even keep you in mind for opportunities.