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Monday 2 November 2026
Gentleman Coded Live well. Behave better.
Guests raising glasses of sparkling wine at a long table in a hall hung with strings of warm lights Conduct

The office Christmas party: how to enjoy it and still have a job

It's a party, and it's also work with a paper hat on. How to dress, what to drink, who to talk to, where the line now sits, and what to do the morning after.

By Rupert Ashcombe · 7 minute read
Painted Victorian iron arches with green and red railings at Smithfield Market in London, in low sunlight Escapes The new London Museum opens at Smithfield on 28 November, free and open late Close-up of a black Leica camera, showing the lens, the textured grip and the red Leica badge Machines The object: the Leica Q3
Red gift boxes tied with gold ribbon beneath a frosted Christmas tree with red baubles The Christmas guide Christmas gifts for a gentleman, from £59 to the unforgettable Things he'd never quite buy for himself, made well enough to last a decade. Our Christmas gift guide for men, from Riedel glasses at £59 to a Globe-Trotter case. Read the guide
A plated dish and glasses of white wine on a candlelit restaurant table Escapes How to tip around the world, and how to do it with class A pair of headphones with a tan leather headband and brushed metal ear cups Machines The gentleman’s tech kit: the phone, headphones and laptop worth owning A man in a grey suit with a flower buttonhole fastening his jacket at an outdoor wedding Conduct How to be the best guest at a wedding

The Code

The standard of dress, conduct and taste, written down one rule at a time. Short enough to remember, explained well enough to live by.

Read all 27 rules
  1. XTalk to the person on both sides of you.
  2. XIReply on the day you read it.
  3. XIIYour phone stays in your pocket at the table.
A restaurant table laid with wine glasses, water glasses, cutlery and napkins Conduct Table manners that still matter (and the ones that don’t) Good table manners aren't about forks. They're about making everyone comfortable. The rules that still matter at dinner, and the ones you can forget. A man pouring red wine from a bottle into a glass held by a guest in a suit jacket The Cellar How to order wine in a restaurant without bluffing You don't need to know everything about wine. Know what you want, ask good questions and handle the ritual calmly: here's how, from the list to the first taste.

The sections

Attire Tailoring, shoes, watches and grooming: how to dress well, buy once and look after what you own. Machines Phones, audio, home technology and cars, judged on craft and on how they feel to live with. The Cellar Whisky, cognac, wine and cocktails: what to buy, how to order and how to serve it well. Conduct Etiquette, hosting, gifts and letters: the manners that make other people comfortable. Escapes The hotels, restaurants, bars and cities worth travelling for.

A guide to living well and behaving well: the finest things, chosen with taste, and the manners that go with them. About Gentleman Coded