office parties

First of all, I would like to take back all that I've said about new york winters being wimpy. After walking through a huge snowstorm to work where not a part of my body (or coat) is covered with the white stuff, I regret saying that i thought this was going to be a mild winter. sigh.. u should never say something that you don't want happening to you. always happens to me anway...
Ok, so as a greenhorn to the company, I was introduced to the concept of the office party sometime this week. Office parties are very strange animals. They are a weird cross between an official political affair with a social event. So you are supposed to have fun but not too much fun. You may let your hair down a little, but be careful not to go overboard because you don't know who's looking. Taking a page from my current favorite korean drama 大长今，the office party reeks of court intrigue, where you are supposed to enjoy a party but be constantly on your toes... you can't be too drunk, or else you might become "the girl who passed out on the dance floor", or "the guy who took his clothes off" and people form their impressions of you then and there, ignoring whatever other impressions they have of your work, be it good or bad. Hence, I propose that office parties be abolished and instead a sit down dinner instituted when people actually have assigned seatings and are more likely to monitor their drinking.
maybe i am thinking too much, so if its a different case in your work place, please let me know =) i still hope to be proven wrong about this.