Here we are, in the midst of the holiday season now. How can you make the most of the endless stream of holiday parties? How can you keep your sanity and good humor, 
celebration after celebration? Participate in the merriment of the season and prepare yourself for a productive January by following these suggestions.
Mark your calendar with all the events you’ve committed to, allowing appropriate prep and recovery time. Recovery time also includes acknowledging that you need 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep can be just as detrimental to your well-being as overindulging on food or drink. If duty requires you to be up late, acknowledge the fact and adjust your schedule for the following morning.
Be prepared and have business cards at each event you attend. No, this is not about dealing cards to everyone you meet. At business-oriented events, you may often find yourself in engaging conversations with people who would like to know you and your business better. Simply express your interest in visiting with them further after the New Year and let them know you will contact them at that time. This is an easy way to create a pipeline of people to call on in January and a comfortable agreement for the other person while in a business-social setting.
Follow up with the new people you meet and the conversations you had. Send an e-mail the next day expressing how much you enjoyed meeting the person; that you look forward to visiting further in the New Year; and you hope they enjoyed the event or perhaps some other personal detail they shared with you. You will create a powerful and continued first impression with this follow-up.
Making the most of the holidays can be a fun and productive activity. Cheers to you and the season!