If the idea of walking into a room full of people you do not know gives you butterflies in your stomach, you are definitely not alone. And yet with the holiday season upon us, you may find yourself faced with this very situation several times over the next month or so. Before you start attending Christmas and New Year's Eve parties, here are some tips on how to calm the nervous feeling in your stomach and attend all of your social gatherings and parties with a feeling of confidence.

Set a small and measurable goal for yourself:

Before you attend a party, you can tell yourself that you are going to be the most popular guy at the party and that all of the women will throw themselves at your feet. And you are likely to then leave 4 hours later feeling sorely disappointed. Instead, set a small, realistic and measurable goal for yourself. For example, if it is your goal to hit it off with the ladies, decide that you will approach one or two. Start by initiating a conversation with a woman you already know and are comfortable with, then move on from there.

Take a deep breath. Smile. Relax.

This one needs no explanation. Just relax!

Dress to impress.

The way you dress is always perceived as others as a reflection of how you feel. You should therefore dress in a way that best exudes confidence. If you feel great in the navy suit you wore when you aced your job interview, then wear your suit to the party. Just make it look less work worthy and more party appropriate by dressing it up with an interestingly patterned shirt, such as a windowpane or check shirt, and a metallic or brightly colored tie. Use one of the more stately tie knots, such as the Windsor knot.

Keep conversation light and easy.

If there is a lull in your conversation, politely ask if the other person would like to join you to get another drink or check out the food table. Don't think that a lull in conversation is a bad sign; they happen very naturally. Try to keep topics lighthearted and casual, focusing on funny anecdotes, interesting (but not controversial) current events, and pleasant topics such as music, travel, and movies.

Put things in perspective.

If you are painfully shy and dreading the office Christmas party, try to put things in perspective. It is only 3 or 4 hours of your life. Then you're out of there.

Reflect on last year's experience.

Chances are this is not the first party you have ever attended. So think about what happened at the previous parties you've been to and consider how you can improve your experience. What went well last time? Were you uncomfortably hot and perspiring through your sweater the whole time? Then wear a sport jacket, which you can easily remove, over a short sleeve polo shirt. Do you regret flirting shamelessly with one of your co-workers? Put a limit on the number of alcoholic beverages you consume and vow to yourself to do better this time.

Participate in themes.

In the past few years, "Bad Sweater" Christmas parties have become trendy. Rather than shrugging off the thought of trekking through the stores at Christmas time to purchase an embroidered sweater you will never wear again, try to grin and bear it. Participating in a silly, fun and harmless theme is actually a surprisingly easy way to break the ice with people at parties. It helps to keep the tone of the party fun and easy going.