Shameful Christmas party gaffes

At work parties there's always one person who drinks too fast, shouts at everyone and ends up slumped in the back of a taxi throwing up. What do you do if that person is you?

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A survey by British think tank Policy Exchange reveals that during the festive season, Britons drink 41 per cent more than they usually would. And the office Christmas party is no exception. Here are some of the most common party blunders, and how to deal with them:

Telling your work nemesis that you really, really hate them

'There was a girl I worked with who I didn't get on with at all,' says Marketing Manager Charlotte Dickens. 'I got totally sloshed at this party and ended up telling her that she was really crap at her job. It was really terrible. No one spoke to me for days because I made her cry.'

Solution: If this happens to you, you have to face up to them, however awful they are. Take them out for a coffee, apologise and calmly explain why you said what you did. Say things like 'While I respect your experience, I sometimes feel that...' You never know, an open heart-to-heart might improve your working relationship.

Blubbering on a colleagues shoulder about how awful your life is

While some claim that there are certain types of alcohol, like gin, that makes them more likely to cry than others, research suggests that this is a myth. You are more likely to be left blubbering into your beer when you are going through an emotional bad patch and are feeling vulnerable.

Solution: You might want to consider explaining quietly to the person whose shoulder you cried on that you were having a tough time, before offering to pay for their dry cleaning. No doubt their clothes got streaked with mascara stains and snot.