It’s the return of the office Christmas party - let’s not lose control, though, yeah?

The end of 2022 sees the full return of the office Christmas party. Undoubtedly this is a good thing for workplaces desperate to reconnect their remote diaspora, who have all fled the cities and offices for their lounges, home offices, converted sheds and holiday homes over the past two years.

Not only that, but it’s also a chance for teams to relax and let their hair down after a tough few years - and to cope with further uncertainty in 2023.

It’s not such a good thing, however, if you happen to work at a business conference centre or hotel. They’re in for a rough end of 2022. Why? Because for two years now, the Christmas get-together has largely been out of bounds. Thanks to pandemic restrictions, we lost one of the only opportunities for people to let their hair down, away from partners, children and other stabilising forces.

Like a fun valve, Christmas parties were an opportunity to let off steam. Once released, the good times rolled.

But the valve has been closed for two years, and the pressure has built up. So when that festive valve opens, God help anyone within a 100-yard radius.

Have we forgotten how to behave ourselves?

We’ve all also vaguely forgotten how to behave ourselves when we get together in groups. Unfortunately, this means that for many, the work Christmas ‘do’ will resemble coming out parties for prison inmates, where the freedoms denied, such as free bars and hotel breakfast buffets, are greedily snatched back with unbridled enthusiasm.

Don’t believe me? It’s already happening.

Just last month, I was treated to scenes at a three-day conference that would make Bacchus blush. Professional people at the second-night disco partied long and hard until 3 am, seemingly unaware the conference was a learning opportunity, not a stag and hen party.

And that’s not all. On the morning I delivered my workshop, a pair of men’s undercrackers were hanging off a radiator in the conference room. Apparently, the owner had decided to go to commando the previous night while dancing to Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) by the Cheeky Girls. I’m all for having fun and reconnecting, but there’s a line, and the undercrackers were on the other side.

Generally, I love the run-up to the festive party season. Our office Christmas party is always a highlight and provides enough anecdotes and embarrassing stories to keep us all laughing through the gloom of January and February. Of course, we’ve had some crackers, literally and metaphorically.

The last time we had a Christmas get-together, one team member puked in her handbag - you can take the girl out of… better not say! We were laughing about that through to Easter. And that was when everyone remembered how to behave and where the lines were.

I admit I was apprehensive about where things would end up this year. But we had our party last weekend, and I need not have worried. The valve did indeed burst open, but instead of underpants on radiators, it let off a fantastic mix of laughter, gratitude and a realisation that we really are one big Laughology family.

And that included trying to beat each other in a highly competitive game of life-size Monopoly, all while wearing ridiculous Christmas jumpers.

Brilliant.