Hangovers and Leftovers

As the City remains full to its Balls (the silver ones) with post-Christmas sale shoppers, I am "safe" here in the Office, doing my very best to avoid anything resembling actual work.

I wasn't too bright this year, I must confess, and I actually committed to being at work in the break between Christmas and New Year - dumb, hey? Still, I suppose I was operating on the usual basis that the break is quiet - no phones ring, the only emails that come in are from other despairing souls looking for a coffee/beer/shopping buddy, and you end up leaving to go home at 3pm anyway.

Christmas Day was quite good this year, but I was conscious of the fact that I wouldn't be experiencing it with my family next year. In that way, if I let it get to me, I found myself getting a little more introspective as the day wore on. And as the wine and champagne - and the Cointreau (where did that come from?) - drained dry, my raucous behaviour belied someone who was feeling a little down about the impending vacation. Coupled with that, I've started making plans to catch up with loved ones "before I leave", which has such a death knoll, a sense of finality, to it. Break out the Kleenex and watch out.

Bringing materalism back into it for a second, it was nice to know that Father Christmas found me again this year, and I did very well in the present stakes. My family all loved the gifts I picked out for them, so not keeping the receipts for anything turned out NOT to be a problem. Sigh of relief all round.

So as we pick at chicken bones and open the "1001 uses for leftover ham" cookbook, I hope that in 'regrouping' after Christmas, you can say that your break was as enjoyable and filled with family and laughs as mine was.