Once again work colleagues have been letting their hair down at their office Christmas parties. ROGER WRIGHT has a tongue-in-cheek look at these no-holds-barred celebrations

IT IS the ultimate Christmas nightmare you wake up the morning after the office party to find youve photocopied your underwear, smooched the office creep and fallen off to sleep on the bosss desk.

The only consolation is you are not the only one this has happened to (and we are not just talking about all the other people who are kipping right beside you on the desk).

Nearly everyone lets their hair down at the works Christmas do, and it can have dire consequences.

Surveys show work affairs are most likely to start at festive bashes and some people insult their boss so badly they lose their jobs.

So why do we go so mad?

Psychologists say its all part of our uptight British nature.

For 51 weeks of the year, most British people suppress the emotions they normally feel about about other people they work with.

And it is not just liking people thats the problem.

Negative emotions have a tendency to bubble up at Christmas too.

So you stay polite to the boss and put up with the office bore for the whole yea around.

Then you add a paper hat and a glass of wine, and it all comes out.

Oddly enough, Christmas has an ancient tradition of misbehaviour.

Our pagan ancestors had a wild and boozy time which was presided over by the Lord of Misrule, who got up to rude and mischievous pranks.

Even further back, we took our ideas from the Romans, who celebrated a festival called Saturnalia.

This practice involved masters and slaves swopping clothes and roles for an entire day.

The only difference was, the rules of Saturnalia meant the boss was not permitted to get his own back the next day at work!

But if we do go overboard at the office party, experts says we should try to spare our blushes.

They say the honesty can actually be good for us and clear the air for a brighter new year.

On the other hand, if youve gone too far you may have hurt some other peoples feelings.

So, for those yet to enjoy their festive bash and in preparation for future years, how do you keep your cool at the Christmas party?

First, and most crucially, dont drink too much. Alcohol loosens tongues and will allow you to say things you will truly regret later. Second, try to avoid people who you know who annoy you.

For instance, if the office bore drives you mad on a normal working day, hes likely to push you over the top at a boozy, hair-down end-of-the-year bash.

So avoid places where you can be cornered, such as the tea-making room, and always have a line of escape planned.

Keep a close friend in the office primed, too, so he or she can come to your rescue if you start to look hassled.

Remember, the person may be a bore, but you do have to work with them.

And that wont be helped if you sound off at the party.

The same thing goes with your boss.

If there is chemistry between you and the boss, avoid the temptation to flirt too much, because this can lead to trouble later on.

Also, if you cant stand each other, adopt the same tactics as you can use on the bore.

And never forget this person can sack you.

If all of these plans and conditions make the party sound unacceptably tedious, simply dont go.

Instead, organise an alternative night out on another date with the people in the office who you genuinely like and admire.

As long as they feel the same way about you, you will be able to let your hair down, flirt and even enjoy a glass or two too many.

They wont mind.

But do remember, just stay away from the photocopier, wont you!