Ah, the office Christmas party. It’s that moment when suddenly your boss becomes your best friend and Colin from IT thinks he has a chance, and to be honest you’re feeling festive and jazzy so maybe Colin actually does have a chance tonight. ‘People getting a little too close is the main thing I see during December,’ our resident Bacardi bar insider Emilie reveals. ‘There’s something about the Christmas season that makes people want to couple up. I don’t mind a bit of PDA in my bar but I have to keep an eye on whether it’s getting too out of hand (let’s say, hands underneath tables) or it’s starting to bother people nearby.’
Those over-amorous situations can lead to some, ahem, interesting consequences too, says Emilie. ‘I always find leftover clothing in the bar in December,’ she laughs. ‘I think it’s because a lot of people come with overnight bags or a change of clothes in case something happens. I’ve found one flat shoe, which I assumed must have fallen out of someone’s bag. And, I found a pair of very sexy knickers, which I really hope just fell out of someone’s bag. And no - no one normally comes back for this stuff; no one ever claimed the knickers.’
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But, it isn’t just love (or, um, lust) in the air during the December season. Apparently Christmas can also make us all a little tetchy, too. ‘Arguments also start really easily,’ she reveals. ‘It’s normally couples and usually involves a third party because suddenly the girlfriend or boyfriend is meeting the people who their partner is close to at work and it can cause friction.’
Ah yes, it’s that moment when your plus one, say your boyfriend, suddenly meets your work-husband and it all gets a little awkward turtle.
When you’ve had a bit too much to drink and everything is sequins, sparkles and tuxes (and admit it, your work hubby is wearing a fairly sharp looking suit), platonic relationships can seem a little threatening.
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‘It’s funny because I once found a huge stuffed bear with a heart saying ‘I’m sorry’ and a card with a really cheesy apology and ‘I love you’ on it,’ Emilie says. ‘I don’t know what the guy did but the girl had obviously left the bag in the bar so I don’t think it worked.’
The moral of the story is? Christmas and accessive behaviour can equal to the making or breaking sweet love. Moderation is key – Come on guys – let’s try and keep it merry k? All you need is Love.
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Illustrated by Assa Ariyoshi
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.