Christmas parties, late nights and wine: ’Tis the season to be jolly careful

After an energetic, hangover-inducing festive do, Will Gore reflects on his not-so sensible four-mile walk home

A sobering walk over Chelsea Bridge turns into a bruising blur (Getty/iStock)

The Christmas party season is not all “ho, ho, ho”. All too often, it’s more like “no, no, no!”, especially the morning after the night before.

In the more carefree days of my early twenties, when London still glittered with pre-crash joie de vivre and familial responsibilities were beyond the horizon, the whole of December seemed to be one, long, drink-fuelled bash. More often than not, by Christmas itself I was knackered and merely wanted to hide under a duvet.

Looking back, there are any number of moments which now make me cringe, sometimes with embarrassment, often with horror. One in particular stands out.