With only 95 days left until Christmas, it’s probably worth reflecting on the kind of behaviour that Yuletide celebrations can inspire. Take, for instance, what happened with the German offices of two magic circle firms last time the sleigh bells rang. It just so happened that these two firms booked banquet rooms within the same hotel, but on different floors. Towards the end of the evening a group of partners from one firm decided it was time for beddybyes, and duly waited for a lift to take them to their rooms. Imagine their surprise when the lift arrived containing one of their ex-partners from the other firm in the hotel experiencing the kind of love only a man and woman can enjoy – with none other than his secretary. So shocked were both parties that they both just stared at each other until the lift doors slid shut. On reflection, it’s hard to decide who to feel more sorry for, the group of partners who had to witness this stomach-churning spectacle or the secretary – after all, travelling in a lift doesn’t take a whole lot of time.