On a final and slightly festive note, I continue to see advice published by so called reputable advisers telling employers to ban the Christmas party and to avoid Christmas decorations and Christmas trees.

While you may agree with this advice on a moral ground (or indeed you may not) I would just like to set the record straight and point out that the apparent abolition of traditional Christmas has no basis in law and in my opinion no employer will face a legal threat from minority group employees because the employer has attempted to celebrate Christmas in some way.

For what it is worth, if it is what you want to do, decorate and celebrate (and allow all of your employees, whatever their religion, to do the same) this Christmas but do not allow employees to get too drunk!

Merry Christmas.