Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, cosy winter nights, gut busting annual family celebrations and the infamous Office Party. All key ingredients of a traditional British Christmas.

But, during this festive season, take some time out from photocopying your arse for all your workmates to see, and spare a thought for the poor, neglected 'sole trader'. For them, no snogging receptionists in the stationery cupboard, no delightfully overpriced 3 course meal at the local hostelry, and no throwing up in the taxi home (possibly still with the secretary).

No! For the 'sole trader' it's a fairly miserable time of year. Just the pathetic clink of a glass of irn bru against the monitor screen, a ginsters pasty and maybe the indulgence of a tunnock's teacake. Nibbling the chocloate round the edges before sucking all of the filling in one gulp.

Where do all the self-employed go to celebrate the end of their working year? Some may tag along to their employed friends do's, whilst others (the lucky ones) get invites from their clients. But most, I fear, simply switch off the PCs in their home office/cupboard/bedroom and wait to meet their friends during the holidays, and live their dreams vicariously through half-remembered tales of other people's debauchery.

So please, by all means, have a very Merry Christmas. But pause for just a second and think of those poor neglected 'sole traders'.

The backbone of our country.

If you are one of the 'vertebra' in this backbone, then please feel free to get in touch and we can go and get pished together. But only if you have a photocopier, cos i'm fed up trying to get my arse to fit in the 3in1 printer.