At first sight, it seems a reasonably high statistic - around 31% of those of us who have bosses will be buying them a present this Christmas. That's until you read further into the new report on our festive shopping habits from department store John Lewis, and discover that a huge 65% of people will be splashing out on a special gift for their beloved pet! Bad luck, bosses!

The survey, conducted by NOP, also showed that around one quarter of us will be taking annual leave to complete the Christmas shopping tasks, and over half of us leave home armed with copious lists. An even more impressive 46% actually figure out budgets before hitting the shops, too! Most people shop in November and December (only 16% of truly sad shoppers start before October), and almost half manage to score all their prezzies in between one and four shopping trips.

Some, however, desperately need help - a terrifying 9% of those quizzed admitted they plan at least 21 shopping expeditions! Good grief! The new service from John Lewis would certainly be valued by this group of people - and certainly by many others, too. The Christmas Companion is this year's essential shopping pal - available at all John Lewis stores nationwide.

The pocket-sized guide is packed full of present-profile types to inspire and instruct your present picking. So if you're having trouble working out what to get for the boss, try tracking their personality in the Christmas Companion, and checking out the suggestions for their gift. Whether they're an "Alpha Male" or a "One-Suit Johnny", there's sure to be a present idea for them.

A shocking report reveals that the UK has one of the worst records in Europe for forcing women to downgrade their jobs when they switch to part-time work. The study for the Department of Trade and Industry highlighted women working part-time in Britain who earn an average 22 % less per hour than those working full-time - the biggest gap in the EU!

Women who are forced to look for lower-grade jobs when they choose part-time work, are not using all the skills they have - which means they are not earning as much as they could. And that means the economy is suffering too, as many highly skilled part-time workers are kept out of more valuable jobs. The findings of the report are being handed to the Women and Work Commission, an inquiry on tackling the gender pay gap, which is due to report to the Prime Minister next autumn.

Congrats all round to the five lucky winners of last issue's free giveaway! The following DeskDemon Express readers have each won a superb 3M Privacy Filter for their computer screens:

Niki Beckett, Regional Administrator for Reliance Security Services in London; Anne Rogers, a Medical Secretary at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff; Lynn Pavier, PA to Facilities and IT for Jeffrey Green Russell in Surrey; Karen Mitchell, Executive Administrative Assistant for IBM in Middlesex; and Sarah Hambleton, PA to Group Directors for North American UK in Berkshire.

These ingenious filters operate like tiny vertical blinds to restrict the viewing angle, so that only the person seated directly in front of the monitor sees the information displayed. A great boon for keeping confidential information under wraps. For more info, visit 3m.com/computerfilters

If you're one of those still looking around for a fab Christmas party idea, how about the new "Posh Comedy" concept from comedy club Jongleurs. Jongleurs has discovered that although its party bookers want comedy, they also don't want to miss out on a luxury Christmas bash. So, hey presto! Jongleurs has responded by laying on the same top-notch comedy acts, but in a five-star setting!

The popular Jongleurs comedy clubs are famous for launching the careers of best-loved comedians such as Jack Dee, Jo Brand and Graham Norton. Now, top comedians, such as Ricky Grover, are teamed with 5 star dining and late night dancing in series of party events in London, Manchester and Leeds. The Posh Comedy parties are perfect for anyone who doesn't want the hassle of organising their Christmas party and particularly for small companies and departments who want to liven up their bash by mingling with other companies.

There are 4 dates and prices start from £45 per person:

• 15th December - Manchester, City of Manchester Stadium
• 16th December - Manchester, City of Manchester Stadium
• 16th December - London, Royal Garden Hotel
• 17th December - Leeds, Headingley Cricket Ground

To check availability or to book, simply e-mail hospitality@jongleurs.com or call 08700 111 245.

Christmas cheer has no place at work according to Britain's executives, with many claiming that office parties are hard work, disruptive and dull! What a joyful bunch we are, to be sure!

The findings, revealed in a survey by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), show that the "spirit of goodwill" no longer extends to the workplace, as employees reject traditional ways of marking the season's celebrations with colleagues. The CMI found -

• Party-poopers: only 61 per cent claim to have an office party compared to 86 per cent in 2002. One in 10 suggest the reason is "a lack of enthusiasm", with 20 per cent admitting Christmas celebrations are a chore. Less than half say that they enjoy office festivities.



• Christmas chaos: 37 per cent of those questioned said seasonal festivities created problems because colleagues or clients were inaccessible. With 63 per cent of respondents away from work for four days or more, complaints centred on problems with payments (17 per cent) and staff shortages (30 per cent).



• Yuletide Yawn: the UK's executives suggest that Christmas celebrations drag on too long (47 per cent) and 35 per cent say they are disruptive (compared to 21 per cent in 2003). Only 15 per cent want to entertain key business contacts with few believing the celebrations improve morale.

Petra Cook, head of policy at the Chartered Management Institute, says: "The idea that Christmas creates pressure and tension in the workplace is worrying, particularly as it has traditionally been seen as a time to reward staff for the hard work they do during the year."

Sounds like the jolliest in the country are the SMEs, who are more likely to create a sense of fun.

• 68 per cent of SMEs are willing to host Christmas parties, compared to 61 of large businesses



• 21 per cent of SMEs take clients out for Christmas lunches, compared to 12 per cent of large businesses



• 72 per cent of SMEs will make some contribution to the cost of staff parties, compared to 51 per cent of organisations with more than 250 staff.

As Cook concludes: "It's important that instead of focusing on what people don't want to do, managers take the time to find out what their staff want. After all, environments where the emphasis is on 'all work and no play' are unlikely to be energetic and productive."