Having fun can be tough work. There's dress stress, small talk dilemmas, and that tricky juggling routine when you have to shake hands while holding a glass of wine and a mini party quiche.

The festive party season, says life alchemist John Rushton, can bring a"mixture of dread and excitement".

But if you reckon you're the only person in the room who believes everybody else is having more fun, think again. "To be honest a lot of people think that way - they always think they're the only ones not enjoying themselves, everyone's getting along famously," Rushton says.

"Whereas deep down, probably about a third of the people there, their stomachs will be churning a little bit... it's not uncommon."

So far as parties go, your best defence is to be prepared - get to know the terrain and the population. With that in mind, here's our spotter's guide to partygoers you're likely to bump into this festive season.