January is often a time when family lawyers like me are overwhelmed with new clients who have split up over Christmas. Here is my do’s and don’t’s guide to avoid breakups at Christmas:

♥ Don’t get overheated. It may be as hot as Darwin, but keep cool and keep your cool. Buying an air conditioner is a good start.

♥ Do get on with the in-laws. Your mother-in-law may be the Wicked Witch of the West, but don’t let anyone know! To slag off at her in a drunken slur over Christmas lunch is a guaranteed way to breakup.

♥ Don’t max out the credit card. Small arguments about money quickly turn into big arguments about everything.

♥ Do remember critical dates and names. Learn them now!

♥ Don’t drink too much. Alcohol and driving don’t mix, nor do alcohol and knives, nor alcohol and guns.

♥ Do buy presents that are at least half interesting to the recipient. A good guide is to spend more than two minutes choosing a present.

♥ Don’t joke about returning the dud present for a refund. Just because Aunt Fanny bought you Bombay bloomers, to suggest what she could do with them, although it may be accurate, is never a wise idea.

♥ Do allow plenty of time to get to places. Nothing helps a Christmas party turn into a Christmas blue when the warring couple turns up arguing about why they’re late.

♥ Don’t shoot up at mum’s place. There’s nothing quite like it when you get sprung by cousin Johnny aged 10. Oops!

♥ Do mind the language. Calling your partner a bush pig, which may be accurate, is usually a rolled gold way to end things quickly.

♥ Do be kind. No matter how rough Christmas might be for you, others will have done it rougher.

Stephen Page is a partner of Harrington Family Lawyers, is an accredited family law specialist, and is the author of the Australian Gay and Lesbian Law Blog http://lgbtlawblog.blgospot.com