I get lots of little snivelly colds in the run up to christmas. Nothing serious. Certainly not enough to stay off work (not with my workaholic boss who was back at his desk 4 weeks after a hip replacement!). And by the time christmas comes I am feeling like death.
So here we are again, runny nose, slightly shivery and achey, head full of cotton wool, prone to bursting into tears I feel so rough. And here we are also with my last week at work full to the bursting with meeting and deadlines and my boss is trying to squeeze more stuff in before I go on leave this Friday. So I can't take time off. And the first day of next weekend the cold that has been lurking for weeks will get is' bloody teeth into me and bang goes christmas. And I am using the last of my annual leave so no more now till April.
At this precise moment I hate the bearded, slave-driving little bastard with every ounce of my being 
Disclaimer: he is a nice man usually but I reserve the right to be unreasonable angry with him right now as I am feeling ill.