IT was a definitely a happy new year for me with December 31 spent disguised as Daisy Duke at a fancy dress party with friends.

But if latest reports are to be believed I should be hanging my head in shame, along with the rest of female population, for enjoying a drink or two over the festive period.

Forget smoking or taking drugs - the top danger to young women's health according to experts is binge drinking.

Of course we all know that alcohol is bad for you and anyone who has suffered a hangover knows only too well how drink can damage your health but it seems unfair to point the finger so squarely at lasses having a laugh.

Puritans say it is unseemly for woman to get drunk - heaven forbid a young lady should fall over and reveal more than a shapely ankle but why doesn't the same apply to men?

It's a fact that young men are more likely to get violent when drunk while most girls will giggle, hug their friends and then burst into tears!

In an ideal world no-one should be abusing their body but recent TV and newspaper articles blaming celebrities for encouraging women in their 20s to become ladettes are wide of the mark.

The likes of Jordon, Sara Cox and Charlotte Church have all been criticicsed for publically having a few too many drinks - but what 20-something wants to follow in their footsteps?

Under-age drinking is a totally different subject and of course Britney Spears and other kids' idols should be careful what message they send to their young fans about eating, drinking and drugs but please leave us adults alone!

According to figures most of us binge drinkers are professionals with our own homes - we can organise a mortgage and get ourselves decent jobs so surely we can make a decision about how much we drink?!

The bottom line is that drinking is sociable and fun.

We may be drinking more on average than our mothers or grandmothers but we are aware what we are doing and as long as we don't get into trouble after a few beers then we are only hurting ourselves.

Critics suggest that we ARE doing ourselves harm by lowering our inhabitions and jepordising our personal safety by throwing back the booze.

But making sure you are safe is sadly a way of life for young women today - you don't walk home alone at night whether you are drunk or sober.

And the critics can't have it both ways - they complain about gangs of drunken women making a show of themselves but if we stay with our friends at least we know we will get home in one piece.

Those complaining about laddette behaviour should lighten up and just wait a few years.

Other surveys have revealed that more young women than ever want to get married and mothers are demanding better maternity rights so they can stay at home for longer with their children.

We may be kicking up our heels and living the high life now but we are just enjoying being the most independent and affluent generation the country has ever seen.

When we have had our fun we'll settle down and you never know our nights out could make us more tolerant of our own daughters' wild ways.

But until that time let us have a laugh - cheers!