Driving Home For October

So here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody’s having fun.

Seriously people, can we not have a gentlemen’s agreement about when Christmas officially begins. I mean, I know the great people at ConglomoMart will have us believe that everyone starts their Christmas shopping in October and that we really, really, need to know about their latest whizz-bang-fantasto toy on October 1st, but honestly people!

So let’s sort this out once and for all.

Here are things we don’t need before December:

• Red cups in Starbucks and special White Chocolate (for which read, tenuous snow-related) Mochas
• Kerry Catona trying to tempt us into buying our Turkey’s from a certain supermarket in September because everyone elses Mum has gone there already
• Any songs by Slade. Full Stop.
• Snow flakes in Shop window displays – it now snows more in February here than it ever has at Christmas
• Santa – he has been taking Christmas orders via his Elfen representatives at our local shopping centre since early November. If this is truly beneficial in lightening the Elves’ workload then sure they should start collating wishlists in July?!?

Now I can hear you all calling me a scrooge and miserable so-and-so, but I have to admit to feeling Christmassy. Yes, me. Christmassy. Right now. I’ve been admiring the newly decorated trees in the High Street, and wrapping-up warm in my Christmassy scarf. And enjoying the cold. It’s good.

But can I draw your attention to the date at the top of this post? November the 25th. There’s the gentlemen’s agreement. I’m happy to act as the Christmas Groundhog – but I can tell you know, Christmas will always officially begin one month before the big day.