There’s one question that splits our nation in two and divides families. You think you know people, you think they are like you, and then you find to your horror that they are ‘on the other side’. Your relationship may never recover. So what is this question?
Is it too early to start the Christmas stuff yet?
Of course, it depends when you ask it, so let’s start with now, the middle of November.
For me, you are just about OK. It’s after Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night. It’s still too early for lights and deccies and wall-to-wall Christmas Muzak (unless you happen to be in a shop. And then, to be honest, it’s still too early.) You might start thinking about presents, perhaps even have bought a few. But no mince pies, please. Not yet.
My Christmas properly starts on the first weekend in December, as it has done for the past 30+ years. That’s when we meet up for ‘Uni Christmas’ and do the whole bit of presents, cards, slap-up meal and excessive drinking. After that, you can get the tree, put the lights up and immerse yourself in the commercial frenzy that properly signifies the birth of Christ, our redeemer.
But before Guy Fawkes Night is not on. Before Halloween is quite beyond the pale. I think Selfridges opens it’s Christmas Shop in August, which to my mind should be a treasonable offence and they should be carted off the tower. And those all-year Christmas Shops are just an abomination, completely unnatural. That should just be plain illegal.
So you can start a bit of gentle Christmassy-ness. Enjoy the battle of the Christmas ads, think about what you might want to give and receive as presents and even write those overseas Christmas cards (no, me neither, I always forget and leave it too late …).
But not too much, OK? You still want a bit of magic left come December 24th.