Did I miss Halloween ?

For the past month my local pub has been displaying a large banner urging people to ‘book now’ for Christmas dinner.

It’s only the start of October, the weather is mild and I’m still wearing short sleeved shirts, but already festive season items are appearing on the shelves at Sainsbury’s, and Marks and Spencer are selling Christmas mince pies which have to be eaten by next week.

Already TV commercials for perfumes, confectionary and alcohol are on the increase, and I expect to see Santa and his bloody Coca Cola convoy appear on the screen at any moment.

I understand that some large stores in London’s West End are already fully decked out for Christmas, so I’m sure that tatty displays of dodgey fairy lights and plastic snowmen will soon be going up on high streets across the country.

My wife and I have had requests from various charities to buy their Christmas cards, and travel companies have sent details of ’special offers’ on festive holiday breaks.

Click on ‘Google’ and you will find hundreds of companies already waiting to take your orders for everything from Norway Spruce trees to complete Christmas dinners.

Every year the build up to Christmas seems to start earlier, as do the posts by …

… ‘Bah, humbug!’ old bloggers like me.