Yes, I know it’s still the middle of November but I have already succumbed. We’re gearing up for Christmas.

It seems to get earlier every year, doesn’t it? I noticed mince pies in the shops on September 3rd, the day after the boys went back to school. The TV music channels started switching into Christmas mode on November 2nd. Sky opened up their dedicated channel for seasonal movies this week.

And this weekend I took our children to our local garden centre to check out their Christmas decoration selection. To say the kids were excited is like saying the North Pole can get a bit chilly in winter.

I have to admit that their enthusiasm is infectious. We didn’t buy much on this occasion – we’ll save the splurging for a future visit closer to the time – but I could see the way their eyes lit up in a way that we haven’t seen since, well, trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Last night I caught myself whistling Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, and the kids insisted on having (in their words) a Christmas boogie to seasonal songs in our living room, with Isaac singing the words to Do They Know It’s Christmas?

If last year is anything to go by, we’ll be watching Elf four times a week before we know it.

But for me the official start of Christmas every year is denoted by the first time I catch Fairytale of New York on TV or radio. It will have happened by Tuesday, I reckon. Sorry about that.

If you liked this post, why not follow me on the following social networks?