Time to think about Christmas? Already?? Not yet, thank you.

So here we are just one week into September.

Schools have re-opened, and the weather's improved (as it does) so I've been sitting out in the garden making the most of what will probably be the last few days of summer, before the leaves start to turn and nights draw in.

Others though are obviously thinking further ahead - or, at least, if my e-mail in-box is to be believed they are.

First, a few days ago I received an e-mail telling me to Shop NOW for Christmas! NOW?? Last time I checked we were still months away from Christmas!

But that seemed to be just the start of a flood. Since then I've had offers for Christmas market shopping trips and festive breaks, pre-views of Christmas books, ideas for stocking fillers and even e-mails offering advice on how to avoid Christmas stress.

I'm aghast. I'm not ready for Christmas, in fact I'm generally not ready when December 1st arrives and advent calendars go up, but when you start and look around so many of Christmassy things are starting to sneak into the shops - from mince pies in the supermarket to ball gowns for the office parties (though actually what office really has such a fab Christmas do?)
Why do sales and marketing folk want to rush us headlong through autumn without giving it a glance?



Go away and come back in three months time.



For now, I want to sit in the sun, later enjoy autumn's colours in their turn, walk through woods littered with fallen leaves,

THEN after Halloween and Bonfire Night when the days get really short I'll start to think about Christmas ... maybe ...