Do they know it’s not Christmas yet?

Christmas lights are pictured on Oxford Street in London on 16 November 2023 (Getty)

Ittttt’s Christmas!!!!! If you turn on the telly you certainly might think so, given how dominated commercial breaks are by festive ads. And at least two people on our road have already put up twinkling lines of fairy light in readiness for the big day.

However, I’m afraid I’m having none of it. No decorations, no Slade or Mariah or Wham!, and definitely not any talk of Christmas trees. Aptly enough, I have refused to let the kids watch The Grinch at least until December comes around.

It’s a cliche to say that Christmas seems to start earlier each year, and I don’t quite feel that; although a gigantic tree has been in position on our high street since the start of November, albeit as yet undecorated. I even heard an excerpt from The Nutcracker on BBC Radio 3 while I was driving home from work last week; I obviously had to switch over to Radio 2 immediately.