Let's Keep Christmas Special

Is it me, or does 'Christmas' seem to start earlier each year? I am a strong believer that the Christmas period starts on the first of December. This is mainly because Christmas starts to feel diluted if you start eeking it out for a longer period. It seems to me that the early start of Christmas is rooted two things, basically we can't get enough of a good thing, and a cynical attempt by retailers to maximise their profits.

It all starts when the first supermarkets start stocking Christmas items as soon as the temperature drops by 5 degrees.

Now I know that shops want and need to make a profit, but do they really need to start selling christmas items so early.  I think a month is ample time to get everything you need but maybe I'm missing something.

As I'm driving home we have been spotting houses with their Christmas Lights blazing all through November. My daughter keeps excitedly asking if it's Christmas, and then looks so disappointed when I tell her its weeks away. Instead of bringing magic to little children, these people who light/trim up early are actually bringing disappointment. That's food for thought surely...

Now I know Christmas is a lovely and special time, and that is why people want to experience it for longer, but I just think the specialness starts to wain if it occurs for months of the year. I love hearing the first Christmas Tunes, but I think 3 weeks of these is enough. If we start celebrating Christmas for months on end, the time will surely come when we get sick of it and it's not special anymore.

Santa is arriving in our town on Saturday to turn on the Christmas Lights, which is the last day of November. I guess I can live with that but I would love for Christmas to be celebrated in December. Not sure what your thoughts are?