WHEN does Christmas start for you?

The run-up to the festive season for me definitely does not begin until the beginning of December.

I’m one of those who thinks all talk of Christmas should be banned before then (so forgive me for mentioning it now.)

I can’t understand those people who put their decorations up before then and even the beginning of December seems far too early.

A week before Christmas is plenty of time otherwise I get fed up of them by the time new year arrives.

Christmas is tough for mums. The endless round of present buying, not only thinking of your own family’s gifts but then all those family members who come to me to ask ‘what can I buy so and so?’ As if I have an endless supply of ideas. I really don’t.

I remember fondly my late father-in-law arriving on my doorstep each Christmas Eve to ask what he should buy my mother-in-law.

By this time I was up to my neck in turkey and stuffing, having bought and wrapped all my presents. And he only had the one to get!

At the start of October, I was invited to the launch of a major department store’s Christmas range.

It was lovely, of course. Tables were laid out with beautiful festive place settings; exquisite (and expensive) gifts were on display and morsels of tasty Christmas food were available to delight even the most jaded palate.

Not wishing to be churlish, I politely questioned my hosts along the lines of: ‘Don’t you think it’s just a little bit early to be putting Christmas stuff on display?’ ‘No,’ they said. ‘We’re actually running a little bit later than some of our competitors.’

They told me at least two of the major supermarket chains had started some of their festive displays in September and, apparently, Harrods starts its Christmas displays in...July (yes July).

Now I found that hard to believe and being the suspicious type that I am, I used the powers of Google to check. And this is what I found on Harrods’ website, dated July 19, 2013.

‘The big day might still be 158 days away, but it’s definitely worth starting your preparations early by visiting Harrods’ Christmas World.

‘Launched this week on the Third Floor, the department is a 2,000 sq ft space filled with spectacular Christmas cards, stocking fillers and decorations, including a 6ft Santa Claus that you can purchase for £3,999!’ Something is seriously wrong here.

In what parallel universe is it ok to be selling a 6ft Santa Claus (for £3,999) in July?

And why would I want to buy Christmas crackers in summer or tinsel in September?

In reality, I hanker for the good old days of my youth when Christmas didn’t start until the end of November at the absolute earliest, when the Internet wasn’t telling me in August that unless I booked my work’s Christmas party NOW, we wouldn’t get the best deal – or get in anywhere at all – and when it wasn’t possible to buy a 6ft Santa Claus for £3,999 in July.