Christmas in September? When Is Too Early for the Shops to Deck the Halls?

It’s 5th September. For some children, the summer holidays aren’t even over yet. 

There may still be buckets and spades in the boot of the car, half-used bottles of sun cream in the bathroom and memories of ice creams on the beach still reasonably fresh.

And yet, in some shops, Christmas has already arrived.

Retailers including The Range already have their Christmas sections up and running, with festive decorations, ornaments and other seasonal goodies beginning to appear on the shelves.

Now, you might think that That’s Christmas 365 would be wholeheartedly in favour of this.

After all, the clue is rather prominently displayed in our name.

We do our very best to promote the spirit of Christmas for all 365 days of the year. We firmly believe that kindness, generosity, friendship, good food, family gatherings and the occasional bit of festive sparkle needn’t be packed away with the decorations on Twelfth Night.

In that respect, we like to think we have something in common with the redeemed Ebenezer Scrooge, who famously promised to honour Christmas in his heart and try to keep it all the year.

But even we’re wondering: is early September perhaps a little too early for the shops?

And the answer is... we genuinely don’t know.

There are good arguments for getting Christmas stock out early. Some people like to spread the cost of Christmas over several months rather than face one enormous spending spree in November or December. Keen crafters and Christmas decorators may also want to start planning their displays well in advance.

And, naturally, there are those wonderful Christmas enthusiasts who simply enjoy seeing the decorations appear.

On the other hand, there’s something slightly surreal about encountering Christmas baubles and festive ornaments when some youngsters haven’t even returned to school after their summer holidays.

Does starting Christmas retailing this early make the season more enjoyable by extending the anticipation? Or does it risk making Christmas feel less special by stretching the commercial season across a quarter of the year, or even longer?

Perhaps there’s an important distinction between keeping the spirit of Christmas throughout the year and selling Christmas throughout the year.

At That’s Christmas 365, we’re decidedly ambivalent about this one.

We love Christmas. Obviously. We wouldn’t be here otherwise. But does seeing Christmas displays in the shops on 5th September fill you with festive joy... or have you reaching for the calendar and muttering, “Not yet!”?

We’d really like to know what our readers think.

Is September the perfect time to start Christmas shopping? Should retailers wait until October? After Halloween? November? Or would you happily browse Christmas decorations in the middle of July?

Please let us know your thoughts.

Because when it comes to the spirit of Christmas, we’re happy to celebrate it 365 days a year.

But whether the Christmas retail season should last quite that long is another matter entirely!

Feeling Hot in the Heatwave? Cool Down with Christmas in August!

Here at That’s Christmas 365, we firmly believe Christmas is far too good to be restricted to December.

And with Britain sweltering through, multiple,  summer heatwaves, we’ve come up with a rather unconventional suggestion for taking your mind off the soaring temperatures:

Have Christmas in August!

Yes, really.

While everyone else is talking about the barbecues they can't have, paddling pools they can'r fill, electric fans that are out of stock and wondering whether it is socially acceptable to stand in front of the open fridge, why not draw the curtains, put on some Christmas music and organise your very own festive celebration?

There is something wonderfully ridiculous about eating mince pies while the thermometer outside is nudging 30°C.

Christmas dinner, with a summer twist

Nobody wants the oven running for hours during a heatwave, so forget the enormous roast turkey and create a cold Christmas buffet instead.

Think sliced turkey and ham, pork pies, sausage rolls, cheeses, cranberry sauce, salads and plenty of crusty bread.

Add bowls of crisps and nuts, perhaps some chilled prawns or smoked salmon, and you've got a Christmas feast without turning your kitchen into a sauna.

For pudding, Christmas cake and mince pies are perfectly acceptable, but we'd also suggest ice cream, strawberries and perhaps a wonderfully extravagant Christmas trifle.

And instead of mulled wine, how about chilled Prosecco, sparkling wine, alcohol-free fizz or a festive fruit punch packed with ice?

Get the decorations out

You don't need to retrieve the entire Christmas decoration collection from the loft.

A small artificial tree, some tinsel, fairy lights and a few strategically placed baubles will instantly transform your living room, dining room or garden.

If you're celebrating outside, decorate a tree or shrub with battery-powered Christmas lights.

Then create the ultimate surreal summer photograph: everyone wearing Santa hats and sunglasses while holding cold drinks around a Christmas tree.

Christmas music is compulsory

No Christmas in August party is complete without festive music.

Traditional Christmas carols, Wham!, Slade, Wizzard, Shakin' Stevens, Mariah Carey and all your other favourites can finally escape their eleven-month imprisonment.

If the neighbours complain that it's far too early for Christmas music, simply remind them that That’s Christmas 365 says Christmas can happen whenever you want it to.

You can also watch your favourite Christmas films, too, or listen to an audio book of the Charles Dickens Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol.

Secret Santa in August?

Why not?

Set a modest £5 or £10 limit and ask everyone to bring a silly, useful or unusual present. You could even make it a charity-shop Secret Santa.

Children could make Christmas cards, decorate biscuits or create homemade decorations.

Make your own traditions

That's really what Christmas in August should be about.

It doesn't need to recreate 25 December perfectly. It's an excuse to gather friends and family together, eat something delicious, exchange a few inexpensive presents and have a laugh.

So, if you're sitting there feeling hot, bothered and thoroughly fed up with the heatwave, don't just dream about cooler December days.

Put up some tinsel, pour yourself something cold and have Christmas in August.

After all, we're That’s Christmas 365.

The clue is in the name!