On the first of November I left early to fight my way through Oxford Street to see the Christmas Lighting Celebration. It was packed inside the fenced in street, with a crowd stretched from Marks & Spencer to Marble Arch, and it did, indeed, begin to feel like Christmas. Together the crowd sang out ‘Santa Claus is coming to Town’ and listened to music all in anticipation of the final moment when the lights were switched on – lights in shapes of presents, umbrellas, stars and snowflakes and even fireworks to top it off.

The stores are now decorated in their Christmas finery. You can’t help but find Christmas-y versions of everything you love. Gingerbread houses line the bakery aisles. The window displays turn into small snow globes. Christmas cookbooks and children’s tales fill bookshelves.  Even though it might seem early, there seems like something magical surrounds each of these pieces of Christmas. I know I wanted to pop in ‘A Christmas Carol’, eat some cookies and start Christmas shopping. I even wished I had some of my favourite Children’s Christmas Books, like The Night Before Christmas, so I could curl up with a hot chocolate and a good book.

But the fact is, it’s hardly ‘the night before’… there’s still 53 days to go.  So should I really be feeling like it’s Christmas this early? When I mentioned this in the A&B office, I was directed to Daniel Blythe (author of I Hate Christmas) and what he had to say ont he subject: Read his Countdown Conundrum here (p3 of extract). He has a point…

So, when does it start feeling like Christmas for you?

Molly Dietrich, currently doing work experience at A&B