Well at least that’s what the adverts on tv tell me.  It seems that it is now officially the countdown to present opening day (I guess that is the PC term for Christmas day now) and we can all expect to go into the shops with a big smile on our faces and find the perfect gifts while snowmen and fairy lights go before us making everyone merry.

Before I disappear off into my sarcastic rant I’ll leave you with a question.

What would you like Christmas to look like and what inspired your answer?

We all have one.  We might not know it but we all have one. 

A breaking point. 
A moment where it just isn’t on.  What am I talking about??? The point in the year when it is just too early for Christmas.  For me it’s any time before my birthday in December, for other people with less Christmassy challenged birth dates it might be November, September, June..who knows?

What got me thinking about this is that i don’t seem to be getting bombarded with Christmas so early this year.  Sure there are still the adverts and the seasonal aisles at the supermarket had Christmas stuff before halloween, but that is still an improvement on past years.

I wonder if other people have noticed this or if it’s just wishful thinking on my part?

I  was just trying to work out my favourite Christmas memory.  Thinking back through them all and reliving them.  I’ve got to admit I don’t think I’ve managed to come up with a highlight, though the first time I ate Terry’s chocolate orange was fairly good.  Terry wasn’t so pleased. (sorry i couldn’t resist that one)

When you think about your favourite Christmas memory where do you start looking?  Favourite gift you got or bought?  A film on TV?  A particular family memory?  Maybe some peaceful reflection in a corner away from all the buzz.

I think this year I’ll make an effort to pay attention, human video camera style and see if I can fill the memory banks.  Or maybe i should just enjoy the moment.

I sometimes think that you can tell a lot about someone from their Christmas tree.

If it’s made out of recyled bottles with newspaper for tinsel you can guess they are an eco warrier very proud of their guilt free tree.(just look for some form of hemp clothing for confirmation)

If they have a perfectly balanced tree, sectioned off into quadrants, each with identical amounts of lights, tinsel and little santas like some form of tree sudoku, then you might want to check you’ve wiped your feet before entering the “display” room (that’s the living room to most people).

I guess i’m making a connection with a person’s Christmas tree and the Christmas they celebrate. If it is simple and understated, then maybe their celebrations are the same. If the tree is rushed and unorganised, then maybe you’ll need a chainsaw to carve the turkey.

How many of us end up with the shadow of the barcode tree representing our christmas? The money we’ve spent hanging over our celebrations. Worrying if we’ve spent enough. Worrying if we’ve spent too much. Spending Christmas day planning our boxing day shopping mission.

What does your tree say about your Christmas?