Life on Tapp: There’s nothing wrong with going early when it comes to Christmas planning

Depending on when you read this, we are now roughly 40 days from Christmas – I know this not because I’ve used my fingers to work it out but due to the fact our kitchen smart speaker has been set on festive countdown.
By Jane Chippindale
Published 14th Nov 2023, 09:09 BST
There’s a bloke around the corner from me who before Bonfire Night was out of the way, was up his ladder, stringing lights across the front of his house, which perfectly complemented his eight foot inflatable Santa.There’s a bloke around the corner from me who before Bonfire Night was out of the way, was up his ladder, stringing lights across the front of his house, which perfectly complemented his eight foot inflatable Santa.
There’s a bloke around the corner from me who before Bonfire Night was out of the way, was up his ladder, stringing lights across the front of his house, which perfectly complemented his eight foot inflatable Santa.

Blaise Tapp writes: Yup, the madness has begun with the brandy and rum-infused pudding – I ran out of the former and made do – safely tucked away at the back of the cupboard and The Pogues blasting out from various rooms.

To tell the absolute truth, there’s been a festive undertone in our house since early September with Macaulay Culkin playing a starring role in our living room more than once already this autumn.

The kids have been engaging in Santa chat for weeks, despite warnings that they’ll be sick of the sight of him before he even thinks about squeezing down our chimney.

Lists have been drafted, redrafted and drafted again.

There must be something in the air as I’ve also got involved in some early shopping action.

There is a noisy majority of people who don’t think that the C-word should be uttered until the first of December, which in this most commercial of ages is wishful thinking.

I mean there was a time, when we used to talk about how many shopping days there were before Christmas, when newspapers were full of letters from angry pullover wearers, complaining about seeing greeting cards with robins on in Woolworths in November.

Those days are long gone.

In the two weeks since we threw out the pumpkins and put away the plastic skeletons for another 12 months, we’ve been bombarded with saccharine adverts including Graham Norton enjoying the most middle class of parties and Michael Buble getting excited by chipolatas.

Don’t get me started on the giant venus flytrap advert.

It’s only a matter of time before Coca-Cola’s dirty great big truck rolls onto our screens – then we really will know that it is the season to be cheerful.

There’s a bloke around the corner from me who before Bonfire Night was out of the way, was up his ladder, stringing lights across the front of his house, which perfectly complemented his eight foot inflatable Santa.

The traditionalists out there may tut that he is at least four weeks early, but there is an eccentric charm about it and it has certainly made our regular journey home that bit more colourful.

Although I won’t be getting my tinsel out for another couple of weeks, there’s nothing wrong with going early when it comes to Christmas planning.

There’s a cinema down the road which is showing Home Alone throughout the day on Christmas Eve and most of the screenings are already sold out.

Websites for pantomimes and festive shows across the land are also doing brisk business because, like or not, people are ready for some Christmas cheer.

I mean, there is a limit: Twenty odd years ago, another newspaper I worked on ran a story about a chap who celebrated Christmas 365 days a year.

The dinner, the lairy jumpers, crackers and plenty of Wham and Slade on the CD player, the works.

I mean, there’s only so many sprouts that any one person can consume.

The argument that the most hyped annual celebration of them all is too commercial was lost long ago – probably when they started making mince pie flavoured ale – but it doesn’t stop it being a hugely enjoyable time of year.

There’s no better time to be in a church – when the lights are dimmed and the candles are flickering and it’s always an excuse to finally grab that pint with the friend you’ve been promising to meet all year.

Of course, early involvement in the celebrations are not mandatory and it is only a matter of time before we all start moaning about the rubbish telly and the price of everything.

Enjoy it while it lasts I say.