Helen Bach Column: Hallowe'en in July and Christmas in August?!

I'm not even jesting - I thought it was bad enough when I went into a local TK Maxx in July and the homeware section was positively groaning with Hallowe'en kit and caboodle, but lo, according to my weekend newspaper, one of our large supermarkets has gone one better and is now offering Christmas chocolates in August!

It's bad enough that 'Back to School' promotions start before the summer holidays - believe me when I say that it's not just the kids that get depressed at the sight of those signs; the adults working in education also groan when those cheerful placards appear before they've even packed up their classrooms and finished for the summer term.

But, having said this, I also kind of get it - the bricks and mortar retail sector is competing with the online behemoths where seemingly everything is available at any time, so our local real shops need to grasp every opportunity to highlight their goods and get those sales in.

I also understand the shops' arguments that many people start planning and budgeting for Christmas early, and will buy bits and bobs in advance and put them away for later in the year. I am indeed guilty of buying Christmas cards in the January sale, putting them in a safe place, then forgetting where they are or that I've even bought them, so I buy more in November!

Another problem I would find - and I'm surely not the only one here - is that I'd have the good intention of keeping the Christmas chocs until the festive season, but they'd be there in the pantry, and therefore also in my consciousness, and I might be tempted to tuck in long before the Advent Calendar is in pride of place marking the real countdown to Christmas!

Each to their own - if you don't want to buy seasonal items months in advance, then don't - just turn a blind eye when shopping and continue thinking it's still the height of summer!