When does Christmas start?

With the unveiling of the Christmas tree resulting in the inevitable gnashing of teeth and sending of letters to the Irish Times, I think it is appropriate to ask: "Just when does Christmas begin?"

To answer the question properly, we have to go back to mid-June and the start of the back-to-school promotions. These are followed by Halloween tat for sale usually for all of September and October. With a short break for my mother's birthday on November 1st, then Christmas typically starts on November 2nd. As a harbinger of the recession, last year's New Year's Sales started around December 15th - expect something similar this year. Valentine's Day will then replace New Year's Day on January 1st and St. Patricks Day will be on February 14th. Easter will be on March 17th, regardless of when it actually is. Summer sales will start in April to be followed by more back-to-school offers, and on it goes....

Of course, in all of this, we have to remember the true meaning of Christmas - getting presents and drinking and eating till you burst.