How soon is too soon to put your Christmas tree up?

IT'S hard to get my head around the fact that Father's Day merchandise has barely been taken down at the shops and Christmas decorations are already on display.

When does the tree go up in your household? How soon is too soon?. Picture: Supplied

IT'S hard to get my head around the fact that Father's Day merchandise has barely been taken down at the shops and Christmas decorations are already on display.

Decorations have been lining the shelves for at least a month now and it's not just our bigger retailers.

I walked into a smaller store (without mentioning any names) and the first thing I saw was a shelf of glittering Christmas gear.

Really?

When will you be putting your Christmas tree up? Picture: Nicholas Falconer

I understand there is big money in Christmas merchandise but why do we need to be bombarded with the junk the minute we enter a store.

The other thing that I can't get my head around is people putting their Christmas tree up sometimes as early as mid November to December 1, but maybe that's because Christmas trees are in peoples faces as early as now?

It's obvious that the early Christmas marketing is working, especially for the little ones.

I have a colleague with a six-year-old daughter who hadn't mentioned Christmas at all until she saw the shops awash in festive merchandise.

Since then she has been constantly asking her mum how many sleeps until Christmas.

She's also been asking her parents if it's time to put up the Christmas tree yet.

But for those of you who are also against this early tradition, don't worry her parents aren't giving in.

They'll at least try to hold off until the start of the school holidays which I believe is a good time to get the family together and put the Christmas tree up.

When does the tree go up in your household? How soon is too soon?

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