Bah Ruddy Humbug!!!

Why oh why does the so called 'Festive Season' have to start in Ocruddytober?  No sooner have the kids gone back to school than we are bombarded with all things 'Christmas', interspersed with the newest commercial venture that is that all American favourite, 'Halloruddyween'!!!

The shops are awash with endless Christmas products, cleverly marketed to suggest they're a real 'must have' if this year's celebrations are to be the best yet!  Utter rubbish. 

Goodness knows how parents cope with the demands of their offspring who are indundated with this year's favourite and best loved toys from every angle - TV, catalogues and shops stuffed full of all things festive.  It's obscene.  People are struggling to make ends meet without the added pressure of commercialism gone mad and Christmas beginning in October.

Card shops are full to bust with Christmas cards and paraphenalia making birthday card purchasing pretty difficult due to the totally diminished selection in favour of their festive counterparts.  Supermarkets are crammed full of tempting, calorific Christmas produce, guaranteed to add weight to the ever increasing obesity problem that plagues the UK. 

All this and we haven't even reached Guy Fawkes night, which has seemingly been dumbed down to the title 'Bonfire Night'.  Believe it or not, many kids have no idea why they trail round with an effigy, requesting 'Penny (or has this escalated to £1) for the Guy'!

Never mind.  Once yet more money has literally gone up in smoke as people feel pushed into holding a 'Bonfire Party', interest can return to the jolly season and the excitement of bedecking homes with as many festive lights and inflatable Santa's, Snowmen, Reindeers as possible in a bid to outdo the neighbours.  How clever of the energy companies to whop up their prices to capture this crazy market.

And to think, that last minute 'just in case' food shopping is more than 2 months away!!! 

So, it's a Bah Ruddy Humbug from me and it can only get worse!!!!