Winter clothes started appearing in the shops at the end of July - and this was a summer of endless heat waves. Halloween stuff started creeping into the shops at the end of August and by the last week of October Santa and Halloween goblins were vying for shelf space. I stopped in the local pharmacy early this week. There was a talking Santa by the cash register. I asked the cashier if she thought she'd be driven mad by Christmas. Poor thing gave me the saddest, most imploring look.