Is it really that time of year?

Is it really October already? The run-up to the last main holiday events of 2017- Christmas & New Year has officially started. The shops are filling up with Christmas related products and as I flicked through the TV last night (October 8th) I noticed that True Entertainment was already showing a Christmas film and upon looking further ahead for the week there was one scheduled to be shown every night, just how early do people want to be? I understand getting the kids excited but what about the parents who are the only people to watch this channel? Those who are either sick of Christmas by the 1st December or those who actually cannot afford to get their child something of worth?

Poverty is a major issue at the moment and Halloween followed by Bonfire and then Christmas really doesn't help when you go to do the weekly shop and the children are wanting the things that have been put in their faces by the shop displays. Nothing is about the true religious meaning anymore, it's more about how much money the shops can make and eventually which tv program or film will get the most ratings. Even the Christmas adverts for Debenhams, John Lewis, or even Morrisons are a big franchise now- practically a film in their own right.

Whatever happened to the power of Christ, family getting together and a room filled to the brim of cards from friends near and far, the Auntie in America sending her annual greetings in the form of a letter but even that is expensive to do now.

We fully appreciate the apparent 'need' for businesses to make even more money - but at whose expense? If families were to go out and get a doorstep loan to make sure their kids didn't feel like they were missing out, judgements would be made

So let's start having some thought for people who are struggling with making ends meet and wanting to do right by their children. What about a watershed time for advertising - sounds ok to me, or how about giving equal airtime to talk about the true meaning of Christmas. It is not rocket science - but the current practice and trends are shameful.