Christmas decorations, stocking fillers and mince pies are already appearing in shops around the island.

In fact this year, it appears to have coincided exactly with the stocking of Hop-Tu-Naa decorations, with some noting this is earlier than usual.

We ask people, do they think that it’s too soon for this to be happening?

Joel Waterhouse, from Douglas, said that he personally only starts to think about Christmas once Halloween is finished.

‘But I can understand why [the shops are doing it], after a few years of pandemic we need to start recovering some costs, so it doesn’t really offend me’.

He added that it might also help with the cost of living crisis, that people have more time to get organised for Christmas.

Asked when he starts to feel ‘Christmassy’, Joel replied: ‘The first of December’.

When we spoke to Joseph Seeldrayers, also from Douglas, he said that now was too early for Christmas items to be appearing, adding: ‘But it’s always that way, it gets earlier every year’.

His son Anthony commented: ‘In previous years I’ve expected it immediately after Halloween, but this year it seems to have appeared.

‘It’s possible that the shops are feeling a bit pinched,’ Joseph added.

Anthony continued: ‘Maybe covid has had an influence on it because obviously the shops have been struggling for quite some time, I think people forget that a lot of shops have had to close down.

Asked how soon was too soon to start thinking about Christmas, Joseph said: ‘I certainly wouldn’t be buying anything until after Halloween.

‘We tend to go away for Christmas and always contemplate not buying too much, and then spending a lot of money on booze and food’.

Olivia Knott, from Tromode said: ‘I’d say the end of October is too early to be honest, because they’re mixing it up with the summer clearance sales.

‘It is earlier than it used to be from my experience, because it hasn’t got that “feeling” yet, you know when you get the feeling that it’s coming on Christmas,’ she added.

‘You actually need to have that sort of Christmassy buzz which comes around November really, no earlier I don’t think.

Olivia continued: ‘When they put the lights up and all that it’s lovely, it kind of brings it to you – and it makes you want to spend your money!

‘But if I bought something now [a Christmas item or present], I’d be thinking “Oh, what am I going to do with that until Christmas?”.

Asked when she starts preparing for Christmas herself, Olivia said: ‘I start at the end of October, because all my Christmas stuff is in the garage, so then I start taking it out and air it for a couple weeks, to have it ready to be put up by the first week of December’.

Lynn and Arnie Lancaster, who are visiting from Saltburn-by-the-sea in Yorkshire, both told us that they thought it was too soon.

‘It’s getting earlier,’ Arnie said.

He said it was the same in Yorkshire, with York even having a dedicated Christmas shop which is open all-year round.

Asked when he starts to feel in a Christmas mood, Arnie said: ‘The 24th of December’.

‘We work all the time farming, so it doesn’t matter, you just have your family Christmas dinner and that’s it.’

‘We don’t make a big fuss of it, with the kids being grown up,’ Lynn added.