It's official - Christmas has begun.

Last Thursday, I did a post about the wonderful Innisfree Christmas Party that had taken place the previous evening, joking about Christmas in July. Not for one moment did I expect to be doing another post about Christmas so soon, but it's official - Christmas has begun.

Last night The Mother-In-Law phoned in a rather angry mood. It turns out she had been shopping in the 'toon' (Newcastle) and had called into a well known, British in origin, Home Stores (I'm trying not to name the shop here, is it permissible?). Anyway, she was annoyed because they had already started putting up their Christmas decorations. Having long since commented that shops now started advertising Christmas when the schools reopened in September after the summer holidays, it really annoyed her that they were starting even earlier. Mind you, what probably upset her even more was the fact that she will have to be buying Hubby's July birthday card in May - two family members have birthdays in November and she always buys their cards in September as the choice is rather less after then, thanks to all the shops stocking up on Christmas cards.

AND, whilst on the subject of birthday cards, amongst the many Hubby received was a great one from his parents.

In black and white, depicting a couple in 50's dress, walking arm-in-arm in the rain - the caption below states ....

'In an act of sweet revenge, he dragged her around a load of pubs...
.... only to go back to the very first one to buy his pint.'

Bought by his mam, it begs the question of just whose side she is on? And to make matters clear - I have NEVER dragged Hubby round the shops, only to go back to the very first one to buy anything.