Decorations - a premature X-jaculation?

Well as I've been told several times this week, we're now a mere SEVEN weeks away from Yuletide. Seven long weeks, 49 days (give or take); this is ages away and yet we're treating it as if it's just around the corner. It's two months away for goodness' sake.

And yet, and yet, the decorations are up, the lights have started to twinkle and the glitter is sparkling in those said twinkling filaments. We will now have to embark on a full 7 weeks of anticipation in a run up to a splendid celebration of a great world religion. It's not the commercialism that concerns me; I'm a committed capitalist. It's more the ruinous aspect of doing things too early and spoiling the end effect. The anti-climax that is now Christmas for many of us starts with a garland being decked far too early.

In Singapore, it's a year-long celebration city, as one festival after the next is honoured and revered in street decorations and in-shop buying opportunities. New Year flows into Chinese New Year which flows into Easter, then Vesak, Ramadan, National Day, Deepavali and ultimately the Haj season. All this before coming full circle to Xmas. The challenge for the local economy is that the Haj season doesn't really see enough people swinging their handbags in the shopping malls - therefore Chirstmas "needs" to start early.

In my opinion, and it may not be so humble on this topic, let's keep the special exactly that: special. Decking the proverbial halls with faux-holly and tacky glitter-spiked baubles so far in advance somewhat deflates the crescendo before it's begun.

My plea to you, therefore, is dust off the decorations, pin up the window dressings, cast the lametta and erect your tree when it's time and not before; let's save December for Christmas, the other months are already cluttered.

And as we all know, coming too soon can only lead to a limp finale...