We need to set a date when it's time to kickstart Christmas...

On a busy day working from home it is easy to be unaware of what is going on in the rest of the house.

- with Mike Hill

The sound of Christmas music drifting through the house should, however, have been a clue. And the uncharacteristic smell of gingerbread baking in the kitchen.

But with December only a few hours old there was no reason to think that just a couple of rooms away a Christmas tree was being put up.

This came as a surprise because as recently as the day before - when it was still November - it had been noted, with some surprise, that a lot of lights were appearing across the neighbourhood.