'Christmas creep' Data shows yuletide really does arrive earlier every year

Halloween might not yet be upon us, but the creepy thing is, Christmas is coming—and fast.

- Michael Goodier

A Guardian analysis shows that the Grinch-like grumble that "Christmas is getting earlier every year" is justified, and a slow and steady takeover of the calendar by Christmas-themed items, songs and adverts—a phenomenon known as "Christmas creep"—is in fact real.

Off the charts

The autumn leaves may still be clinging on to trees but among us dwell a cohort of people who, in a few short weeks, will start humming songs about "chestnuts roasting on an open fire", "are you hanging up your stocking on the wall?" and "rocking around the Christmas tree". If the UK music charts are anything to go by, then, for these people, it is now acceptable to begin listening to festive tunes from mid-November, a full 45 days before the big day.

Looking at when a Christmas song first enters the UK Top 40 singles each year demonstrates a steady Christmas creep since the 1990s. Last year, two songs entered the charts in the week beginning 10 November: Wham's Last Christmas (in at No 37) and Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You (in at 40, aided by an online campaign).