It's only September but the Christmas lights are up in St Austell

 

Jingle my bells! It's still September but it's beginning to fell a lot like Christmas in St Austell

 

 

 

Residents of a seaside town were left scratching their head in bemusement after its Christmas lights were put up - three months early.

Residents in St Austell, Cornwall where amazed to see workmen putting their festive lights up on Saturday - more than 12 weeks before Christmas day.

The £10,000 Chamber of Commerce lights were strung across the town's main shopping street during beautiful early autumn sunshine - 84 days before Christmas Day.

The Chamber says it has nowhere else to put the lights, which cost £600 to erect, because it has lost its storage facilities.

But embarrassed residents were were cursing the decorations. Shirley Johnston, 50, a grocery shop worker who has lived in St Austell all her life, said: "I think it's absolutely ridiculous.

"It makes St Austell look like a laughing stock." Other residents said that the having the lights up was an embarrassment. Sibs Williams, 45, a licensee can see the Christmas lights from her pub, the Queen's Head.

"I saw them on Saturday," she said. "I went downstairs and said to my husband, 'you'll never guess what, they're putting the Christmas lights up,' "I bet no other towns have their lights up. It's embarrassing."

The St Austell District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has responsibility for the lights, normally puts the decorations up on the last Tuesday of November.

This year it decided to start the season early because the building used for storing the lights was set to be demolished. Chairman Paul Scott said the he knew the decision would cause controversy.

"We were expecting bad reaction but we had nothing else to do," he said. "They're not doing anyone any harm. It saves you a job later when the weather is more inclement. "We usually put them up in November anyway.

"We are not going to switch them on until the last Tuesday of November, which is the first night that we have late night shopping. It's no more embarrassing than anything else," he added.

Lee Williams, landlord of the Queen's Head for six years said that he could not believe no storage was available for the lights.

"I have to say that it would have to come down to complete disorganisation. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. They say that there is no where to store them but let's face it there's got to be somewhere to store them.

"If I had somewhere I would rather store them there than have the embarrassment. We all think that Christmas is commercial enough."

Another resident, who did not wish to be named said: "I am not happy with it - a lot of residents won't be happy about it. "The summer hasn't even ended yet."

Always earlier the better unless its sex related.

Haha, they are eager.

 

Christmas has become so commercial now it's sickening. I mean it's been this way for a long time but it's rapidly getting worse.

 

My friend works in the marketing dept. for a HiFi/TV chain and he has to have the Christmas deals campaign, including decorations and posters avertising the offers, sent out to the stores this week.

 

Plus at my local Tesco :( I saw a delivery truck with new Christmas adverts on the side.

 

Shame...I really like Winter and Christmas but it seams like people have become a slave to it.

Haha, they are eager.

 

Christmas has become so commercial now it's sickening. I mean it's been this way for a long time but it's rapidly getting worse.

 

My friend works in the marketing dept. for a HiFi/TV chain and he has to have the Christmas deals campaign, including decorations and posters avertising the offers, sent out to the stores this week.

 

Plus at my local Tesco :( I saw a delivery truck with new Christmas adverts on the side.

 

Shame...I really like Winter and Christmas but it seams like people have become a slave to it.

 

You know for once I agree with you Gareth. Christmas has become so commercial these days.

 

I was shopping in tesco today and they already have some of their christmas displays out (for oversized boxes of biscults etc). As soon as halloween (another pointless 'holiday' is out of the way than the shops will be going christmas mad.

 

Which is a shame because this year I'm doing all my christmas shopping online.

Haha, they are eager.

 

Christmas has become so commercial now it's sickening. I mean it's been this way for a long time but it's rapidly getting worse.

 

My friend works in the marketing dept. for a HiFi/TV chain and he has to have the Christmas deals campaign, including decorations and posters avertising the offers, sent out to the stores this week.

 

Plus at my local Tesco :( I saw a delivery truck with new Christmas adverts on the side.

 

Shame...I really like Winter and Christmas but it seams like people have become a slave to it.

 

That's why I don't "do" Christmas any more. I'm hoping to go skiing at Christmas again this year!!;)