'The word should be banned until December 1' - 10 things you said about starting Christmas shopping early

Responding to our latest Facebook poll – about whether you think it is too early to start buying presents – some of you confessed to beginning your shopping the previous Boxing Day.

Yet at the time of writing, around 55% of you still felt September was too soon to begin ticking off your shopping list.

Here is how you reacted on social media:

Peter Ord said: “Far too early to be promoting Xmas.”

Chris Hall added: “The word Christmas or Xmas should be banned until December 1st.”

Valerie Gilbert argued: “Never too early. I usually start in the Boxing Day sales and Jan sales for the following Christmas

Pam Birch said: “I pay for vouchers every month from October to September then spend them.”

Barry Ward had a similar policy, and said: “Get the big ones in now for the kids so they are out the way and then the closer it gets get the smaller insignificant things.”

Marie Judson said: “I start as early as I can to take the stress of December away so i can enjoy Christmas fully.”

Holly Rose James added: “We get most of our Christmas and birthdays shopping in the January sales every year. Saves a tonne of money.”

While John Grenfell is not against people buying presents when they want, he feels the shops themselves go too far too soon.

He wrote: “I couldn't care less when anyone chooses to do Christmas shopping. What I hate with a passion is Xmas displays, decorations and that wretched seasonal tape appearing in shops before the autumn half term.”

Jason Bainbridge confessed: “I’m all done. Just waiting for the big man to make an appearance.”

We leave the final word – for now – to Simon Brian Jobson, who wrote: “I prefer to leave my shopping until around 12pm on the 24th December.

“It adds a little bit of excitement to the ordeal.”