Christmas 'started' in early August this year when Santa – and his zebra – opened the Christmas shop at Harrods, a full 138 shopping days ahead of Christmas day.
Mid-summer attacks on the growing commercialisation of Christmas were followed by autumn controversy over multiculturalism and religious identity. Now it's the season of headlines on the secularisation of Christmas, sparked by the Post Office's decision to have only secular images on this year's Christmas stamps - Santa, a snowman and a reindeer.
Despite the controversy and the ever-earlier lead-up to Christmas, the holiday should remain an important part of the nursery calendar, say early years experts. Banishing, scaling down or taking a secular approach to Christmas celebrations would be a mistake, according to Anita Ganeri, who has written numerous books introducing children to the major world religions.
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