If I say the word ‘Christmas’ then I know I am probably going to get a smelly sock thrown at me but I've already got that tingly feeling inside and I just can't surpress it any longer.

I’m a real Christmas addict and always have been and I'm famous for playing Christmas carols in July. The family usually manage to dampen my Christmas spirit until after the August holiday but from then on there’s no stopping me. Yes, I still go through the motions for Halloween and Bonfire Night, even though they both scare the hell out of me, but deep down I’m chomping at the bit to get on with the major event of my year.

I buy tickets to every carol concert going (well, it’s all in the name so it would be rude not to!) I sign up for any and every school Christmas Fair within a 20 mile radius and even watch the daytime shopping channels to see if they have any fairy lights that I don’t already have. I start asking in stores when they plan to put their directions out and check if they’ve moved the gardening section to make way for Santa’s Grotto.

Cookery books that never see the light of day all year are carefully dusted off and thumbed through- I make pretence of looking at soups and stews first but I’m really dying to get to the Christmas cake page. That’s my favourite. Actually, I don’t make mine from a book I have an old family recipe that I’ve been making for years, but I still like to look at them.

I’ve never made a single dish from Delia Smiths Christmas but I read the book every year-it’s become a tradition. My copy of Clement Moores ‘Twas the night before Christmas’ makes its way downstairs from my ‘special’ cupboard to take its place on the bookshelf in November. I know it word for word, but I like the pictures. My miserable other half won’t let me get my musical advent calendar out until the proper day but I look at it in its box when he’s gone to work.

This year I have been extra exited as I have knitted a whole nativity scene, complete with the baby Jesus and his whole entourage. I haven’t sewn it up yet but I can't wait. I already have a wooden stable with beautiful porcelain figures in but I’m sure the knitted one will have great panache and stop the children from playing with the best one. If anyone points and says ‘who’s that supposed to be’ then I know where I will be sticking my chestnuts! We have several family parties nearer the time and I’ve managed to persuade a few friends to sing Carols on the lawn for mine to greet the guests.

I don’t care what the neighbours say I am going to sing! What’s the use of knowing every word to every Carol if you’re never going to use them? My other half refuses to accompany us on one of his many guitars (what other use have they?) as he prefers to do Metallica covers and anyway, I wouldn’t let him even if he offered as he refuses point blank to wear the lovely shepherds outfit I made for him. I’m not sure if it was the costume or the sandals he objected to. Actually, I think he was offended that I didn’t make him one of the three wise men but I didn't have any gold, frankincense or myrrh lying about!

Anyway I am too busy worrying about what I can wear for Christmas Dickensian Day in our local village to care. (I’ve made him a costume for that too but he doesn’t know it yet -I think I’ll just surprise him) If I play my cards right and bribe him with chocolate I might manage to persuade my three year old nephew to dress up as a baby lamb, he has a cute little face and usually goes about on all fours anyway so I think he’ll do it.

I’ve told the teenagers that vampires are strictly for Halloween so they’d better turn up in something more appropriate this year. They usually look like characters from Twighlight but am not having that. They can come as elves and jolly well enjoy themselves. I’m off to see if the local Garden centre have got their act together and put the baubles out yet, last week it was still full of plants would you believe. You just can’t get the staff!