We’re calling it. Christmas is officially coming.

It’s never too early to start getting ready for Christmas – here’s why.

You can beat the rush

Never-ending queues, lack of parking and empty shelves can dampen Christmas spirits – but you can avoid all of these by getting organised early! Start by writing up the lists of gifts or decorations you want this year, then work out exactly where you need to get each one from.

There’s enough delivery time

If you’ve ordered some amazing new solar lights to line your driveway this year, the more time you allow for delivery, the better. Getting your order in early means you’ll be signing for the parcel before most people have even thought about the decorations they might want this year.

You’ve got testing time

Do you have an out-of-the-box decoration idea for your home this year? The earlier you start planning and testing your idea, the more likely you’ll be able to make a big impact. Just make sure you’re decorating safely and having fun in the process.

There’s processing time

When registering for our Xmas Lights Trail as a decorator, it’s useful to know that your profile can take up to 3 days to appear after you’ve hit the “submit” button. Don’t leave it until the last minute to get organised, start updating or preparing your profile now so you’ve got everything ready to go when it’s time to switch on in December.

More time to make a difference

If you’re decorating your house and supporting a charity this year, now could be the perfect time to get in touch with your chosen charity directly. They might have guidelines to follow or have stickers, official donation boxes or pins and merchandise you could sell as part of your fundraising efforts. There’s even a chance they would be willing to share your house profile through their social media channels (once the competition has begun) to help you attract more visitors or votes.