You can run but you can't hide

It's going to happen. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you protest, no matter how many tantrums you throw, no matter the lengths you go to in order to avoid talking about it. It is going to happen.

You can whine about it, you can cry about it, you can piss and moan and swear and stomp and stress about it but it won't change a thing. It is going to happen.

People will despair but it will still happen. People will lament but it will still happen. People will scowl but it will still happen.

It. Is. Going. To. Happen.

Christmas is coming and you can't stop it.

Every year around this time you get the usual crowd of grinches trying to halt the onset of the festivities. Like Christmas Canutes they attempt to stop the tides of time. United they may stand, grim resolution etched upon their determined faces as they chant "bah humbug" but united they will fall.

They will fall.

Instead of embracing the inevitable they begin an unwinnable battle. With a steely glint in their eyes they ignore each passing week. Their war cry can be heard across the land "It's not even December yet".

Some may relent slightly and give in to the temptation of a yuletide latte, others may be unable to resist the temptation of the lebkuchen that begins to appear on supermarket shelves but there will be no ground given in terms of presents or wrapping.

By the beginning of December the weakest troops will have given up their fight. Bullied into submission by partners wanting to get things planned, kids writing letters to Santa and the office elf bringing in mince pies.

Mid-December will arrive and by now only the strongest will remain. The decorations in every window and festive songs playing from every speaker in the land will have seen off the lesser scrooges but the crusade will continue for the hardened ebeneezers. THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME. NO I DON'T WANT A MINCE PIE. GET THAT TINSEL OFF MY DESK.

Soon enough it's Christmas Eve and thus begins the yearly defeat. Begrudgingly they traipse into town armed with pointy elbows, a snarl and a hopeless sense of misery. They'll have no idea what to buy, which shops are doing offers or how much things cost. Despite sharing the shopping battleground with their fellow cold hearted comrades there is no spirit of solidarity only a ruthless desperation to get things done. Buy the presents, get the wrapping paper, stop off at the butchers to beg for whatever they have left, resist the urge to murder the people hogging the cheese aisle at the supermarket, get home to wrap the gifts, remember you haven't bought sellotape, scream, head back out to find the only tape available is masking tape, buy it anyway, hastily scribble the gift tags, remember you haven't bought anything for your nephew, stick a tenner in a card, collapse exhausted, realise you've not finished everything, scream again, declare that you hate Christmas.

By this point the rest of us will be looking on with a sense of pity. We'll have thought of all the ideal presents to bring a huge smile to our loved ones faces and we'll have wrapped them all beautifully. Our fridges will be full to the brim of delicious treats, the veggies will be prepped, the turkey will be wrapped in bacon and we'll be sitting down relaxing with a Christmas tipple looking forward to waking up the next morning.

It's going to happen so do yourself a favour and accept this fact. There's nothing wrong with starting early. Save yourself the hassle of leaving everything to the last minute. You might find that you realise what you've been missing and that you actually love Christmas. Eliminate the stress, enjoy yourself.