I was walking through a garden centre close to my home, with September digits still in single figures, and racks of Christmas cards confronted me. I’m sure not so long ago shops would have held off at least until bonfire night before dangling the tinsel in front of our noses. But now the race seems to be on to see who can get the mince pies (or Christmas cards) out first. And I will do my best this year to make sure my Christmas shopping is done locally, but it will be at Christmas time – not September! But once upon a time so did the idea of stocking up on Christmas cards while the leaves were still on the trees.