Hi,

Seem to have missed this thread, so sorry for being a bit late:

Foxy~
What's the official time to begin Xmas ??
The first Sunday of Advent...........which was yesterday (27/11/2005). "Advent" is from the Latin and roughly translated (hell it is almost 40 years since I studied Latin) means "beginning", "run up", "precursor" or whatever.

Go to your local supermarket and snag yourself a chocolate "Advent Calendar"...........I am afraid you cannot get beer ones

Basically it starts 5 Sundays before Christmas, unless Christmas is on a Sunday also, in which case it is 4 weeks before.

As for shopping, I do it throughout the year. Given the agegroup, occupational group or geographical location (shipping problems), there is no way I can do anything but consumables shopping at the last moment.