Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

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"It  isn't Christmas shopping unless it is done on Christmas Eve!"

That was what we did in UK when I was a child but it's not the same here.
LOts of atmosphere over there in those days, with lights and decorations all through town, carts selling hot chestnuts, and a huge Christmas tree from Norway in front of the Town Hall.
Also schoolchildren from various schools sang carols on the steps of the Town Hall.
Not to mention the thousands of people having fun and in a good mood - I loved it, and going home loaded with shopping bags.

We then went home and put up our own decorations after tea - paper chains, balloons and crepe paper chains.
Midnight Mass when I was older.