Ahead of the crowd

When one of my sons decided, a couple of years ago, that Christmas was taking too long to come around, he decided that his own playlist version of ‘That’s what I call Christmas’ was acceptable listening in the middle of July. No end of pleading or persuasion would shake him from his cause. He was fully ready and prepared for his favourite time of the year and he was, unfortunately for the rest of the family, ahead of the game. His dedication, if not slightly irritating, was admirable.

It led me to think about how some adults are similar to him i.e. they do all their gift shopping before the rest of us have even remembered ‘Black Friday’. The smug satisfaction they feel as they see the world go into December overdrive must be, well, intoxicating.

However, this is not just a Christmas issue. It has a knock on effect. We do the very same with our holiday plans.

“How can I possibly even think about my trip next summer when I’ve got stripy socks, cinnamon scented candles, selection boxes and Lynx gift sets to buy!”

January and February are busy booking months in my world. The festive season comes to an abrupt end and we start to think of what else we can look forward to. It’s also beyond cold outside and we need to dream of warmer days. The thing is, you’re not alone and the race for securing the perfect holiday begins… and it’s competitive.

“If only I’d thought about doing this in November!”

Well, there are benefits in doing so: - Get the flight times you want, not what is left over - Technology now creates price rises as holidays fill - Free child places are more prevalent - More hotel room types available (Sea view or Car park view?) - Less chance of losing availability as you make your final decision to book

My advice is to ‘get ahead of the crowd’ and, like those early gift buyers, enjoy the moment when casually telling friends and family about where you’re going next year, across the festive dinner table.

As for my son, I get the feeling as he gets older that he’ll approach his holiday plans like he approaches Christmas, and I don’t blame him. I just hope he doesn’t start playing the ‘Macarena’ or ‘Summer Holiday’ six months in advance!