It was amazing to read today that Rochdale has already started putting up its Christmas Lights and that some stores are already putting on Christmas displays. What nonsense. Its hardly surprising that the real message of Christmas is lost when the commercial sector starts driving us mad before the Ashes series has even ended.

In Bath our Christmas lights are turned on at the start of the Christmas Market which starts at the end of Nevember. Plenty of time enough. And this year in Bath it will be all new lights…..

Bath and North East Somerset will be in illustrious company at this winter’s Christmas light switch-on. A firm which has illuminated the Champs Elysee and Eiffel Tower in Paris as well as providing Christmas lights for Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh has been selected as the provider for the district’s own yuletide displays. Blachere see http://www.blachere-illumination.co.uk/about.html

And to add to the fun the opening will be done by anther celebrity newcomer to Bath Nicholas Cage – my favourite film of his – ‘Face Off’ with John Travolta.