Hard as it may seem to believe (where has this year gone?), Christmas is well and truly upon us.

As one of the few people who openly admit to loving the festive season, complete with all its glitter, tinsel, hectic preparations and rush round the Christmas events, I’m loving it.

I’ve been making – and eating – mince pies, and indulging in lots of watching TV ‘cookery porn’ to glean some new ideas for what to serve up this year. And I’ve sung my first Christmas carols, maybe not terribly tunefully but very enthusiastically.
But first comes the Christmas shopping. One thing I have noticed is that the shops seem busier earlier this year. 

Black Friday last week saw queues outside local stores as people tried to snap up bargains. There were some to be had locally, and well done to those who made the most of them.

It seems to me that lots of people this year are dividing their Christmas shopping between doing some of it locally, and the rest online, rather than taking trips to out-of-town malls or faraway towns and doing everything in one hit.

That’s got to be good, because it is perfectly possible to get your Christmas goodies in our Wiltshire towns, whether at larger stores or the independent shops whose owners have done some of the hard work for us by getting really good quality stock in at affordable prices, helping us spend money in the local economy and save time.

Trowbridge was crowded with shoppers on Saturday, and towards the end of the afternoon hundreds of people turned up to see the Christmas lights switched on.

The lights themselves might have changed over the years, as hard-pressed councils and businesses try to do their best without spending money when their budget is as tight as everyone else’s. As darkness fell there were people flocking into town, many walking in from their homes with youngsters well wrapped up against the cold.

And if the search for bargains is leading lots of us on to the internet, well all those parcels still have to be delivered, keeping the posties and couriers in work. It’s almost like getting an extra present yourself, having gifts delivered, with the thrill of opening the package and discovering that yes, it does match the picture and description and you’re sure someone will love it. As I shopped I found lots of other people were also clearly watching the pennies and taking time over their choices.

It seems as if having to be more careful about how we spend money is making us resist the ‘quick-fix Christmas present’, things created just for the festive season, and putting time into hunting out something we think family, friends and relatives really need, or will appreciate the thought behind.

It’s not the easiest thing to do, but it is a great feeling when you find – or receive – the perfect present.