And here we are. That odd stage in the calendar where discombobulation abounds. The second week in November always feels like a curious hinterland, straddling the final sighs of autumn and the first whispers of winter. Neither one nor the other.

The mild temperatures this year are further confusing matters. I stepped out the door into my back garden on Tuesday morning and as I listened to the chirping birdsong, I could have sworn I had been teleported to a spring day in March.

The good news is the fireworks hell of Bonfire Night is at last behind us. But now comes a perennial battleground so predictable you can almost set your watch by it. I’m talking about the thorny question: how early is too early to embrace the spirit of Christmas?

As has become contemporary custom, singer-songwriter Mariah Carey fired the starting pistol for the festive season at midnight on November 1.

Granted, she has a vested interest in getting the show swiftly on the road. Regarded by many as the queen of Christmas – or should........

© Herald Scotland