Time to put the tree up?

Halloween and Bo n f i re Night are now distant memories and the countdown to Christmas is now well and truly underway in Airdrie and Coatbridge.

With less than four weeks to go until Santa Claus comes down our chimneys and families gather to watch the latest depressing festive storylines in their favourite soaps, Christmas trees and d e c o rat i o n s hav e already started to pop up in homes around Monklands.

Shops and supermarkets stocked their shelves with festive treats and packed their PA systems with Christmas tunes what feels like months ago, but is it too early for houses and gardens to provide their finest winter wonderland impersonations?

This is a question the Advertiser posed to Coatbridge shoppers when out and about in the town.

Pensioner Janice Pitckethley, of Greenhill, has yet to put her tree up – but for a rather unusual reason, explaining: “My dog Heidi would have it down if I put one up!”

But Bargeddie couple Stephen Hogg and Fay Collier, who “love Christmas”, already have their decorations up.

Too early? Christmas trees and decorations have already started to appear