I was shocked to see pictures of Christmas trees going up all over Instagram this week.

It’s the beginning of November – seriously people, calm down.

It reminds me of my gap year when I worked in the Christmas section of a large department store.

From August to December, I lugged around 6ft ‘Real Look’ Norwegian Spruces while tetchy, tomato-faced shoppers shouted at me to ‘get a bloody move on’.

Months on end of Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.

But the worst part by far was the single Christmas CD on a loop for the whole four months.

Forget waterboarding. This was pure torture.

To this day, whenever I hear Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ I find myself automatically trying to demonstrate the ‘strobe’ function on the nearest set of fairy lights.

Look, let’s face it, Christmas should only last a week, or a fortnight at most. Ok, maybe three weeks if you’re really spoiling yourself.

That’s more than enough time to get annoyed with your family, eat your weight in Stilton and fall asleep in front of Elf with a pint of Baileys.

And it’s not just your waistline that suffers when Christmas starts too early.

It’s the same in business.

If you start slowing down too early your sales will seriously suffer.

A whole load of business can still be done this year. And even if you aren’t closing deals you can still be planning for Q1 2020 (remember that 90-day sales cycle).

Don’t kid yourself that it’s time to put your feet up and mainline Mr Kipling’s 6-pack of mince pies just yet.

So, even if you’re a Christmas fanatic and have bought and wrapped all your presents already (you’re a monster btw), try and be a little more Scrooge in your sales.

Keep pushing as long as you can this year and you’ll have a much Happier New Year because of it.

Bah humbug.