AT the weekend I committed the ultimate sin.

No, I did not put a spoon in the knife drawer. It's worse.

I came home on Sunday after a day out and switched on the film Elf.

Now everyone knows how much I love this glorious movie - I even wrote about my obsession with it last December - but this misguided viewing was too early.

It got to the part where Buddy finds the world's best cup of coffee and I had to switch it off. The whole thing felt contrived: I don't have a Christmas tree up, I haven't dug my party Suzie out, I haven't heard Fairytale of New York yet, or protested too much about wearing a paper hat.

But I'll tell you where the festive season is in full swing ... on TV and in one home in Highburgh Road, which already has its bauble-laden tree up.

For the past five weeks we've been having Christmas adverts shoved down our throats.

It's no wonder we're all peaking too soon.

Hallowe'en wasn't even out the road and we were hearing sleigh bells.

By my calculations, it should be Christmas Day right about now, we've been waiting long enough.

The first ads I spotted were the unremarkable supermarket ones, with Peter Andre telling us to buy pigs in blankets.

They can be pushed to the back of the mind, though because, be honest, pigs in blankets can be eaten at any time of year.

But then came the over-rated adverts, that hit us like snowballs.

I'm talking about Monty the penguin advertising John Lewis's wares.

Remember when the start of Christmas used to be signalled by a secret Santa draw?

Well now it all hinges on which tear-jerking moment the advertising folks dream up next.

Everyone went mad for the wee boy's imaginary penguin who wanted a girlfriend.

BUT the winner this year has not been John Lewis but Sainsbury's.

I have to admit, I haven't seen this advert in full on TV - I've only seen it on Channel 4 show Gogglebox.

Even then my eyes were dampened watching other people get upset at the ad, which tells the story of a game of football played in the middle of the Great War.

It's a good one.

Still, it's not December yet so why bother?

Is it because these adverts cost so much money they feel they have to get the use out of them?

Or are the retail bosses moving Christmas into November and nobody's told us?

Maybe the Boxing Day sale adverts will start when December finally begins.

Now the sales are something I can get on board with - Christmas can't come soon enough.