Christmas comes early to London's top stores

That´s crazy. Why not just have Xmas sales all year round.

1st place in the northern hemisphere to start celebrating Christmas this year. Wow!

There were also reports that the July openings were engineered to beat the early start of the Muslim festival Ramadan, a month-long fast which begins on August 1 this year, 11 days earlier than in 2010. London’s Evening Standard newspaper reported a “Ramadan rush” in the city’s department stores. “We do expect our Middle East customers to come this weekend, just before Ramadan starts and they will probably come back once it ends,” said Geraldine James, buying manager in charge of the Christmas department at Selfridges.

France's ban on the veil - not much multiculturalism in that country! - has been a boon for London stores and tourism.

You've got to be kidding me? Who's running these store's 12 year old kids?

gogogo - I'd say 9-year-old kids.

As long as it does not become a regular thing, I am okay with this break in the meloncholy. If it happens again next year though...

The best time to do X-mas shopping is about now but not much longer. The dollar is cheap and the winter clothes and shoes are all on sale.

I guess business is business but there's no way I can get into the Christmas mood when it's sweltering outside. If there's one reason I could never live in the Southern Hemisphere it's Christmases in the Summer. No thank you.

Let me say this, as a Brit...

We have to open our Christmas shops early so that Muslims can buy their Christmas things before Ramadan. Then, we can't put "Merry Christmas" on signs because it might offend them. To me, this just doesn't seem logical.

Note: I'm not racist or religionist - in fact, I'm the total opposite.