Summer may have only just ended, but for many that means one thing: It's time to start planning for Christmas.
Half of shoppers have already begun buying presents, a survey reveals.
Three quarters said the early start to the shopping was an attempt to spread the cost of the festive season.
The survey also revealed that a third of shoppers are planning to spend considerably less than last year, with 80 per cent of people saying they hope to spend up to ?250 less this year.
The average spend on Christmas presents in 2008 was ?320 per person.
A spokesman for Asda, who commissioned the research, said: 'With only three more pay days until Christmas, many of our customers have started their festive shopping earlier than ever in a bid to spread the costs this year.
'People might think we're crazy for selling gifts already, but our customers are telling us it's what they want so we're doing all we can to help them.'
The Asda survey, of 8,000 men and women, found that more than one in ten - 11 per cent - wouldn't be sending any Christmas cards, with more than half saying it was an attempt to save money.
However, shoppers are not the only ones who are preparing for the festive season well in advance. Last month, council chiefs in Rochdale put up their official Christmas lights four months early.
Shoppers keeping cool in T- shirts and shorts were stunned to see workmen putting up the decorations, which included a giant Noel sign and festive candles.
Bizarrely, the council defended its move saying the display will also be used to mark festivals celebrated by other faiths, including the Muslim festival of Eid - even though the lights only refer to Christmas.
But some are fighting back against the growing trend for festive decorations and shopping promotions to appear ever earlier.
The Movement for the Containment of Christmas has sent letters to stores telling them not to sell festive until November. Last month the group glued shut the door of a shop run by Mind, the mental health charity.
The manager of the shop in Leeds, who asked not to be named, said: 'A man phoned and said our lock had been glued because we were selling Christmas cards far too early.
'He said if we pass the shop and we see you are still selling Christmas cards we will glue the lock up until the cards are removed.
'We have removed our current Christmas cards sales display for the moment. This is great pity as we have been selling off last year's stock and making ?70 a week for charity.'
Nice one 
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