As Victor Meldrew would say – I don’t believe it!

Basking in the middle of a wonderful heatwave (and if I here one more person moaning about the hot weather I will scream) up pops an email.

Musical Christmas – Christmas with the Covent Garden Soloists.

It is a joke I think, but no this truly is my first Christmas email, inviting me to enjoy an evening of music and fine dining in the State Dining Room on board The Royal Britannia this coming December.

If I want to spent around £500 I can enjoy a weekend in Edinburgh which includes being piped on board the royal yacht, cocktails and canapés in the ship’s drawing room and then a delicious four-course dinner interspered with popular carols, festive music and comic songs performed by accomplished artistes in the State Dining Room.

It’s bad enough that I am being bombarded at work with autumn catalogues from top fashion houses and back to school tips for busy mums.

It’s the beginning of July and I just beginning to turn my attention to our summer holiday in Devon in a couple of weeks time.

I truly don’t want to be reminded that the summer is much too short. I have seven glorious weeks when, although I may be working, I don’t have to think about packing kids’ lunchboxes, ironing uniforms or making sure they have done their homework or have their PE kit packed.

All too soon it will be September, the treadmill will start again and I will have the added misery of facing my daughter going off to university on top of the prospect of cold dark days yet again.

Thank you, Royal Yatch Britannia, but even if I could afford you, I don’t want to think about Christmas just yet.

By Sue Austin