Wandering around Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent yesterday, I noticed how the Christmas spirit is still split at the moment. There are a lot of empty stores at Bluewater, which probably serves an uncomfortable reminder to retailers that Christmas Cheer could be in short supply this year, however I would think it also shouts to them that they need to change and approach this Christmas in a different way or they could go the same way as the stores gathering dust and junk mail.

Some stores already have their Christmas stock out in full force, some only seem to be giving a passing nod to the annual event, only one seemed to have the Christmas CD playing proud and loud.

Shops get a lot of stick for embracing Christmas too early with the "lights in September" and all that, but I think it's acceptable, if not expected to be 'Christmassy' once you've knocked Hallowe'en and Bonfire night on the head. I would have expected this weekend to have been a festival of kitsch, I wanted to see everything Bluewater had to offer to all those Christmas shoppers not daft enough to visit there in December. But yet there was not a single giant wicker reindeer adorning any of the roundabouts and the summer garden was still being advertised on the giant vinyls.

John Lewis seems to have a good approach this year, by showcasing some new softer colour themes for Christmas, they are encouraging us all to part with small amounts of money but in doing so we'll need to change all our decorations - quite a clever idea, but not one that's going to get you in the door... although the new Waitrose Foodhall seems to be doing a good job of that, I guess it seems cheap against the John Lewis cafe.

The Christmas Magic store has re-opened, staff fresh from their 10 month summer holiday in Tenerife, or Gravesend. No sign of the wrap-your-presents stand yet, but it can't be long. The Kite shop is long gone, Curry's is still shiny from it's refit and Dorothy Perkins was the only place we could find a decent maternity coat, but bless them all, the shopkeepers are starting to prepare for winter and get their nuts in order. I'm just not sure they're doing it fast and smart enough. It's time to stop singing 'in the bleak midsummer' and group together, bring the shopping public some new twists on proven ideas. We like new, but we crave stability right now.

About the Author

Adam Colthorpe

Adam, his wife and 2 year old daughter live in a late Victorian house in Kent. Having moved in August 2008, they have been breathing life back into the house through a combination of renovation and decoration.