Popping up the Christmas tree and decorating the home with lights and tinsel in the first weekend of December is pretty standard for most households. However, one mum has pipped precisely the whole world to the post by putting hers up already.
Caroline Gabe decided to put her decorations up a whole three months early to cheer up her children who have been in lockdown with her since March.
The mum, 46, from Port Talbot in Wales, has been under strict quarantine with her kids Jack, 23, Harry, 12 and Theo, five, as son Theo has severe asthma after a pneumonia battle last year.
In a bid to cheer up her little ones, Caroline has spent the year buying outdoor lights and installations (some as far away as America) and put them up last week on a whim.
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Now, the outside of their semi-detached home in Caewern is covered top to bottom in over 3,000 fairy lights, sparkling snow, an 8ft inflatable snowman, as well as Santa and his reindeer.
In the living room, the Gabe family have a full sized artificial tree with fake snow for inside festive joy.
Former care worker Caroline says she's had people drive past her home and shake their heads in disapproval, but she says she doesn't care one bit, and has also had neighbours thank her for bringing some cheer to the street.
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"I've had so many people talk to me about them. It has blown me away," she says. "It's just been something nice in a horrible and surreal year.
"I just thought it would brighten the community up. I've got two younger children and it has really put a smile on our faces.
"Every year I am always early with the Christmas decorations. But this is even early for me.
"Since March me and the children have been shielding - we haven't been as far as the park - and I've got to admit it has been a gloomy year.
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"I thought 'bugger it' - I'm going to get the decorations up. The kids were smiling. People were coming up to the house and smiling. It has been lovely.
"Christmas is a fantastic time of year - even in September."
Caroline also has a huge festive T Rex on order from America which will be arriving soon to add to the collection.
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The stay at home mum estimates she's spent just under £1,000 on the decorations and it took her around eight hours to put them up last Monday (7th September).
She added: "The neighbours, they think I'm crackers.
"The majority of them love it. You get the odd car going past and you see them shaking their head, but I just laugh. It makes me want to put more up!
"It's ridiculous what we are all going through. It can get you down. I've been so anxious, but as soon as I put the decorations up, it just lifted my spirits.
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"It's just a bit of normality, crazy normality mind, putting your decorations up in September."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS