'It's Too Early To Talk About Christmas They Say!'

Since my last post I have been getting quite a bit of flack for even thinking of the festive season in October HA HA.

While I have every sympathy with those who chastise me for 'talking about Christmas when we haven't even had Guy Fawkes Night yet', it is a fact of life that for a lot of people (including me) on low incomes it is imperative to start thinking of Christmas shopping as early as October. I know quite a few of you start shopping for next years gifts even as early as the January sales but I do try to get my 'Christmas gift list mojo working' around this time in order to give me as much time to a) find the money for the items I need and b) to ensure I don't get into a mad panic at the last minute. December is always a special time of the year with all the decorations and Christmas lights and so I love to be free of stress and be able to simply 'think good thoughts' during that month and enjoy the Christmas fairs, activities and the general build up.

I HAVE made a small start to my christmas gift list this year but its slow progress at the moment. With this in mind I've been browsing on Amazon.co.uk and have found a few new Christmas albums out shortly to tell you about!

Now, what guy wouldn't like to wake up to Kylie Minogue in his (or hers!) Christmas stocking(s)! Well, Kylie has a new Christmas album due out on November the 13th simply called 'Kylie Christmas'.  The album looks like being the usual combination of old festive favourites and originals and will be available in both a normal CD and a CD 'Deluxe' version featuring a DVD.

The album includes a duet with Frank Sinatra apparently! This quite a feat seeing as 'old blue eyes' has been dead now for a while but you know how it is these days - modern technology can have you singing along with anyone in a jiffy (not fair to the deceased artists in my opinion though). I've never been a huge Kylie fan but it will be interesting to see what the album is like as Christmas music is about more than the artist who is singing and if a record makes me feel festive i'll buy it!

Now, one lady who always makes me feel festive is the lovely, Kim Wilde. I used to have a HUGE crush on her when I was at school and so I'm glad to see that on November the 6th a 'Deluxe' version of her excellent 'Wilde Winter Songbook' album will be released. As with the Kylie set, the 'Deluxe' version comes with a second disc DVD and considering the first disc also includes a few 'extra tracks' Kim is going to be on my own shopping list again this year.

The extra tracks on the album appear to include a cover of 'Last Christmas' by Wham, a cover of 'Keeping The Dream Alive' by Freiheit, two new Christmas songs and a couple of remixes. Hmm, not sure the remix route is such a good idea Kim but I'd gladly discuss the subject with you under the mistletoe if you like! HA HA

There are also new Christmas sets out soon from Peter Andre (Oct 30th), The Overtones (27th November) and yet another compilation called 'Ultimate Christmas' (Oct 30th) which is a 4 CD budget release featuring a wildly eclectic selection of artists!

Finally, if you want to take a real trip back to the 1970's The Osmonds have a 'new' Christmas album out as well on the 13th of November. The blurb on Amazon suggests it is a new recording but the sleeve makes me wonder if its not a re-release? Anyway, if The Osmond boys are you're thing (or were) then its well worth checking out...

Oh well, back to thinking of October, Guy Fawkes night and all that is to come before we get into Chimneys, Reindeer and my annual dose of 'Arthur Christmas' (they STILL haven't released the game!)

Toodle pip!