YES, I believe that Christmas is far too commercial nowadays (Debate, December 10).

It is ridiculous for cards and decorations to be appearing in October, as they were this year.

Also, the media, especially television and the Internet, are full of gift ideas so that people are pressurised to start spending money long before the event.

Small wonder that huge credit card debts are accrued by people who cannot resist the spend, spend, spend merry-go-round.

One fact horrified me: apparently £826 was spent by every Briton at Christmas 2001.

Now, I am not rich, or a big spender, but I do enjoy buying presents and cards and plan extra special meals over the festive season. There is no way, though, that I spend anything like £826, and I am far better off than millions of people in this country.

Either the figure of £826 was snatched out of the air, like I suspect many statistics are, or there are millions of people around with more money than sense.

Christmas is now used by unscrupulous people to make as much money as possible, without caring in the least that vulnerable people are tempted to overspend and become overwhelmed with debts they have no hope of paying off.

What I did find heart-warming, though, was to read that religion still plays an important part in many people's lives, with over a quarter of the population going to church at Christmas.

I would like Christmas to officially start everywhere during the last week in November. Then the season would still be special and people could have a few hectic weeks preparing and planning.

Certainly there should be no media hype about Christmas until six weeks before the 25th.

Heather Causnett,

Escrick Park Gardens,

Escrick, York.

....NICK Brown would say that Christmas is not too commercial as he is in a very good financial position. I know from working in the retail supermarket environment that owners of all large firms at this time of year rub their hands together and think of profits.

You can tell just by the number of large stores which open on Boxing Day, that money is all that motivates them. October arrives and all the large stores start thinking about Christmas.

What happens one week after Christmas: hot cross buns. I bet when you go into Tesco's immediately after Boxing Day there won't be a Christmas decoration up, or any reminder that it is still the season of goodwill. Humbug!

Colin Henson,

Moorcroft Road,

York.

Updated: 17:36 Friday, December 13, 2002