A mum from Derby has put her Christmas tree up five months early, as the UK experienced a 30-degree heatwave. Kelly Jones, 46, says Christmas is her favourite holiday and she was looking for an excuse to decorate early.
Early decorations
Kelly, a full-time carer, first got the idea two years ago to put up her tree during the summer but decorate it for autumn. This year, she decided there was no time like the present and hauled the tree out of storage on July 16, as she was sick of the heat and wanted to create a 'cosy' atmosphere.
Images show her posing with her Christmas tree while surrounded by other decorations and even Halloween items such as pumpkins. The mum-of-three admits her friends and family think she's 'crazy', but her kids love the decorations and say the house looks like Santa's grotto.
Christmas all year round
Kelly has even finished most of her Christmas shopping, claiming she starts preparing in January. She watches Christmas films and listens to festive songs all year round, and is already planning recipes for the festive break.
Kelly said: "I've always loved Christmas, it's my favourite season of all. A couple of years ago I was thinking, 'I wish I could put my tree up early'. Then I got the idea, 'what if I put it up but decorate it for autumn?'. It was a good excuse to get my Christmas tree up.
"I put the Christmas tree up with the lights and decorated the whole room autumn-themed. I've been doing that for a couple of years. I'm so fed up with the heat, I am craving cosy Christmas vibes. I thought 'I'm going to manifest it and I'm going to get the tree up'.
"I start Christmas shopping in January and I put away £20 a month to go towards my Christmas decorations. All the kids love it, they say it's like Santa's grotto. Everyone says I'm crazy, all my friends can't believe it.
"I'm massively Christmas-obsessed. I listen to Christmas music all year round and I watch Christmas films all year round. I like Home Alone, the Polar Express, all the love stories that are really cute. I love it, I can't wait. I'm already looking at what recipes I might be doing."
All-out decorations
Kelly goes all out at the end of October when she takes out her entire collection of Christmas decorations. The mum said every room in the house is full of ornaments and lights, including two 6ft-tall nutcrackers.
Kelly said she loves the holiday as it brings the family together and wants to start having her tree up all year round. She said: "It takes me weeks to decorate - every room in the house is done for Christmas. My idea for next year is to have it up all year round and theme it around spring and summer, so I never have to take the Christmas tree down.
"We have lights everywhere, ornaments - everywhere is done up. I love the films and the hot chocolate, I love all the bakes and the cosy, homey vibes. I swore that when I had children, I would always do something big at Christmas, it would be my thing. It's just nice being with family. I've got older children that don't live at home and for me it's that time that brings us all together."
Kelly posted a video online that has racked up more than 85,000 views, with viewers mesmerised by her decorations. One wrote: "Can I commission you to come decorate my house, I wish mine looked like that." Another commented: "In loooove! I wish my house looked like this all year round." A third added: "Wow this is so beautiful."
