Best keep an eye on them

As you turn the corner into our road, there is a house directly in front of you, it is very normal looking; a semi with four windows at the front, one of which you can see into.

There on the mantelpiece was a pretty, small Christmas Tree, no bigger than knee height. It has gold and red baubles on it and a star on the top. It is perfect.

It is also March.

Yep, I saw this tree on the mantle in March shortly after we moved to the village. March. Not December.

Every day as I passed it, it remained. Sat in pride of place on the centre of the mantelpiece, right above the fire. It became so normal that I almost stopped noticing it.

December came and the rest of the street became Christmas decoration crazy, lights everywhere, trees that would be more befitting in a forest than a living room, one house even had a 9 foot inflatable Tigger with a Santa hat on outside the front door. It was Christmas central.

Eagerly I peeked in the Christmas-tree-in-March house window to see what they had done, I mean, if they had a mini tree all year round then what on earth would they do when Christmas time actually round?!

Gingerly I pushed the pram close to their drive, in a nonchalant manner, I pretended to tend to my infant son in the pram (as a quick aside, I often use him like this, kids are great for it, 'Oh no the baby is crying! I will just stop and jiggle the pram while staring at the gorgeous older gentleman in the library...'), where was I? Oh yes, so I sneakily looked up, ready for the wonder....

Nothing.

Even the mini tree was gone.

Bizarre, I thought and then it disappeared from my mind.

Until yesterday when I walked passed again, I couldn't help but look in and there it was, 8 days after Twelfth Night, the mini tree back on the shelf!

I mean, what kind of people have a Christmas themed decoration up all year and then take it down during its month of relevance? What am I dealing with?!

Some of my own Christmas decorations  which were put up and taken down at the appropriate times!