Summer barely over, children back at school,
The flagging retail sector turns its thoughts to Yule.
As early as September holly first appears
And frenzied ill-judged spending builds as Christmas nears.
Gifts cleverly packaged to part you from your cash
Expensive card and plastic encasing bits of trash!
Extravagance you can’t afford on things you do not need
For people that you do not like, duped by fad and greed.
So much anticipation is bound to end in tears,
Bitter anti-climax, payments in arrears.
Siege mentality creates queues and shelves laid bare,
An artery-clogging food-fest for the overfed to share.
Overwrought, overdraft, overdose, overcast,
The point of it all buried in the distant past.