The Spar in Neath has heralded the coming of Christmas by putting its traditional advent calendars on sale this week, marking 100 days until the big day.
The calendars contain 24 bottles of Stella Artois behind numbered cardboard windows, with each one individually finished by a member of staff using a Stanley knife.
The traditional Neath advent calendar. Some windows appear to have opened ahead of schedule.
“We like to preserve the magic of Christmas,” said store manager Brian Evans. “You open a little door each morning and discover what’s inside. It’s Stella, obviously, but we mix the numbers up to keep it interesting.”
Staff have reminded customers that the first window should remain closed until December 1.
“I thought we’d started.”
Local resident who wished to remain anonymous admitted he had already reached December 9.
“It’s confusing putting them out in September,” Terry Davies, 56, said. “I thought we’d started. My wife says I’ve ruined Christmas, but she says that most years and usually I have to wait until the actual day.”
The store confirmed that replacement calendars were available for customers whose first one had suffered “an unexpectedly short Advent”.
A luxury edition is also being considered.
“It’s exactly the same,” explained Mr Evans. “But we’ll put a bow on it and charge another six quid.”
