00:00I think you can start preparing for Christmas discreetly from August.
00:06I don't like celebrating it until after my birthday, which is today.
00:10So in December is fine for me.
00:13October.
00:15I like it in December as well to start it, yeah, not too early.
00:19Yeah, same with me 12 days before.
00:22For many across Kent, Christmas comes but once a year.
00:25But for this store in Rochester, every day is Christmas Day.
00:29Times Christmas is the UK's largest Christmas store, open seven days a week all year round
00:35and attracts thousands of people just on a weekend.
00:38From every tremendous fur you could wish for, to lights brighter than Rudolph's red nose,
00:43Time Christmas really slays it.
00:46People want that magic, so they're coming out now and going a little bit crazier than they used to.
00:52We've had people travel from Scotland, we've had people travel from Wales,
00:56So we really are all over from people, so.
00:59The store is so enchanting that customers keep coming back for more.
01:03I come here actually quite often if I'm at work and I'm feeling a bit,
01:07then I just come in here and I absolutely love it.
01:11Just take my time walking around, listening to the music.
01:14It's just such a good feel-good factor.
01:17I go back to the office and I feel great.
01:19It's local to me, I live here in Medway Towns.
01:22It's just awesome, fantastic, it's seasonal.
01:25You know, what more could you say about, you go to other shops, there's a little bit of Christmas.
01:31But this is dedicated Christmas, Christmassy crib time.
01:34And even the big man himself had something to say.
01:39I've been doing Santa for all these years.
01:41This is probably my best ever venue.
01:44After doing errands, families, all the top toy shops and garden centres and all of that.
01:51This is the cream of the pie.
01:54But what's driving all this Christmas spending?
01:57Chris Britcher, Kent Online's business editor, says the trend of earlier festive shopping is being fuelled by rising sales events.
02:05According to the Bank of England last year, the average family spent about an extra £700 in December,
02:10which is obviously a significant spending uptick.
02:13It's about 30% up on the normal months of the year.
02:17And, you know, as we all know, a lot of retailers are entirely reliant on that Christmas period
02:22to really boost their revenues and keep them ticking over during the quieter months.
02:27And with year round stores like Time Christmas keeping the festive spirit alive well beyond December,
02:32it's clear that for shoppers and businesses alike, the season of spending never truly melts away.
02:38Nayla Mehmed for KMTV.
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