IT may still only be the start of October, but it seems Christmas has come early this year – with mixed results.

One hotel in Dublin has put up its festive decorations, despite the fact Hallowe'en is still almost a month away.

The 123-year-old Central Hotel on Dublin's Exchequer Street now boasts a Christmas tree, which has resulted in a few raised eyebrows from guests and passers-by.

General manager Myles Tuthill said he decided to start the merriment early in a bid to encourage more optimism among visitors.

"The reason we have put up the tree is to bring a bit of brightness and optimism to people and show them there is actually something to look forward to down the line, and that it is not too far away. We are a relatively small hotel and it is a cosy addition."

According to Tuthill, reaction to the early erection of the Christmas tree has ranged from anger to excitement.

"One guy tried to kick the tree down, but then we had guests and tourists who were getting their picture taken with it, so it has been one extreme to the other. Most people seem to think it is wonderful and agree that it brings a bit of sparkle and bit of excitement."

The tree is in the hotel's library bar. "You could say the bar is quirky and unusual anyway, so it does not look out of place," Tuthill said.

The manager does not believe it is too early to start Christmas celebrations.

"People are going through a very rough time financially, and we are aware that this is the time of year when parents are shelling out massive amounts of money sending their kids back to school. It is very tough, but the summer is gone, it is getting darker earlier and for all those reasons it makes sense to start a little bit earlier," he said.

Meanwhile, toy companies have begun to release lists of the top 10 toys on children's Santa letters and supermarkets have already begun their festive promotional campaigns.

Almost two months ago, the Dublin City Business
Improvement District organisation invited tenders for the re-erection of the Christmas lights to mark the festive season in the city.