There are many readers who will remember the excitement of 8 December – for a long time, that’s when Christmas really started. Traditionally known as Margadh Mór, or the Big Market, the name itself describes the beginning of the festive shopping season – whether that was securing the live turkeys for the Christmas table or more recently, heading up to the Big Smoke to get the fancy Christmas crackers.

Nowadays though, we’re into the Christmas spirit once November hits and most gift are bought before December as we’ve steadfastly embraced the American consumer holiday that is Black Friday.

Let’s be honest, it can all seem a bit mad and it would be easy for my pen to guide itself in a bah humbug rant. That is until I recently found myself on a surprisingly enjoyable festive weekend away in Galway. My best pal from school lives in Glasgow and our busy schedules mean we only see each other a handful of times a year. And so our approach is to condense months of missed calls and interrupted text messages into an intensive, uninterrupted 48-hour catch up – don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it, it’s quite therapeutic.

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Which brings me to our somewhat premature festive weekend wandering around the Galway Christmas market. And I have to say I was quite charmed by it all. Cute little Christmas chalets formed a wooden perimeter around Eyre Square against a background of twinkling lights, while subtle tunes created a festive atmosphere as we wandered from stall to stall. We took our time chatting to vendors – I got some cute little heatable cuddly toys for the kids, delicious Grá chocolates from Gráinne Mullins and a few personalised decorations to remember the trip. We had fun bartering and it felt good to put money directly into the maker’s hands.

Cute little Christmas chalets formed a wooden perimeter around Eyre Square against a background of twinkling lights, while subtle tunes created a festive atmosphere as we wandered from stall to stall

It was tough but we resisted the temptation of the crépes as we had a booking in the always fantastic Kai restaurant. Jess Murphy creates something akin to a winter hug with her stout-braised Jacob’s latter beef shortrib served with Cais na Tire polenta and the fried spelt added a nice crunch to the dish. Then we walked the short way back to the lovely and convenient Galmont Hotel, where we were guests, and enjoyed a nightcap under the impressive Christmas tree.

Our weekend even consisted of a morning learning how to weave. Guided by Sarah Jenkinson, a contemporary basket maker with a passion for an ancient tradition, we weaved a Christmas star made from Irish willow. Fusing the old and new, we added lights to our sustainable and environmentally friendly decoration.

It sounds like Christmas magic, right? But here’s the thing, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much in December. It all seems to get a little bit manic once we get closer to the big day – lots of rushing around, people exhausted from the forced Christmas cheer and stressed from the crowds.

In early November though, there wasn’t any of that pressure. The markets were busy but not crowded, the mood was festive, even the rain stayed away, a Christmas miracle in itself.

So, if you haven’t dipped your toe into the festive season yet, I get it, it still feels a little early. But maybe you’ll surprise yourself that the longer, more relaxed run into Christmas makes things all the more enjoyable.