(Image: NORTHERN ECHO)
A Christmas tree spotted in the window of a popular County Durham café has raised the question of whether it is too early to start putting up festive decorations.
With Halloween still almost two weeks away, one person walking in Seaham was surprised to see a Christmas tree in the window of Cork & Coffee on the town's seafront.
The discovery was shared on Instagram by The Hardy Life, who questioned whether the festive season was getting underway a little too soon.
Posting a video of the tree after a walk around Seaham, the account wrote: "Is it too early to get the Christmas stuff out?"
They added: "It's not even Halloween yet!"
The sighting comes as Cork & Coffee has been showing off its autumn decorations, with the popular seafront venue embracing the changing seasons.
In posts shared on both Facebook and Instagram, the business revealed its autumn makeover, inviting customers to enjoy the seasonal atmosphere.
The café said: "Autumn has arrived at Cork & Coffee.
"And if you know us, you'll know we like to do things a little extra. A little more beautiful, a little more magical and a whole lot more Cork & Coffee.
"The season has changed, the bar is glowing, and we're ready for cosy mornings, long lunches and evenings spent over good wine and even better company."
The autumn display has attracted positive comments from customers on social media, with several praising the venue's seasonal decorations.
One person commented: "Wonderful, as last year."
Another added: "Looking lovely", while a third described the decorations as "Very autumnal."
One Instagram user wrote: "Wow, love this; looks beautiful."
The business responded to several of the comments, thanking customers for their kind words.
However, the appearance of a Christmas tree before Halloween has raised the familiar question of just how early is too early to begin celebrating Christmas.
One individual said: "It's wrong on so many levels."
"Three months of Christmas, it's too early," added another.
"Autumnal tree?! Please," wrote a third.
Read more
Exact date you should put Christmas tree up in 2026 - experts reveal
Dobbies garden centre early festivities with Christmas event in Teesside this week
County Durham family go all out with 4,000 light Christmas display... in October
With October 31 still to come, some people prefer to wait until Halloween and Bonfire Night are out of the way before putting up their festive decorations, while others are happy to embrace Christmas well before December.
Cork & Coffee, located on Seaham's seafront, opens from 9am each morning for breakfast and coffee, with its main menu available from noon.
The venue also hosts regular events, including Wine Wednesdays, cocktail offers on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings.