Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall? Or, at the very least, a calendar with “ONLY 80 SLEEPS UNTIL THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY” on it?

And, if you are, do you feel any guilt? Or are you happy to count down to the holidays, recognising them as your well-earned break from the pressures of school life?

That’s the question Shannen Doherty, a Year 4 teacher in south London, has been asking herself this week.

“Is it appropriate?” she asks. “Does it paint the profession in a bad light if teachers are constantly looking forward to their next break? Or is it completely normal to look forward to the holidays?”

After some soul-searching, and consultation with colleagues, she says the key is looking forward to the holidays while also being clear that you love your job.

“As long as we’re not giving anyone the impression we don’t want to be at school every day, what’s the harm in looking forward to some well-earned rest?”

So, don’t feel bad about wishing it could be Christmas every day. Although, having said that, it’s not even half-term yet. So maybe hold off on the candy canes and Santa hats until after the Halloween pumpkins have been cleared away…