'Christmas tree in December? Try all year round'

Jane Malyon says every room in her house has "tell-tale signs" of Christmas

A Christmas super fan who keeps her tree up all year round admits her festive way of life strikes a "fine balance of eccentricity and bonkers".

Jane Malyon ensures stockings are filled, presents wrapped and crackers laid on the table 24/7, just in case her adult children come to visit her in White Roding, Essex.

The 67-year-old said George, 35, and Edward, 40, spent most of their lives abroad and would often show up without prior notice.

"The solution seemed to be let’s be in Christmas mode at all times - we call it Christmas standby," Mrs Malyon says.

The mother-of-two, who is speaking to the BBC in front of her fully decorated Christmas tree, concedes she is "seasonally challenged".

"We're not bonkers, we don't have a 20ft inflatable reindeer outside or wear Christmas hats the whole time, but every room has some tell-tale signs," she says.

The table at the Malyon family's house in White Roding, near Chelmsford in Essex, is always decorated with crackers and festive cloth

The inspiration came after both of her children found themselves unable to return home throughout December.

George was too busy travelling the world with the Cirque du Soleil and Edward was in Toronto, Canada, where his partner worked at a hotel, Mrs Malyon says.

On a previous occasion, George had "caught a plane, a coach, two trains and a bus" to spontaneously arrive at the family home.

"They might literally appear and we want to make a fuss of them," she adds.

"So it adapted into always having a Christmas stocking at the ready, always having some presents at the ready and always having a turkey in the freezer.

"Often, without any notice, we go hurtling into mad Christmas mode."

The Christmas enthusiast boasts a wide range of festive songs in her repertoire

However, Mrs Malyon, who runs a cream tea company, admits her and husband Roger, 68, are "old enough to know better".

"I do agree I'm seasonally challenged, I'll accept that," she continues.

"Our postman knocked on the window the first year we did this and said 'is that a Christmas tree?'."

Mrs Malyon says Christmas time - whenever it falls - is filled with happy memories of "family love" together.

"We do agree this is on slight eccentricity side, just slight, but I hope you realise we do have reason for it," she adds.