Festive lights and John Lewis adverts are not the only ways we know Christmas is coming.
In recent years, the return of the Greggs Festive Bake has been a sure sign that the nights are getting darker and Santa's elves are getting busier. This year, Greggs will stock the Christmas Dinner with trimmings pasty from November 7, which is almost seven weeks before Christmas Day. Not that fans will complain, while anybody else will still be able to buy off the usual menu.
Last year, Newcastle got the Festive Bake a week ahead of any other city . Apt, as UK-wide chain Greggs was formed and is based in Newcastle.
But this year the bakery has launched a competition for people to vote on which city gets the treats before the November 7 national launch date.
Greggs has shortlisted 20 cities, including both Newcastle and Sunderland. The vote is now live. As of this morning, Newcastle was in the lead, with Manchester and Glasgow in second and third. Sunderland sits in sixth.
Greggs says: "We’re starting Christmas early. "How? By bringing the Festive Bake to five cities before the rest of the country. To vote, just choose from the twenty cities below who love Greggs the most. It’s that simple!"
The winning location will be the first to have the Festive Bake on sale on Friday November 1 in one of its shops. The tour will then head to each of the other four cities each day leading up until the nationwide launch.
As part of the competition, Greggs is also searching for their biggest fans who can nominate themselves to represent their city’s pastry passion and transport an Olympic-style Festive Bake torch to signify the start of Christmas in each shop. They will also be awarded with a Greggs gift card.
