Wimbledon fans embraced the holiday spirit a little early this year, as the club shop’s new Christmas collection sold out of its most popular items before the tournament’s final weekend.

The set of three Wimbledon-themed baubles, priced at £40, disappeared from shelves during the second week of the championships. The All England Club had to temporarily remove the baubles from its online store to ensure availability for visitors on the grounds during the closing days of the tournament.

The official festive range included trophy-shaped baubles, cross-racket ornaments, stockings, mugs, tea towels, and sterling silver racket keyrings. Other items, such as felt strawberry and tennis ball ornaments, remained available for £10.

Shoppers cited various reasons for purchasing Christmas decorations in July. Cliona Orr, 23, stated her love for Christmas, noting that it was only 166 days until December and that her family puts up their tree at the end of November. "You can never have too many decorations," she said, adding, "I think Christmas should be a year-round thing. It's nearly Christmas in July anyway."

Michell Stead, 61, viewed the baubles as a memento of the tournament. "It's a memento for the year - fond memories," she explained. "They're lovely. They're very representative of Wimbledon. We like the fact they're small and understated."

For others, the decorations served as a way to maintain family connections across distances. Ruth Kolish, 61, planned to buy a set for her children, who would be on opposite sides of the world during the Christmas holidays. "My son works on a super yacht in Corsica, my daughter's going to Australia, and we're thinking shall we buy a set of three - ladies trophy [for my daughter], men's trophy [for my son] and I can have the third," she said.

Some attendees expressed surprise at finding Christmas merchandise amidst the summer tournament. "It's unusual to see Christmas things in the middle of July when we're all baking," said Kirsty Landragin, 54. "But it gives you a bit of Wimbledon in the winter."

Megyn Carpenter, 33, noticed a stocking and found it appealing, adding, "It's normal now to sell Christmas presents in July. I think it's good to have the variety."

Sara Booth-Card, 42, mentioned that her mother collects Christmas tree decorations from their travels, making the Wimbledon baubles a unique addition. "My mum collects Christmas tree decorations, so wherever we go we buy her one," she said. "We've got them from Mexico, my sister's bought one from Florida - literally anywhere. We actually bought one in Mexico in March."

Not all shoppers were enthusiastic about the festive offerings. One shopper, Kay S, confessed that the Christmas display had the opposite effect of drawing her in, stating, "This drew me in, but when I saw it was Christmas, it repelled me. I call it the 'C-word'. It's 30 degrees in July!"

Despite such reservations, the rapid sell-out of the baubles suggests that the majority of fans were receptive to the early holiday merchandise.