Anyone else's DC already tipped over the excitement edge?

[juicy12]

Need to vent and then breathe. DS (5) is a sometimes baffling combination of being v shy crossed with getting extremely over-excitable at the drop of a hat. Anyway every year, say, two weeks before Christmas he manages to crank up the hysteria until by Xmas Eve he's on the verge of tears for most of the day. I try to keep activities low key and not bang on about Father Christmas too much, but nothing works, He's rude, doesn't listen to anything DH and I say, horrible to his 3.5 yr old DS and refuses to do anything on his own. Anyway this year is particularly bad - what can I do? Not put any decorations up/not mention FC/not watch any Christmassy progs? Is this normal behaviour pre-xmas? At the mo he's in his room crying cos i've told him off for throwing shoes downstairs. Beginning to wonder if I need to take him to see someone- he seems to have no "off" switch.

Throwing shoes downstairs doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world, tbh. Is he just like this at Christmas?
If so, he may be overexcited but bored.
I take mine out on a daily basis and exhaust them with a load of running around outside and activities. When we get back, we do some reading, phonics and/or maths lite. Oddly, they don't seem to hate me; they seem to like some structure to the day. After this they get lunch. Then, they can watch a DVD. If they watch nicely, they can help to make Christmas biscuits/cupcakes/decorations/whatever.
We do this until Christmas Eve, when they are allowed to watch Norad, obsess about presents, eat too much and, possibly, throw their shoes downstairs.
This post is a truthful account of our pre-Christmas week. It works for us. It is true, but lighthearted. Most children are wound up to fever pitch by the last week at school, and overexcitement is to be expected, but if you honestly think that your DS needs help in any area, you should seek it without delay.
Best wishes.