With Halloween and Bonfire Night both behind us, attention has already turned to Christmas.

Santa has just a few weeks left to put his plans into motion for his annual race around the globe. Although I would say his stress level about being back in the East End of Glasgow has gone down somewhat.

booed at Parkhead last year as Celtic lost at home to Hearts, the big man in the red suit and white beard will be the toast of Celtic Park this festive season.

Everyone is talking about Brendan Rodgers’ quiet revolution, which is now making quite a bit of noise.

Three consecutive Champions League wins at home? The second team in the Bundesliga sent back to Germany to think again? One win from almost certain qualification in the new-look format with more games to go? Heady days indeed for Celtic.

Which makes the recovery from last Christmas all the more commendable. You don’t see too many supporters turning to the seats in the main stand where the directors sit and openly barracking the board. Why would they?

The Blazers took all the brunt when the second coming of Rodgers hit a bump or two in the road, but they’ll get no credit for a prominent bank balance and a park team that’s starting to realize its true potential. The manager and players get all the applause.

The council, however, deserves credit on two fronts.

Because he had the foresight to convince Rodgers to ditch his gap year in the first place and return to a Celtic hot seat that many of his own people didn’t want around him. And then for backing him with over £30m in the last transfer window to have a proper crack at Europe.

It didn’t seem to be going well at all when Dortmund hit goal number seven just over a month ago. Looks like it was a really bad day at the office. The overall improvement curve was upward. Now spectacular.

Celtic are finally showing they belong in the Champions League. Probably the first time in a decade. With home games against Brugge and Young Boys, they must use the words of former captain Paul Lambert: “One foot in the door” from the next stage.

Indeed, Rodgers had to stifle a chuckle when asked in his post-Leipzig press conference if he could now be aiming for the top eight and direct passage to the last 16?

“It’s important to say humble,” was his paraphrased line.

If Celtic avoid defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday, they will have gone 30 games with just their solitary defeat. The recovery from that destruction in Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion was both admirable and instructive. A lesson has been learned and Celtic look all the stronger for it.

They can look forward to maintaining their place at the top of European football well after the New Year, with that trip to Aston Villa looking particularly tasty at the end of January when neither side will need points.

When it comes to Christmas, don’t expect any booing or giggling this year. They might even roll out the Parkhead red carpet for Santa and his helpers. He will definitely be a much happier guy this time around.