Those of you counting the days until 22 December had better take off your socks and start counting your toes.

Uh-oh… this just in from Microsoft’s official Calendar of Events:

“Due to unexpected technical difficulties, the Fable II: Knothole Island expansion will not be available until late January 2009. As a result, the Fable II, Knothole Island Download and Win, originally scheduled to take place December 22 – 23, 2008, has been temporarily suspended. Please check back for updates.”

So there you have it. No Knothole Island shenanigans for Xbox 360 gamers this Christmas, you’ll just have to do more exploring in other areas of Albion. Maybe teach your dog some new tricks?

It’ll still be worth the wait. For those of you who don’t know what we’re crying about here, basically Knothole Island is a new location being added to Fable II for 800 MS Points. It seems to offer a Zelda-esque quest involving three magical shrines that will restore the cursed island from frozen wasteland to lush paradise. Adventurers will also receive new costumes, including heroic armour and assassin garb.

Not until late January 2009 though. We're going to find a quiet corner to gnash our teeth.