Crossword Genius

Period before Christmas opening, after a dubious beginning (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

advent

'period before christmas' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'opening after a dubious beginning' is the wordplay.
'opening' becomes 'vent' (vent is a kind of opening**).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'beginning' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'dubious' is 'd'.
'a'+'d'='ad'
'vent' put after 'ad' is 'ADVENT'.

(Other definitions for advent that I've seen before include "appearance" , "Forty days preceding Christmas" , "Run-up to Christmas" , "approach" , "Pre-Christmas period" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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