to think that "Christmas Planning" has gone completely bonkers

[OhdearNigel]

I am a child of the 70s. When I was little we bought a few bits of extra food, Mum wrote the christmas cards the second week of December, presents were bought a week or so before Christmas and were only exchanged between family and close friends. Dad wrapped them on Christmas morning. The Christmas decs went up around the middle of december and the same ones went up year after year until they got broken. They're still using a lot of the decs. Everything was fairly jolly and we had a good time.

Now everyone seems to send out a gazillion cards (we get sent a card list for the children at nursery), people seem to exchange presents with everyone and their dog, leaving your shopping until December is frightfully disorganised, people load up trolley after trolley as if preparing for a siege, most households seem to have "decor" schemes and their Christmasses are run from numerous outlook spreadsheets.

AIBU to think that it's gone bonkers ? And to hope that I am not the only one that absolutely refuses to think about christmas until the first week of December ?

[greygirl]

i think about christmas all year - i buy reduced cards/wrapping/present sin january, and small pressies through the year (normally book people stuff, smellies etc) i write my cards in november, and so come december i can enjoy christmas. I don't send cards to people i see daily - they either get a gift or a 'merry christmas' and a wave as we pass in the streeet (if i see them).

I don't spend a lot of time thinking about christmas, but i like to be ready in advance so i can actually enjoy advent, instead of trying to do christmas shopping when the shops are heaving. (My husband thinks i am bonkers by the way).

[Callisto]

I'm a child of the 70s but my parent made a lot more fuss about Christmas than yours, so I think it depends on upbringing. I do think that Xmas is far more commercialised these days, but I do have a presents spreadsheet (so I don't give someone the same present two years running and because we have a big family so need to buy lots of presents) and a Christmas card list on Excel.

[gettingeasier]

With you 100% OP

[ChaosTrillyReigns]

I like to buy things online.

It would be foolish to do this in the second week of December.

Christmas shopping in one big "let's do the Christmas shopping" stint to the local high street sounds like people will be getting a present of whatever was there, rather than having thought about what they would like.

[HattiFattner]

YANBU:

I have to think early about gifts as between mid november and christmas day, I have my 3 childrens birthdays and a wedding anniversary, so I do spread out the cost of presents from about September. SOrry! But I think the birthdays mean I have always been very organised - so one nightmare trip to Toys R Us in late October and we are pretty much set. No longer, however, as kids are getting older :(

But the cards, the decorations, the vast food shopping....nah, dont do that! On principle, we do not start decorating the house until after the last birthday. Christmas cards get written in December some time....usually around 15th. Food: well I do get treats, but not excessive.....some cheeses, crisps, nuts, chocolates, wine........ If we dont have anyone coming to stay, we just have a regular roast on the day.

Its all become a bit hysterical, hasnt it...like everyone is convinced that their christmas will be RUINED if they dont have cranberries or if their colour scheme is old. Im still using my first every decorations from when I was a single woman. they are at least 18 years old. every year our tree gets a few more decs, generally to remind me of a particular time in my life, or to make me smile. Every year, we remember years gone by when special friends and family have shared our tree decorating day. Thats surely what its all about - thinking of happy times and giving our children a sense of tradition and family....above all else, family.

[ByTheWay1]

Last posting date for second class deliveries is 17th - so I remember to get the cards out by then - that's it really.... rest is just done through the year slowly - no big build up, no massive materialism....

[wasabipeanut]

YANBU but I do think that people are probably a bit less obsessed with their decor schemes etc. than you may think if you are a regular reader of Ideal Home magazine etc. Nothing in my house matches and I see no reason to change this for one month a year.

I think that most people start early just to avoid December turning into a huge slog and because they want to spread the cost. We fall into this category. I hate last minute flapping and want to enjoy Christmas for the sake of my children really. On a practical note I also work freelance as a copywriter and if a load of work drops into my lap I have to do it so I need to make sure I stay ahead of the game.

My parents weren't into Xmas that much and it showed - it was always alright but a bit flat so I tend to go a bit OTT perhaps in making it as magical as I can for the DCs. That doesn't have to involve cash though - its making decorations, baking stuff together, Xmas pjs and that sort of thing.

Nothing wildly showy. I just want them to remember it as being a lovely time. My MIL however goes to extremes in the name of being organised. I can imagine fewer things more joyless than freezing mince pies in October which is her MO.

[wasabipeanut]

BTW I do agree with the siege mentality that seems to hit food shoppers. I used to have a holiday job in a supermarket when I was a student and the run up to Xmas was insane. People would take leave of their senses. How many people have families big enough to warrant filling 2 trollies of stuff? It's not as if the shops are shut for more than a day or two.

[SinicalSal]

I used to think Christmas started way too early.

That was when I was paid weekly. Now I'm paid monthly I arrange my finances that way and it makes more sense.

[Bonsoir]

I hate Christmas cards and I hate giving and receiving a lot of expensive rubbish. I shop very carefully for Christmas and get really nice things for people, which implies quite a lot of up front thinking/ordering etc.

I do enjoy putting up Christmas decorations - DD and I have a lot of fun with those - and I leave them up a good long time to get full enjoyment from them.

[cumbria81]

YANBU

Some people I know get completely stressed out about Christmas. Why? It's just a day.

Don't like writing cards? Don't bother. It's not obligatory. Lots of stuff can be bought online so you don't even need to brave the shops any more.

[Bramshott]

YANBU. I like Christmas, and look forward to it, but I've only really started thinking about / planning for it this week. We don't put our tree up until the weekend before Christmas. But I don't think that's that unusual really - the shops and magazines would like us to think that it's this massively big deal, and that you're SO behind if you don't have it all sorted by 1 Dec, but I would imagine that most people don't buy into that do they??

[Pootles2010]

Erm... our Christmas is very like the 'old fashioned' one you describe! We buy for our close family and the children of our very close friends (who we are god parents to). Thats it. Our card list is a bit ridiculous, but that's because of picking up friends from back home, uni and where we live now, and massive family. Tree goes up mid December, and there's no scheme as such!

I do buy too much food but thats because i'm a greedy guts and see it as an excuse then feel sick after

[Davsmum]

YANBU
It has gone bonkers.
People are insane.

[ViviPrudolf]

I'm quite laissez faire - Bought a few gifts already (online) will buy a few more (online). Got lots of social rendez-vous planned, will get a slightly more gluttonous big shop from Tesco Towers on the 23rd and I'll send a few cards to those who deserve it. All pretty low-maintenence.

But when it comes to the decor, well that's another story. I've been planning my 2011 Christmas aesthetic for exactly ONE WHOLE YEAR from the moment I first saw this house (that we now live in) on Rightmove. Its the first time we have room for a proper whopper tree. In fact we're having two. I've been buying decs since way before Dec and that reminds me - I must check that ebay auction for those vintage baubles....

[SinicalSal]

I don't understand buying new themed decorations every year. I have the gaudy mishmash for years.

[ViviPrudolf]

I won't be buying new themed decorations every year. No chance. Buy well buy once. especially not after spanking £40 on baubles from toast Plus these will remind me of our first Christmas in the forest.

[noddyholder]

I agree it is out of control and is quite boring as a result

[wasabipeanut]

Who really buys new themed decorations every year? Really?

I think most people maybe get one or two new ones a year don't they?

[SinicalSal]

my post crossed with yours vivi and looked like I was castigating you - not at all.

It was a more general observation.

[paulapantsdown]

YANBU - its all a bit mental.
I have today bought the kids an advent calender each.
Thats my xmas prep so far!

I have a vague list in my head of the presents I need to buy, and I only send cards with a few photos out to a few aged aunties in America. Me and the kids had a laugh yesterday in the garden centre looking at the trees and decorations.

So, I think if i get the lists straight over the weekend, one morning in the retail park hellhole will have it sewn up. Send his nibs out to buy a tree and throw a few extra bits in the trolley the week before. It will be lovely.

[DurhamDurham]

I'm a child of the 70's and although it does seem like a bigger event now, my parents made more of the whole period than your parents. Wrapping presents on Christmas morning is disorganised by anyone's standards.

I've bought just about all the presents now, it pays to start a little bit earlier because lots of games/toys sell out by December. At the start of November I bought a game for my niece on Amazon, it was £17.99, the same game from the same seller is now £25.99. The seller knows he can charge this now as the game is in short supply.

[ViviPrudolf]

that's ok SS - I didn't take it the wrong way, just your sentiment (which I agree with) reminded me that I'd meant to add these decs aren't just for this Christmas... (in fact I think i might find year-round homes for the Gisela graham partridges...)

[paulapantsdown]

I agree with noddy, all the fuss makes it boring and sucks all the joy out of it.

[SmethwickBelle]

I haven't done a thing but that's because DS2's only just had his birthday. Now where's my excel spreadsheet?!

Although I take your general point, I think Christmas possibly was more complicated than we realised in the 70s, because if we were the children how do we know what the adults were doing behind the scenes, and with NO INTERNET?

I remember tables heaving with food and more presents than we could open in a week one year - more of a fuss than I'd normally make. And there were stacks and stacks more cards back then, these days many people seem to not bother.