If you don't yet know what you are doing at Christmas, why not?

[Nextphonewontbesamsung]

If you haven't planned everyone's presents (never mind buying them).
The menu.
Who goes where and when.
What you are wearing.
What you are going to be doing on Christmas Eve.
And everything else ...

Why not? what is the reason for this?

I haven't given Christmas even a passing thought. It's only Mumsnet and the giant stacks of chocolate tubs blocking my way at the entrance to the supermarket that makes the word Christmas come into my head at this time of year.

I might pay attention to it in the last week of November when I buy my kids an advent calendar. Then first 3 weeks of December is fair game to get Christmassy.

Things is, to me this is normal. It isn't being disorganised or stressed or leaving it to the last minute. 3 weeks seems to be about the right amount of time to devote to doing Christmas. And I speak as the one who has mainly been the host for the past 20 years.

But am I unusual? Where are you my fellow people who are a bit more relaxed about Christmas?

I've done nothing because I have nobody to please (except the children) or organise around. It's easy to sort out fairly last minute.

I’m working it
And the weeks running up to it are so busy at work so don’t want to think about the stress quite yet it’s only a day really unless going away or hosting masses of people a big deal does not need to be made before Halloween and bonfire night.

Only thing I’ve done is bUdget for presents
Kids are young 3 niece/nephews mum sister ex boyfriend sons girlfriend ex in laws urgh
Can’t really be bothered tbh

I’m 100% with you, OP.

I’m not religious and I dislike consumerism, therefore I’m not a big fan Christmas which is very low-key in our house. We don’t do a tree, decorations or a turkey.

I don’t even start thinking about it until December. People who are planning Christmas before the clocks go back are very odd indeed.

Christmas is my favourite time of year. So I have no intention of ruining it by thinking about it in October!

You always see the same threads on MN: trees up on Nov 1st then everyone chucking them away on Boxing Day. Never understand it!

This year I do know where we will be on Christmas day as BIL/SIL have invited us to go to a house they are renting (their adult kids and partners will be there till christmas eve when we arrive). But that is all I know. Am not even actually sure where the house is, let alone anything else including exactly when we are supposed to arrive, food etc

I don't do any christmas shopping until December

We foster. I have a toddler with me at the moment and I don't know if they will be with us for Christmas or not. I don't want to plan until I know because my toddler is a huge part of our lives.

We have to go to my parents at the other end of the country so have booked the accommodation. Luckily they are in a quieter bit of the country ( we’re in SE) and don’t have to panic about food and supermarket queues.Most of the presents I buy online and get sent up instead of here.

I’ve got 4 smaller birthdays to go to, Halloween, Bonfire night, and DH significant birthday to organise before Christmas.

I know where I’m going (abroad to see family) as I had to book it months in advance. I know what I’m giving my family as if I see something I know would be a good gift for someone it doesn’t matter if it’s March or December. I know what we’ll be eating as it’s the same every Christmas. I know who’ll be there as it’s the same every Christmas. I don’t know what I’ll be wearing (I’ll decide when packing).
It isn’t because I’m super organised or obsessed or have nothing else to do. It doesn’t require a lot of thought or planning to book flights. I don’t understand the ‘stress’ around Christmas. I want my family to have a wonderful time but that doesn’t seem hard. I can see if one is under financial pressure it is difficult, but otherwise it seems an enjoyable fun time of year.

DD has a November birthday and after that Christmas is fair game.

My mother does Christmas shopping of Christmas Eve - all gifts and food - good for her

Because I am not that organised and never have been.
Because I need to see what DD2 gets for her birthday later this month before I can think about what she gets for Christmas
Because I don't know whether I am working on Christmas Day yet

I grew up in a house where we weren't allowed to plan or do anything for Xmas until after someone's birthday which was 17th December. No decorations, no shopping, no songs... I find it utterly bizarre that people start planning in October but this is DS's first Christmas so maybe my opinion will change when he's older! I mean, we have a rough idea that we're going to England to visit relatives but that's about it.

I love Christmas and we do the same every year so zero planning required!

No idea about it. My oh is a carer and will work.some of each day over festive season, so it will be quiet

I've only ever fixated on Christmas when I've had too much time on my hands and / or I've been unhappy and needed something to cheer me up. Now I'm working FT and Christmas will not be massively built up. We've got a trip abroad planned a couple of days later and then I'm absolutely fine with getting back to normal. I think that's because I'm relatively happy with my life as it is and don't need a distraction.

My bank account refuses to acknowledge Christmas this year.

I have a large family to buy for including 4DC under 12 but won’t do anything about it until mid November... we have Christmas Day at home just the 6 of us so minimal stress here! It’s my first Christmas working full time since the DC were born though, so I’m wondering if I should be a bit more organised than in the past...

BeanBag7 - your family sound like they belong on this thread.

My BIL and SIL like to go Christmas shopping in October and like a list of what everyone in our family would like.

I'm afraid we just refused to comply. It was a case of putting their likes and needs above our own, which we chose not to do.

They are used to us and our funny old ways now.

Well, I’m going to be three days from my due date so I have no real idea what we'll be doing for Christmas! Assuming LO hasn’t arrived by that point, it’ll be the usual - church, church, sleep, church, church, lunch with my parents, sleep. No idea what we will eat, what presents we will give etc.

Looking forward to it, though!

The control freak who is my Hub's boss has reluctantly given him a few extra days off - cheapo holiday in the Italian Lakes was a far better option than anything in UK

I don't think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving, except for travel planning. Now we're mostly adults, we do a Secret Santa with a top spend limit and immediate family presents only. Everyone can buy things for the little children, as they see fit.

Well, I bought my first xmas present yesterday, as there was a flash sale where something I've been eyeing up for a few weeks was £16, down from £26. So I've bought some for someone to give to me, and some for my Mum.
Other than that, its frecking OCTOBER. Only advent calendars need sorting before DHs birthday in early December. Then I'll start on Xmas.

I've got a number of gifts.. From the Smyths toys sale and this weekends M&S 20% off and a couple of bottles of wine/choc on offer but do nothing else till v late November...

I love Christmas but it takes all the magic out of it for me if I start too early. DD's birthday is mid November so I don't give presents a thought til that's over and done with, I'll start ordering bits towards the end of November in case I struggle for anything DD has asked for. Decorations don't go up til a week before Christmas and they're down before New Year, again I love them, just not for too long I'm not at all organised and am often found buying wrapping paper or cranberry sauce on Christmas Eve but tbh I like it that way, it's no fun without a bit of panic

my lovely old ma passed away just before last Christmas so that one was all a horrid blur. I’m going away this Christmas on a much needed holiday. Not sorting out Christmas plans is beginning to feel odd I would definitely have bought presents by now and some foods etc. Hmm

I looked at something in Sainsbury's this weekend - it was a net of mixed nuts for cracking. Some years we haven't been able to get these on our usual massive food shop on 23rd December. So I picked them up and looked at them ... and put them back! Nah, I just can't do food shopping months in advance .