Is it a little less Christmassy this year?

[lightningrods]

I like Christmas but have to admit, when the ads and shops start with it in early October, I find it a bit too much. Years back, I know some brands wouldn’t start their Christmas promotions until after Remembrance Sunday and to me, that felt like a good pace. But over the years, felt like it was getting earlier and earlier - of course, if you love Christmas, then that’ll be your dream come true! 😂

Anyway, this year where we live it just seems to be much more reserved. Shops are slowly ramping up now it’s the end of November and it feels like a manageable pace to me. A friend who’s in retail management told me that ‘going hard and early’ on Christmas hasn’t actually helped anyone’s profits - it’s just led to people buying earlier but not ‘more’.

Anyway, wondering how ‘Christmassy’ it is near you? Have you noticed a change this year?

No i haven't noticed a change unfortunately, still lots of Christmassy things about which I'm ignoring, which is quite easy really.

For the last few years they’ve started doing Black Friday so I think that delays Christmas focus a bit for some retailers.

But supermarkets still have Christmas stuff front and centre.

No. I was in a big shopping centre and it was busy. I think you’re right in that people are spending the same but trying to spread it out more.

Wonder if it’s a regional thing - there’s not even Christmas music playing in either of our two big supermarkets yet. Lots of promos for ‘Black Friday week’ so perhaps that’s the strategy…see if they can get people to buy stuff they don’t need for Black Friday and then on top, buy stuff for Christmas. Either way, I much prefer it this way. I feel like I can manage the pressures of Christmas if it starts later.

Perhaps with less disposable income and a bad budget on the horizon people are finally getting the message that christmas is not supposed to be about consumerism. Lots of people this year shopping for pre-owned and vintage stuff. The stigma is gone and its more sustainable to buy pre owned.

Nope, feel like it's getting worse. DDs birthday is mid November and we don't usually see much prior to that, but there was loads of Christmas crap up everywhere from the start of November this year.

Does my nut in to be honest, it makes it less special when it's up for too long

Last year we made a conscious plan to avoid all the Christmas consumerism, rush, stupid spending on presents nobody wants or needs, piles of crap food that makes us feel like shit in January and tired old 'traditions' that set you into a rut from mid November to the new year.

Just quiet times, lovely walks, a couple of nice meals, the fire on, a bottle of wine, a set of fairy lights or two and a vase of holly, feet up in front of great film with PJs on. None of the build up, none of the pressure, none of the guilt about all the cracker detritus going straight to the bin - just the good bit, then peace again with an undented bank balance.

It was honestly our best Christmas ever. Repeating it this year.

The joy of gliding through the run up like a swan whilst everyone else is going bananas is intense.

I feel as if it's worse this year. It seems to have started at the beginning of November. It's ridiculous. The month of November might just as well not exist.

Same here. I haven't noticed any change.

Tedious. Roll on January.

They’re not getting that message where we are. Queues of people with trolleys full of tat that will be broken by Boxing Day here this week.
Husband and I on our own for first time in 30 years this year. No decorations, no gifts - we don’t need anything. Just a lovely long lie in, Carols from Kings with our brunch and a rare takeaway curry for dinner. Lovely.

I love this!

Yes it does but we also have this horrendous budget hanging over us.
It's just another hard winter for most of us there is no reprieve

Christmas stuff appeared in shops as soon as Halloween was over. As for us, we have organised Christmas earlier than normal this year, normally we buy everything from the 19th onwards as that is husbands payday. This year we have taken advantage of the Black Friday week and bought all our gifts/organised a Christmas food shop to come on the 19th. We certainly haven’t spent any more than any other year, just earlier

Love this. We discovered this a few years back when Christmas as planned was put on hold because of an accident which left two family members in a serious condition in hospital.

That year we a) were so thankful both family members actually survived and b) discovered that Christmas Day in hospital with a wee tree and some sandwiches from the canteen but spent with people I loved (and was so grateful they were alive!) was the most meaningful one we’d ever had.

I’ve never been a big one for ‘stuff’ anyway so like you, we focus on PJ days, good food and small, token gifts. If other people want to go big, great! But for me Christmas is about quality time.

@MrsSkylerWhite That sounds wonderful. Wishing you a happy and peaceful time.

I've done my shopping already and spent about 2/3 of what I normally would. Just too expensive these days with other bills. Food wise I'm planning to spend the min I can get away with- will get a few nice things in but not going OTT. I'm sure others are the same, especially with the budget looming too and threat of redundancies.

Im in Scotland and I was thinking the opposite! Christmas literally started as soon as Halloween was over. Seems to be getting earlier every year! The shops have been manic for at least 2 weeks, as if it's Christmas the next day!

Im in Scotland and I was thinking the opposite! Christmas literally started as soon as Halloween was over. Seems to be getting earlier every year! The shops have been manic for at least 2 weeks, as if it's Christmas the next day!

Why on earth would supermarkets play Christmas music in mid November?

Thing is, I don't care if the shops go all Christmassy in October or whenever.
We always like a wander round a festive garden centre in November - after remembrance weekend, but food, presents etc don't get done till December, so it literally doesn't matter to us. Don't care if my pringles have a holly leaf on the tub etc.
Xmas lights are going on in town today, there's a party atmosphere, but they go on this weekend every year, so nowt's changed here. (And it is a bit cold, and a bit wet, so I'll watch it online as someone will post a video.)

@SeaAndStars even your user name feels calming!
I am doing a bit of present buying we have little tots in the family, but it's one thing each.
I love the analogy of gliding around like a swan while everyone else is going bananas!

I'm quite good at detaching from all sorts of nonsense, but I find it easy to let a bit of guilt creep in over Christmas, as if I'm a let down for not really wanting to partake.

Also i hate forced jollity!

It’s November. I have never felt Christmasy in November. Wait until December.
If it goes on go too long it loses its sparkle

On the contrary, it seems to be everywhere since before Halloween. Even my parents have decorated. They usually wait until 1 December.

It’s nuts but some do!

There were several Christmas songs playing in the pub last week. Poor staff. (Memories of the Christmas I worked in a shop with the same 45 mins of music looping around the one permitted cassette)

More houses near me have been decorated since Halloween each year since 2020.

Shops have long since been creeping their Christmas stock out from Aug bank holiday then exploding from Halloween.

The trouble is I spend that long ignoring it for months, then when December actually comes round it gets harder to feel in the mood every year.
The thing that really lights my soul is a carol service. I love the consistency of so many people singing the same words/ tunes year in year out and it's a breath of fresh air from commercialism.