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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to say that Christmas starts in December

38 replies

QuizteamBleakley · 09/09/2010 22:42

Today, I have had two calls from DM, asking what our plans for Christmas are. Specifically, she wants to know what time we intend to get to their house, how many nights we're staying Shock and if I can do the annual music quiz.

I must admit to being a slack-arse planner, preferring a more relaxed approach, but I think it's too early to make concrete plans, particularly since:
a) we live 80 miles away
b) our first DC is due on 13.12.2010 (my birthday, no less)
c) IT IS SEPTEMBER!

Bless her, I know she wants to be organised but, FFS, even she can't need to put the sprouts on yet... Grin

I imagine this type of thing is an annual event on MN, so please don't flame the relative newbie! Just wondered if you have a 'start date' for Christmas-prep talk?

OP posts:
MaamRuby · 09/09/2010 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

echt · 09/09/2010 22:45

Sorry, YABU. Everyone knows that sprouts should be put on now, and simmered until Christmas Day.

VinegarTits · 09/09/2010 22:47

YANBU people who plan xmas before Dec are bonkers

Tippychoocks · 09/09/2010 22:48

YABU, I am excited now, have been planning for weeks.
But I can see that the baby does change it and you can't plan pass the birth. I get that.

stillbobbysgirl · 09/09/2010 22:49

Has she got the tree up yet? Turkey ordered? Cards sent out?

God I HATE Christmas - its so much bloody hard work for so little reward. Might start a hate xmas thread - or is it too early for that?

MaamRuby · 09/09/2010 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bytheMoonlight · 09/09/2010 22:57

YABU.

If I left Christmas till December it just wouldn't happen.

I have to buy presents over a long period of time as we are on a small budget and theres also food which I like to make myself (homemade christmas pud and mincemeat) which have to be made months in advance.

Between now and Christmas I will give birth (due Nov. 1st) and then have dd's birthday 9 days later, without beginning to plan now we just wouldn't have a christmas and dd wouldn't have a birthday.

gtamom · 10/09/2010 07:53

Yanbu.
But please tell, what is a music quizz? And any other fun British Christmas traditions.
We bought our first Christmas present yesterday, well, dh ordered something off my amazon wish list and I asked him to put it away for Christmas. Blush
Wonders if it would be clever to put the lights up outside while it is still warm.Hmm

sanielle · 10/09/2010 08:03

YABU. How can I possible wait till December!?!

I would go mad.

Guitargirl · 10/09/2010 08:03

I plan Christmas in advance as we are on a budget and DCs both have January birthdays - before January payday so it's quite painful!

BUT I was very Hmm in May(!) when my Mum told me in a very stroppy 'you should have done it by now' tone that she needed to know what DD, DS and DP wanted for Christmas. This coming from a woman who is NOT on a budget and retired. In the meantime I was up to my eyes in it at work and thinking about Christmas presents just after Easter absolutely NOT my priority!

sapphireblue · 10/09/2010 08:11

We are going away for christmas and booked it in February........now that's forward planning Grin

You can't possibly know what you will be doing for christmas. You could still be pregnant and due to go into labour at any minute, in which case I'm guessing you may not want to be 80 miles away from your hospital! Or you could have a brand new baby and just want to stay at home and veg in your pj's.

swallowedAfly · 10/09/2010 08:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Squitten · 10/09/2010 08:14

YANBU

I was in Sainsburys earlier this week and there were MINCE PIES on the shelves!!

BoobyMcLeaky · 10/09/2010 08:16

My DM is planning Christmas 2011! Shock

ethelina · 10/09/2010 08:17

Yanbu

I ignore all comments from family re christmas until at least mid-november, when I might reasonably be expected to have an idea what we want to do.

I do spread shopping over a longer period though, just for budgetary reasons.

Rockbird · 10/09/2010 08:17

I always wonder if people who leave Christmas till December have very small families and work in offices where everyone hates each other?

Our work do has been planned for a few weeks now. In an office of 12 people plus partners you have to get a wriggle on. Last year we left it till December and didn't actually get a work do as everything was booked up.

We have a big extended family and have a get together the week before Christmas which also needs planning in advance. As bytheMoonlight says, if we left it till December it wouldn't happen.

Rockbird · 10/09/2010 08:18

And actually the planning of it is the fun bit, much more so than the day :)

IsItMeOr · 10/09/2010 08:19

YABU for using your reasons a) and b) as excuses not to do a bit of sensible forward planning, but YANBU for reason c), as you are very unlikely to want to leave your home for Christmas whether the baby has arrived or not.

I would suggest that you get as much Christmas presents/cards type stuff organised as much in advance as you can (babies have been known to come early, I gather Wink).

And I would suggest that you quote sapphireblue to your mum:

"You can't possibly know what you will be doing for christmas. You could still be pregnant and due to go into labour at any minute, in which case I'm guessing you may not want to be 80 miles away from your hospital! Or you could have a brand new baby and just want to stay at home and veg in your pj's."

Trust me, you should be telling your mum now that there is no way you will be travelling to see her at Christmas, and trying to work out what you could bear in terms of visitors with a new baby.

frenchfancy · 10/09/2010 08:20

YANBU

I refuse to allow talk of Christmas in our house until December.

The only thing that is allowed is a very breif - are you coming to us for Christmas. No details, just the bare minimum to allow for travel arrangements.

4plus1 · 10/09/2010 08:23

My baby was due on feb of this year. But at the beginning of last december i was put on complete bedrest, (bleeeding). I was so glad I had everything organised for xmas and all toys bought for my 4ds. Early xmas planning always pays off!

greygirl · 10/09/2010 08:29

i need to know where i am (or who is staying/eating with us, so i can arrange to see the other parts of my family (eg his parents, my parents, sisters etc). i have settled this with my M-I-Law last month, and had a rough plan with my mom in march.
I don't think you can be too sure in your situation - TBH i'd say 'we're not going to come and i'm not doing the quiz'. and have 'baby's first christmas' at home (or alternatively your last christmas alone as a couple).

lowrib · 10/09/2010 08:30

YABU. I've started Christmas shopping already. I simply can't afford to leave it until December. If I do it over several months, I can spread the cost, buy bargains when I see them and actually enjoy the preparations. If I leave it until December it's a real stress and leaves me in debt.

If I was having people come for Christmas, I'd want to know now so I could prepare in a similar way.

The reason they've got mince pies on the shelves in Sainsbury's is so that people on low incomes can start buying stuff now and squirrelling it away so that they've got a feast by Christmas. I used to be Confused and Hmm when I saw this kind of thing, but having spent some time being skint I get it now.

EleFunTess · 10/09/2010 08:31

YANBU. I don't understand people who start planning Christmas months ahead. Completely takes the fun out of it.

Rockbird · 10/09/2010 08:36

Depends on which bit of it is the fun for you though. I love the planning, not so keen on the one day.

CMOTdibbler · 10/09/2010 08:42

Apart from group events (work and friends dinner) I refuse to even discuss Christmas till December. So, yanbu