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 ?

great Vivi

Some people like fussing about Christmas though. It's probably some sort of protestant work ethic thing, once they put in the effort they feel they cn relax and enjoy it

Good point too Smethwickbelle, i bet our children don't know the half of what we do, nor do I want them to, let them enjoy the effortless magic

I'm fairly sure my mother started planning and shopping for Christmas in September/October time, because with 6 children, 6 stockings, 6 sacks and 6 Advent calendars to get there's no way she would have managed it all in a couple of weeks.

But I agree about the decorations. We had the same ones year in, year out- they were like much-loved friends . We do have the same ones too, although we try to buy one tree ornament (specifically a Santa) from every holiday place we go to (surprisingly hard, you know, in Slovenia in August )

My sister does the themed thing every year but I prefer the mish-mash.

Vivi - you are just showing off now with your lovely decorations

I was born in the 70s and my Mum used to start planning Christmas in October, by making the cake and the mincemeat and a few other things.

was it you with the friends getting married in NY? Did you go?

The only thing I obsess about is the food.

The rest - I generally buy the larger presents online the autumn, and the rest of it I just pick up on Christmas Eve (best day to go shopping, the shops are quiet, you see lots of amusing drunken falls, and the sales are on.

Decoration in the last week before christmas with a tree from a garden centre and ginger biscuits, the same ole baubles and millions of lights.

I can't be doing with planning it to the nth degree. There's no need really.

YABU. The majority of people don't make more fuss these days than the majority of people in the 1970's. It just seems like they do, because now we're the ones actually doing the preparation!

And I hardly buy presents for anyone and never send cards.

Mutual agreement with everyone in our circle.

YABU - because as a slightly younger child of the late 70s (so remember mainly 80's christmas') - I remember;
a) mum would register at the end of November what she wanted from the butcher for Christmas, the queue for the butchers on christmas eve would always be out of the shop and filled up the high street. (Online ordering far superior way of doing it)
b) my mum always being in a rush at the start of December to get the cards and gifts to the family in Canada, every year being worried they wouldn't get them in time, every year vowing next year they'd post them in November to be on the safe side...
c) cards covering the mantle and being blu-tacked all up the stair banisters (wonderful 70's house with solid wood banister) - so thinking back now, that must have been at least 50 cards to cover it all - and my mum cross referencing every card that arrived against her sent list in the fear she'd forgotten someone
d) the stress my parents seemed to have to get enough food to last the season as only the garage shop in our village would be open between Christmas and new year (and yes, it has been ingrained in me to buy enough food to last a siedge, every year DH repeats his mantra of "I can pop to tescos on boxing day, we only need enough for the actual day!" every year I feel the fear from my parents of running out so stock the freezer to exploding)
e) the hellish crowds shopping for gifts the weekend before Christmas of my youth. I hated it as a child, but looking back that's when my dad got his Christmas bonus so that's when we went into the nearest town to get the gifts. I'd always get told off by the end of the day - hense why by the weekend before Christmas all my gifts will have been bought, preferably online so I don't have to go to the shops.

Basically, it was as stressful and required as much planning as it does now, but you were probably sheltered from a lot of it. (and I don't know anyone who throws out all their decorations and buys new every year, do these people exist outside of interior decorating magazines?)

I don't know really.

I keep it fairly simple, I try to cook a nice dinner but it normally goes wrong or I get cross.

The presents I tend to get gradually over a couple of months, just little bits here and there.

I used to send cards to loads of people then get upset when they didn't reciprocate, so I'm gradually cutting back my list and trying to wait till I receive one before I send one, iyswim, as I don't want people to feel obliged to send us one.

We don't go anywhere or have anyone round, which I prefer, as I was brought up with a family that hated each other and it was hellish.

I'm hoping we are able to maintain a semblance of calm at least on the day.

I don't do presents for adults apart from my granny and sister/SIL. that saves an awful lot of bother and money.

Oh I'm just scratching the surface with these boasts. Picture the scene - vintage cowbell garlands, little antique german woodland creatures, aged pewter baubles, all in copper/old gold/mercury hues. Not to mention the beeswax dipped (not dinner) candles in whitesand. All shamelessly copied from inspired by Toast

Yes hysteria is setting in. You'll find me on Christmas day in a heap under the tree in a pool of spilt glögg after tripping on an artfully strewn garland...

Yes Alibabaa! It was me - well remembered!

Well what a grouchy old miserychops I was. Turned out to be The Best Week Of My Life

Of course the fact that I deviously manipulated subtly orchestrated the wedding day itself to have more of structure meant a good time was had by all.

Now where's that thread about MN bringing out the worst in one? Big boasty boastpants? Moi?

that is in no way a comment on the size of your posterior.

We need festive emoticons for this thread, surely? Where are they MNHQ?

Supergiant is my usual size, well guessed.

Also spot the lady with no DCs. Ah yes its the one with the ridiculously indulgent Christmas decorations (and the funds to pay for them which will no doubt be hugely depleted once the 'Prulets come along)