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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

to think anyone contributing to a Christmas thread in July needs to find a life?

156 replies

MardyBra · 31/07/2013 16:36

They're popping up already.

Instead of planning Christmas now, go out and enjoy the summer.

I need to hide the Christmas topic until December, don't I?

OP posts:
GladbagsGold · 01/08/2013 13:38

Don't feel sorry for me. I love Christmas. I love summer. I love planning. I am sooooooo in my element right now :)

PeanutButterMmm · 01/08/2013 14:22

I do agree about the clutter. All those little £2 bits of tat that will be looked at for 2 seconds then tossed aside all so children think and come to expect they must have more and more.

I do a small stocking with 5 or 6 things in which are either useful, keepsake or edible. Stuff that won't be tossed aside or left to clutter up the bedroom and be thrown out later on. It also means they don't expect too much and appreciate things more. All this "must buy and build up the £2 crap now" is just so meh.

Make christmas more about being with family with nice food and a few presents is what I say. All this build up and panic buying in july is taking the joy out of something that you can choose to make a lighthearted holiday.

attheendoftheday · 01/08/2013 14:55

If it feels onerous then by all means leave christmas until later in the year. I am enjoying planning my christmas now, and I dislike shopping in december. Each to their own, what harm does it do?

And why have a thread to slate people doing what they want to do when it doesn't negatively effect others?

Arisbottle · 01/08/2013 15:13

I think the over commercialisation of Christmas and the pressure to have a perfect day does impact others.

KellyElly · 01/08/2013 16:32

It's too hot to think about Christmas! I have thought about it financially though to be fair.

fuzzpig · 01/08/2013 17:17

But it's not Spending 6 months planning - it's not like people are devoting all their time to it, anymore than people posting on say the pushchairs board spend all their time thinking about pushchairs and nothing else Confused

Tis just a bit of fun.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 01/08/2013 17:37

Just because people are thinking about it now doesn't mean they're buying masses of 2 pound tat. I tend to have stockings with a few useful things in them too, which means I have certain things in mind I'm looking out for and I want them at the best possible price.

If I can have the same stocking contents for £10 rather than £25 at RRP by looking out for bits in July instead of December then I think I'd be daft not to give it a go!

needaholidaynow · 01/08/2013 18:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Arisbottle · 01/08/2013 18:07

I think people said they understood the need to save.

Allthingspretty · 01/08/2013 18:29

Ybu
It pays to get bargains in the sale and means that you can enjoy Christmas without as much hastle.

trixymalixy · 01/08/2013 18:36

I'm not buying £2 bits of tat. I'm buying quality stuff when I see it on offer e.g. Melissa and doug wooden stamp set RRP £10 for £2 that DD will love.

marriedinwhiteisback · 01/08/2013 18:38

35 degrees here, on the terrace, glass of wine. Loving this thread - remembers the few bits I bought reduced by 80% for dd's stocking on about 27th Dec last year!! Makes note to order xmas cards when we get home and check date of carol concert with vic because I always do the mulled wine and mince pies afterwards :)

jeanmiguelfangio · 01/08/2013 18:57

I have nearly finished my Christmas shopping, I have to budget so I tend to get most of it in the summer sales. People don't know any different and it means I can afford meaningful gifts that people love. I also buy my brother sheet music in charity shops so you have to look all year for that. I also buy a new board game every year in a charity shop for a bit of fun, can't really afford a brand new one

Murtette · 01/08/2013 20:09

If I do the bulk of my buying over the course of the next few months, I have the pleasure of spending Christmas weekends doing lovely Christmassy things with the DC or friends & spending my evenings cooking & baking rather than having to elbow my way around shops in a panic trying to find something, anything that X person may like and getting caught up in the general Christmas frenzy. I find I feel sucked into the commercialisation of Christmas if I start to think about it now.

trixymalixy · 01/08/2013 21:33

Same here Murtette. I can't bear being up late on Xmas eve frantically wrapping presents like we did one year. Never again! I like to have it done in advance and have a nice relaxed Xmas eve.

Arisbottle · 02/08/2013 09:00

Even if you shop on Christmas Eve the shops close at 4pm. I have more children than most and I like wrapping presents so go over board but even I only take about an hour to wrap my gifts.

fuzzpig · 02/08/2013 09:02

I don't like shopping in December either - social anxiety doesn't mix well with a crowded mall!

Dillydollydaydream · 02/08/2013 09:05

I can't entertain Christmas until at least September but that's mainly because my 3dc birthdays are july/aug/aug so have lots of expenditure then with birthday presents, parties and uniforms. When they're all out of the way then it's Christmas planning.

fuzzpig · 02/08/2013 09:06

I normally wrap throughout December (I don't do it earlier anymore as I found it got rather the worse for wear after being in the cupboard so long) but like to have it done before Xmas eve. Last year DH and I spent that night building the playmobil (has to be last minute as nowhere to hide it when built) and arranging all the figures round it, while drinking baileys and watching Wite Christmas, it was fab!

NuggetofPurestGreen · 02/08/2013 09:19

I think the over commercialisation of Christmas and the pressure to have a perfect day does impact others.

Agree Arisbottle. I hate this about Christmas too. But I'm a total bah humbug anyway.

BiddyPop · 02/08/2013 09:25

DD wants to do a specific trip that she has done twice before but it is extrememly popular and I missed booking the tickets last year (I ration it to every second year - but when I looked for tickets in August they had sold out in July). So this year, I am looking out for the day they go on sale so I don't miss them again. It's not that expensive, but just special and magical, and DH and I enjoyed it too.

So things like that NEED to be planned in advance.

And then there are all the other things I want to have organised - it's as much about having a plan in my head and knowing about organisations to be in touch with, what their deadlines are, what their requirements are and so on.

Having a list of different activities to keep DD busy during the month (which is very busy workwise as it happens, I have some small relief over the summer). Things that are important to do - like cleaning out old broken toys, making sure we have nice clothes to wear for different occasions (not just tracksuits which she'd live in!), and giving her some time and space and the materials to make cards for her cousins and granparents. Making sure i know where there are carol services and when. And what other things we can do in the spirit of Christmas, the birth of Christ, as well as just family fun things.

All of these things take planning. Quite apart from shopping for the multitudes (large family on both sides), making sure I have things packed for travelling or have rooms ready for guests (or both!), and keeping on top of the housework (as I said, it's a very busy time at work) and having fun things for when DH is at home (he spends a lot of time travelling so I need to schedule some things for his time here).

And at the same time, I want to make sure that, despite the chaos of the Christmas season (work, festivities, organisation etc), that there is some space in there for ME - to unwind, relax and enjoy the season too. Family issues can cause plenty of traumas (it's a big one with some members being very well able to be particularly hurtful and prevent anyone else from enjoying anything fun), and I need to make sure I have time to retreat from it all. I need to make sure that we have things to keep DD occupied and also that we have a plan for everything we do and ways to leave if we are having problems (DD has aspergers and ADHD so can get very overwhelmed even at things that she is really looking forward to), and make sure I am choosing things that will be less troublesome in terms of her sensitivities to noise and light, or that we have breaks built into events so that she can go to and enjoy some of the things that most other kids would enjoy.

So if I need to work around all of those issues, perhaps you can understand why early planning is needed. Quite apart from budgeting (and while I am lucky to afford a reasonable Christmas for all, I am not made of money and need to get good value - as well as trying to get something that is meaningful for the recipient) and purchasing aspects.

But luckily, there is a great bunch of like-minded people on the Christmas board who think about similar issues. Away from the main traffic and not imposing themselves on everyone else who is not yet ready for it. While at the same time, trying to live with the spirit of Christmas in their hearts all year round.

Arisbottle · 02/08/2013 09:31

I am not bah humbug about Christmas, although I am not particularly religious it is one of my favourite times of the year. We decorate the house and the garden, I judge a decorating competition in the village that we live in, we tend to have a house full and I start cooking in September - although I spend a lot of time in the kitchen all year anyway.

I just don't understand the piles of presents that need buying months in advance.

AwwCrumpets · 02/08/2013 09:32

Last year I had my dd Xmas all bought in September at little cost and bought little bits for relatives.
I regretted getting my dd so much so this year iv picked four things that I know she will play with like arts and crafts materials which is mega cheap on eBay and I could actually make a crafts hampers for my nieces and nephews so win win as there's 4 of them and I don't know their tastes.

All four things I will be looking on eBay for as she is still so young she won't know the difference if its 2nd hand or not,as long as its boxed/wrapped and good as new.
I picked up a elc cash register for £2 out charity shop it works and I know she will love it just for the microphone on it.

I started planning last week but I'm really only buying for children this year and won't be having Xmas dinner at my house.

fuzzpig · 02/08/2013 09:46

Buying in advance doesn't necessarily mean huge piles of presents. For me, it gets the present bit out of the way and I can choose something really ideal (I tend to panic and overbuy if I'm surrounded by huge stressed out crowds, due to above mentioned social anxiety), so December is left for crafty stuff, decorating, watching movies and cooking.

I totally agree there is too much pressure on people to be perfect at Xmas, I used to really feel this. Xmas was awful as a child and I always dreaded it, so I wanted to make it better for my DCs. I am a lot happier since realising that it doesn't have to be perfect to be a happy Xmas. :)

jenniferalisonphillipasue · 02/08/2013 09:47

Yabu

I have 4 dc's under 8 and a large family. They all get nice gifts rather than tat as I buy them in the sales. They would have tat if it was left until December. The whole build up to Christmas in December is manic with children (school plays, carols etc) that if I wasn't organised now it would be very stressful.

Hide the thread if your not interested.