to not give Christmas more than a passing thought until the 25th of November. Every year.

[Mintyy]

Just that really.

I can do Christmas in a month. Dh is the same.

I am not interested in giving it more headspace than that.

Am I in a minority or a majority, do you think?

Me too. 28th is DMs birthday. After that it's all systems go. DH has already ordered the Turkey, bought some stocking fillers and given me his present list though.

Right, so that's two of us!

We seem to be in a minority ??

Yanbu. Only six sleeps to go...

Up to you. I've found spreading it out over the autumn term works well for me, I used to leave it all till the 1st December but find it less stressful this way. Start of the autumn term is an absolute cut-off for me though, I am never going to be one of those people who buys presents throughout the year or in the previous year's sales.

I try not to give it much time before 28th November, because that is my DS's birthday and I don't want christmas to overshadow it. I want it to have a big build up as DD's birthday does in the summer. Once his birthday is done, we have a week of having his cards up, and nothing Christmas related up, and then we can do Christmas.

Reality is, with so many friends with children, things to prepare for at DD/DS school, work and a multitude of other things, not least the children wanting Christmas films and singing Christmas songs, it's not as easy to avoid as I would like.

Here in the US we have Thanksgiving. So Christmas doesn't really kick off for us until the day after Thanksgiving when we all start our shopping with Black Friday deals.

i knit and sew, so if i plan to make any presents then i'm thinking about them months in advance

I wouldn't want to do it on one pay day.

Yanbu. I totally agree! I honestly think the posters on the Christmas threads who boast of having nothing left to do but the wrapping by Bonfire Night are utterly bonkers, not to mention completely missing the point of the festive "season". There's something very soulless about buying Christmas presents in September surely?

Or course it can be done in a month.

I try to keep it in December where it belongs. I have got some bits for DS as I happened to be in an appropriate place for things he's interested in. His birthday is coming up, so they're not definitely for Christmas anyway.

It has been mentioned a bit as DS is just getting to the full excitement and Santa stage, so he knows what it's about this year. Also his birthday is adding a bit more hype.

The adverts have started very early this year.

I think you should do whatever is right for you. I can't stand the idea of having to try and do everything in a month. My December is jam packed as it is my busiest time of the year work wise. I start buying in August, I'm all done now with room left to twitch and Christmas events filling up my December rather than shopping. It works for me.

I refuse to have anthing to do with Christmas until Nov 7th (DM birthday), and then I have a second refusal until Dec 1st (based on principle of being stupid and stubborn and quite liking Christmas but not weeks on bloody end of it)

27th was the start of Christmas when I was growing up but DS2s toddler group has started the Christmas craft so we're happy

I agree. Years ago I used to have to start Christmas shopping early when I had to buy for loads of people. Sadly our families are now shrinking and I only have to buy for a handful of people these days.

Christmas is very quiet for us as we have small families and one DD who is a teenager.

I don't really like Christmas because I feel that I should be having fun, but I always find it a massive anti-climax.

I just switch off when I see all the Christmas ads on TV, and I agree that they have started very early this year.

My problem is that there is so much Christmassy stuff around for way too long that by the time it actually arrives I am so bored with it all and want it to be over and done with.

Roll on Easter.

If you are prepared and done early you can enjoy the festivities that start at the beginning of December, rather than being crushed and ripped off in the shops.
I don't do decorations until week before but they are down from the loft and sorted in November.

Some people work more hours during December as well, for them its a nightmare.
A sales assistant in a dept store told me if she wasn't done by the start of December she had no hope.

Oh I'm the same. Both dd and my birthdays are the last week of Nov so Xmas starts on Dec 1st here.

Dd2s birthday is 23rd dec and I also have my Mum, sister, 2 nieces and god dd all in dec, so it all gets a bit frantic.

Clearly you have never had any issues with money.

Shopping through August to October is one very effective way of budgeting.

Especially when exh has a nasty habit of switching jobs in October so there is no maintenance until the csa catch up with him Jan Feb time. If I waited until December there's probably a 50% chance Christmas would be cancelled

Ah, I don't do shopping in stores unless I have no way of avoiding it. Online all the way :) (and no, it's not all Amazon )

I think it could change again as the DCs get older, but at 8 and 10 December is a non-stop whirl of school plays, carol services, Christmas Fair (I'm on the PTA) etc and it is all much more relaxing and enjoyable if my days off work are free for those things instead of having to juggle with Christmas shopping. I just buy a few bits every week from about September onwards. Pre-DCs I was always in the leave it till December camp,

i always try to spread my shopping out from sept onwards, however end up buying things for dc and then using them rather than saving.

i like to keep it after 25 nov so that, like a pp said, im not bored of it by the time it comes.

i have a friend taking her dd to see Father Christmas this weekend and in my opinion it's too early!!!!!

"Clearly you have never had any issues with money."

Well you would be quite wrong about that. I just don't understand that argument at all. I actually save money all year for Christmas.

I'm another one who doesn't like to think about Christmas until November is upon us.
I absolutely love it, but think it's getting earlier each year - our local card shop has had Christmas cards in since August!
However, I have started to buy stocking fillers from September onwards. Just because with having two to fill they take a lot of packing and 'bit' finding! So I have to spread th cost.
Everything else isn't even thought about until November though.

Christmas starts in October. Fact.

YABU.

I with you totally on this but organised people keeping ringing me for ideas for presents for the kids. I have no idea as we haven't written our christmas yet. Ring me in December.

Adding on to my post now. I think it depends on your circumstances. I used to do all my Christmas shopping with about two weeks to spare before Christmas Day. Even though I have a big family with lots of presents to buy.
The difference there though to now is that then I used to be in a full time job and have no children. Could easily afford to just dash round the shops a fortnight before Christmas and buy eleventy million relatives a present.
Now though? Not so much. As a SAHM with two children who I never had to factor into the cost before, I suddenly find myself having to stuff two lots of stockings with presents as well as a main gift. On top of all the relatives too.
Mum, Dad, two sets of my Grandma's, a brother, a sister, a MIL, then presents from DC to their grandparents (my parents and DH's) so that's doubling up on presents to all of them as they're too young to buy their own yet.
It works out expensive if you don't start in September! I'd start earlier but I'm seriously not organised enough.