...to think that Christmas shouldn't take over a third of the year?

[WiIdfire]

So it's started already. Christmas threads outside of the Christmas topic. 'What have you bought for Christmas?' discussions in three differ Facebook groups I'm in. Supermarkets starting to stock chocolate santas. In August. AUGUST!?!

If you are the sort of person who buys gifts throughout the year, to spread the cost and use for birthdays and Christmas, that's fine. But I think it is totally unreasonable to say 'it's August, must start Christmas shopping!', am I wrong? I'm not even Humbug about it, I enjoy the festival itself, but does it have to start so flipping early???

So, am I just grouchy, and need to leave the Internet for the next three months, or is anyone with me?



(And yes, I appreciate the irony that I have now started a Christmas thread. In August. But it was giving me the rage.)

[Marylou2]

YANBU but I just can't help myself. I ordered a star with lights from Cox and Cox when the catalogue came in the week and I'm just wondering if it's possible to create a secret Pinterest board to friends don't know I'm already plotting and scheming. Can't be buying food though,don't start to think about that until the M&S Christmas ordering starts.

[ImperialBlether]

Oysterbabe, I would break that tradition and spend Christmas at home. Once you have children people are very unreasonable to expect you all to travel to their home.

Bite the bullet and say you're staying at home this year. You could always visit for a weekend before or afterwards.

[CakeNinja]

Well I like Christmas, but at the appropriate time of year!
I get pissed off seeing Christmas stuff in shops now, not until November at least.
I do all my shopping in December over one weekend.
One Saturday my friend and I go out for the day and get drunk to make a start. Then on the Sunday, I do the bulk remainder online.
All these people that talk about spreading the cost - surely you could just put the money you're spending to one side until closer to the time? How on earth do you know what anyone wants 9 months in advance that they wouldn't buy for themselves?

[LemonScentedStickyBat]

Oysterbabe, breaking that tradition was one of our best decisions ever. We have a fabulous relaxed Christmas at home now and everyone else got over it.

[FairyDogMother11]

I haven't been excited for Christmas the past couple of years as I had to work all the Christmas period including Christmas day, but I found out yesterday that this year I have Christmas day off and now I'll admit I'm getting excited especially as usually scroogey-DP has said I can decorate everywhere. But I draw the line to actually buying things till after my autumn birthday!

[Oysterbabe]

I think I'll have to see if I can persuade DH that we should be staying at home for Christmas from now on and telling family they can either come to us or we'll see them before or after. I think it's going to be an uphill struggle however because it's just me who wants it.
DD is still very small but as she gets older particularly I think it'd be so much nicer for her to be at home. I mean obviously we could still do mince pie for santa hanging stocking etc wherever we are but it's just not the same.

[ClashCityRocker]

oysterbabe seriously, do it.

We did and it was best Christmas ever. skyped family in the morning, pottering about with gifts, listening to music, leisurely cooking Christmas dinner and serving it up when we were ready - not at 2pm on the dot because that's when tradition dictates, according to DHs family....actually, we ate a lot later than planned, about 6, which was nice as it was dark outside and we could have all the candles lit - but the best thing was that we could do it when we wanted.

Driving hither and thither is no fun on Christmas Day.

[Andrewofgg]

Any day now the threads will begin about sharing out Christmas and New Year duties in jobs which don't stop, and we'll known that Christmas is just around the bloody corner . . .

[happypoobum]

Oyster you really do have to put your foot down!! Just tell DH that you cannot face doing it any more and it's going to be Christmas at home from now on. It's horrible for you and for the DC who will really prefer to be at home as they get older.

Anyway - I love Christmas and think YANBU as it should take up half the year not just a third!!!!

[thatsn0tmyname]

I agree with you OP (although I'm currently knitting Christmas gifts). I do buy bits early for the childrens stockings but I'm not really interested until Halloween is over. Our decs don't go up until the 12-14th December (but that's still a bit early for me).

[ClashCityRocker]

I must admit though, Ive seen more threads about christmas starting too early (putside of the Christmas topic too!) in the last day or so than I have seen actual threads about Christmas...

[gillybeanz]

I love Christmas and do bits towards it all year, thought everyone did. why leave it until the last minute when you can be adding to your plans each week.

[SoleBizzz]

Christmas is just another lonely boring school holiday for us. I hate it.

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

I went to buy a sympathy card last week. All the card shops had their Christmas cards and wrapping paper out, and in all the stores they had them at the front, so you had to fight your way past them.
And the knock on effect of that is that for the last four months of the year you have far fewer cards to choose from for other occasions because there isn't nearly so much space for them, so I have to plan in advance and buy cards for Sept - Dec birthdays before August.
I really don't want or have any enthusiasm for Christmas stuff at this time of year, and by December I'm heartily bored and sick of it. It's taken a lot of the magic out of it by being so prolonged.

Never mind, when I'm king there will be a ban on all Christmas marketing and merchandise until November 6th (and even then I think I'm being generous starting so early).

[Andrewofgg]

Not November 6th. Remembrance Sunday or November 11th, whichever is later.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I'm a huge humbug, and I won't apologise for that. Xmas takes over for far too long, and the meaning of it has been lost to commercialisation. I wouldn't celebrate it as a religious festival because it isn't my way anyway.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

I'm planning Christmas now but that is because I'm a vicar and I need to get dates in the diary and give the choir some choice over carol service dates. For my owning family Christmas planning I try and get as much done in November as possible as It will be wall to wall carol services through December and then come Christmas Eve the service marathon of carol service, crib service, midnight mass, Christmas Day services, hospital services etc.

The only way to make the family event and the church event work is with spend sheets of what to do and when and lists, lots of lists. Gin helps.

[JasperDamerel]

I lime to think and plan in advance, but nothing Adventy happens until the actual start of advent, and we don't put up the tree until the 21st December. I don't think that enjoying Christmas and doing bits ahead of time is incompatible with preferring to keep things simple.

I'm an anticipator. I'm also busy planning how to decorate all the rooms in the house, what to plant in the garden, how to make raised beds, three different birthday parties and several different Autumnal meals. In December I will be looking forward to spring.

[Poppiesway]

I used to hate this too. I have too many birthdays and other activities between September and Christmas to get out of the way before even thinking about Christmas..
But Reestie on the Christmas bargains thread has really helped me (wether she knows it or not!) just by buying a few things early has made me plan things out more and not made it such a stress in December. I've actually enjoyed Christmas the last two years with the forward planning! [fatherchristmasemoticon]

[DesignedForLife]

YANBU. I've no problem with buying presents through the year if you see bargains or something special, but who needs chocolates out this early? It's just over commercialisation gone mad, and I hate it. Cheapens the whole thing.

[Cagliostro]

Getting a few presents early doesn't mean it takes over though. It's just - oh, that thing I've been thinking of for DC is on sale, I'll get it now and stick it in the cupboard. Then go back to whatever else you're doing. E.g. I've been wanting to get the DCs a particular type of marble run for a few years, but it's expensive - it went cheap just after new year so I got it then, and it'll be their santa present this year. There's also a particular thing I've never been able to find before for stocking fillers, and they are now suddenly available so I'll get them now, as I know they will be sold out again by Christmas. They are decent items that last years (we have other things from the same company), rather than tat. I hate tat. In the past I've got the DCs a couple of bits of silly stuff as I thought it wouldn't be fun/magic without it. But actually they have never been fussed by it, so I don't anymore.

My DCs aren't fussed about particular characters/brands etc, so I'm not worried about things suddenly falling out of favour. They don't do santa letters/wish lists yet (9 and 7) and they are very cynical about the latest 'must have' toys advertised on the telly so I've never had to worry about getting anything like that. If they were, I'd have to leave it later I think, because it would be more likely to change. They like stuff like Lego and Playmobil but it's any set at all rather than a particular one IYSWIM.

I have autism, as do my DCs, so crowded shops are just a no-go - especially when I add on the stress of trying to think of what to buy for people etc and shops like BHS (RIP!) are full of random tat. I just hate it.

We have various 'traditions' like the fact that we always get a board game as a main family present, and DH and I take it in turns to choose so we'll start thinking about it early and go to the lovely game shop to talk to the owner when we have a chance (It's my turn this year :o). DCs always get undies and socks and Top Trumps in their stockings and pyjamas on Christmas Eve (shamelessly nicked from MN, that one) so if I see something during the year, I consider it.

Actual proper Christmas excitement doesn't start in this house until a few days before though. When they were at school it ramped up and up and up for weeks, and they'd be shattered by the end of term. They're home ed now and it's just chilled. The only things that happen before that is that I get my Christmas carol piano book out and play from it a lot, and that they have their chocolate advent calendars (as do DH and I - I wasn't allowed them as a child so making up for it now :o). Decorations would never go up before my birthday (early December) anyway, but usually it's only a few days before the 25th.

[CurlyMango]

Feel disgruntled, OK more than that as I was given a Christmas gift yesterday. After I have said when she said she was bringing it, give it to Dh. She said no you have to open. Then when it was brought out, in front of others I said but it's four months till Christmas. She said you have to open it now to get started! So had to open it, although when I did it really did not need to have been opened at all! Really what's the point. If you want to give a gift. Great, but four months is redicullously early as no way does it relate to Christmas.

[CakeNinja]

Curly, what was it?!

[CurlyMango]

Might out me but.....giant jar of chocolate covered coffee beans!!!

[JacquesHammer]

I don't particularly plan but I do buy presents throughout the year.

I bought my DD a couple of Christmas presents whilst on holiday because they were place specific.