to be a bit shocked by the Christmas topic

[user1485342611]

Someone mentioned it on a thread yesterday and I ventured in out of curiosity. There are people on there anticipating and planning Christmas from about April on, discussing Christmas in August, worrying about it in June?????

Fair enough, people want to spread the cost across a few months, but beyond that why on earth would you be planning Christmas and talking about it in the middle of Summer?

AIBU to find this a bit strange?

scouse - Haha! Yes, it's the wrong turn of phrase perhaps! I mean a Christmas where gift spending is limited, where food is kept beautiful but local and simple, where time is valued over money and commodities - so the focus is on having a wonderful experience, not things - and where the amount of waste that is dumped into the environment from all activities is considered in the planning.

But how do you know what your kids will want? Mine have no idea until they write The List.

I'm one of the year round Christmasers.

It's because it's fun. It's because I enjoy the thrill of finding a bargain present someone will love in may. It's because I enjoy thinking about the twinkly lights and the food and us all being together enjoying it.

I'm actually quite insulted at the suggestion I have not much else going on in my life.

Im the type who enjoys planning things though. I'm currently planning our holidays for the year, my new training schedule for my sport, and my next craft project.

I start planning around June when tickets for shows etc go on sale, and start picking bits up for the DCs in September. I’m always on the look out for special offers from then.

Can’t see why this would bother you OP.

I like to be organised and get some presents early, also like to make sure there's enough wrapping paper and cards in my 'Christmas' drawer. If I left it too late then I'd worry about it.

It is a bit crazy but I have to confess that I saw the toy of my GSs dreams in July in a sale for 60% off. I wouldn't have bought it at full price as I have 5 grandchildren and won't be spending thousands on presents. I did buy it and he loves it but I wouldn't go looking in July.

I agree OP - what I find particularly amusing is that the planning and discussion starts now yet there was another thread on December 25 from people saying Christmas is over - get the tree down. Only on MN.

We’re considering going for an adventurous Christmas next year so need to start planning and saving next month! We don’t normally go away for Christmas but fancy somewhere long haul & hot!

Lillian, surely that just means some people are different to others?

Same as in RL.

Watch out op I'm going to ruin your xmas this year also - I bought some presents in the sale

my daughter who is on benefits will start buying straight away. when she sees a bargain she will buy it

For some people it's a highlight of their year, like a summer holiday, so they like to be organised and prepared well in advance because a) that's part of the fun and b) it means they can relax and enjoy the season a bit more if some of the Christmas preparations are done in advance.

I don't think it's spoiling it for everyone. I usually start early (in September), get half the things sorted, then run out of steam and still end up rushing and panicking Dec 20-24th. But I do it at my own pace, I don't mind/care if others want to get Christmas sorted by February. Good for them, especially if they get pleasure out of it.

YABU for putting a Christmas thread in AIBU 11 months too soon!
Having said that, and as I didn't start the thread, I have already bought some presents, decided on the colour scheme and planned a murder mystery party for next year (and mentioned it to family/friends so I know I've got enough guests on 27th to make it worthwhile ).

this Christmas, every time I thought "oh I must" or "I need to buy" or "I should" re Christmas stuff, I then told myself "no you don't".

Apart from a few pressies for DC, and cooking a veggie Xmas dinner planned on the 24th, I did pretty much fuck all for Xmas and it was one of the best ones yet.

I don't start planning it mid November. Sod that!

YABU for posting about Christmas in AIBU.

Christmas has its own topic

I love the Christmas boards and think about Christmas on/off all year round. It is a sort of hobby as some have suggested, and for me that does in fact make for a slow Christmas as I can prepare and plan so as to actually enjoy it all more.

We don't go overboard with presents and never have. In fact now would be the perfect time for those who do and resent it to discuss cutting back for next Christmas. Agree to not do presents at all or cut back severely. Should free up some time and money for the more enjoyable parts of Christmas such as baking with the kids and the like.

Christmas really doesn't have to be overly expensive or commercialised if you don't want it to be, but it may take a bit of thought put into it ahead of time. I find the Christmas boards perfect for this and just avoid the threads I don't need/like.

I know people will say it's none of my business but it is people like that who have turned Christmas into this big stress fest that starts in Oct and is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid - it's ruining what used to be a lovely meaningful and family time in deepest mid winter for the rest of us.

Oh actually fuck off now. I start planning my Christmases about 15 months in advance and not one single second of it is stressful. It's all wonderful fun and I like to dip in and out of it all year. Because I dip in and out of it all year, let me reiterate that, not one single second of it is stressful. By the time my official Christmas season rolls around, second last weekend of November when the city lights get switched on, everything I need to do is long done and all I have to do is enjoy every last second of it. I'll admit, there is a small part of me that will heave a sigh of exhausted relief on the 7th of Jan when my festivities are all over. But it's the happy exhausted relief that comes after a fun season well enjoyed.

I was behind a couple in Homebase the other day. They were buying masses of baubles, tinsel and other Christmas decorations. I’d imagined that most people would still be totally Christmassed out on 29 December but they were obviously preparing for next years.

What do you mean by 'slow Christmas', OP? Do tell.

FWIW I've bought some things for next year in the sales and I buy things as I see them through the year. And keep a spreadsheet of what I've bought but I don't post on the Christmas board. Is that allowed?

Why do you care? How in the world does my year-long planning for Christmas impact your life in any way? How does us putting up our Christmas tree in November negatively affect you?

Answer - it doesn't.

If you want a short Christmas "season" in your house, feel free. Doesn't mean everyone has to do that. You get absolutely zero say in how we celebrate or plan for Christmas.

Oh...and

On saturday, i bought a christmas present for next xmas!

Ooh I forgot to say YABU.

It doesn't bother me when people start planning early and buy odd gifts. I always think it's each to their own (plus one og my friends has 2 birthdays in Oct/Nov plus Christmas so it adds up).

What does irrationally annoy me is when people choose to start early but then flap around making an almighty fuss about how stressful the whole thing is:
Well obviously I started my Christmas shopping a few weeks ago in July but it's so stressful and exhausting. It's like roundung cats up because nobody is telling me what their plans are so how am I supposed to know if i need to make 8 personalised monogrammed Christmas napkins or 12? And that's before I start the chutney and pickles. I don't honestly know how people can be soooo disorganised. I bet I'll still be asking people what presents they would like in November. Sigh. I love organising Christmas but it is sooooo stressful when other people are very last minute. It's so annoying when they expect my christmas to be beautiful

It's the look at me drama llama element that annoys me rather than early planning.

I've bought, Christmas themed throws, Christmas Tree, table/chair decorations, in the sales.

I used to plan Christmas from October, alongside my eldest DDs Birthday. I also used to holiday in the October half term and I had to start paying/budgeting for that by the end of Jan.

Planning early takes away any stress and allows November/December to be about meeting up with people, Christmas events and Funfairs etc.

We don't do a lot of present buying, for Adults, but we go to things and meet up with people. I like to go to at least two Christmas Markets, in different cities. That all takes planning and booking in advance, when you are on a budget.