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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Christmas talk/problems/logistics in AUGUST is OTT

105 replies

keyboardkate · 30/08/2018 16:21

Sorry now.

Am I alone in thinking this? I do realise that some people have to plan for overseas/up and down country visits in both directions.

But is it a bit early to generally open topics about Christmas in August?

OP posts:
Original poster
keyboardkate · 30/08/2018 22:50

It is one day. Just that, one day.

I accept that some might need logistical gymnastics to get there, but it IS just one fkn day really.

But then again it is a distraction/advert/gotta do it kind of thing for many.

Each to their own.

OP posts:
speakout · 31/08/2018 06:16

It's not just one day in our house- it

The festivities last several weeks in our house.

We have decorations - go up slowly, with the tree last, We start to have mince pies with our coffee, when the kids were younger we would start winter crafts, making paper snowflakes, satsumas studded with cloves, make ice decorations.
We will have christmas flavoured hot chocolate, neighbours around for mulled wine.
There is carol singing in our neighbourhood, we have friends around for bubbly and carols, tripe to the cinema, ice skating.
OH takes 2 weeks off work, he will glaze a ham, we have family around a few days after christmas.

For us christmas is far more than one day It's weeks.

speakout · 31/08/2018 06:30

I don't see chtristmas chat outside the christmas thread at this time of year.
Any that do happen are usually moved.

I see plenty chat about summer holidays 6 months ahead of time.

Monty27 · 31/08/2018 06:32

It's understandable as long as you keep it under your own roof

QuoadUltra · 31/08/2018 06:46

Christmas is one day? Confused

You can’t work in an office OP. ‘Christmas’ is a period which includes minor skirmishes around days off, Christmas nights out, lunches and endless boxes of chocolates, collections for good causes and so on.

You can’t have a big family or one that is spread around the world. They might wat to celebrate together across some of the days the rest of the world is having days off - and they need to co-ordinate. You might need to choose, buy, wrap and arrange delivery of presents to these people.

You can’t be very interested in food if you don’t see that it isn’t just about one meal but also the party food and mince pies and so on.

You can’t be very interested in decorating your house, either.

People that pretend Christmas is just Christmas Day are being deliberately obtuse.

speakout · 31/08/2018 06:47

QuoadUltra

Well said.

Fatted · 31/08/2018 06:50

In my current job (I'm about to leave Grin) You have to put your requests in for Christmas leave by April. Yes, April. And even then it goes to a ballot. God help you if are new in the job after then!

MissusGeneHunt · 31/08/2018 06:52

@speakout your Christmas time sounds lovely!

It's a little early for me, but if I don't like what I see (dedicated aisles in tesco etc) I just don't go there. Each to their own!!

Fatted · 31/08/2018 06:53

I also start buying stuff around now because the last birthday is out of the way. Unfortunately for some people budget means they have to buy little bits through the year. DH and I both have large families and we have 2 kids. We can't physically afford it all in one months pay. And that is with a small budget per relative! Yes we could not spend it, but they're my family and I want to.

wheezing · 31/08/2018 06:55

Started looking at booking Father Christmas today and a lot of places and the best dates are already fully booked.
Ok my diary for earlier in August next year.

December2018 · 31/08/2018 06:55

My baby is due on the 19th December so I have to plan ahead
If I wasn't expecting I don't usually get exited until after bonfire night... I'm just so exited tho and I do love Christmas

JacquesHammer · 31/08/2018 06:56

Can’t help thinking it’s fairly easy to avoid threads you don’t want to read by not opening them.

And those that aren’t immediately obvious from the title? Open, note subject, hide if not interested.

scaryteacher · 31/08/2018 07:07

This year, it's not just coming back to UK to get my Mum and taking her back to Belgium with me, I have to factor in ds's MA graduation the week before Christmas in UK, and getting Mum, and possibly ds if he has a UK job by then. I have to book the cats into the cattery, sort ferries, accommodation for the graduation and the night after, etc etc. The earlier I can sort all this out, the better.

NeffAll · 31/08/2018 07:09

If you don't want to read about Christmas threads in August, why did you start one then? Hmm

Believeitornot · 31/08/2018 07:15

I think it’s OTT to have all your present shopping done by, say, October etc.

What happens if you decide you’ve got the “wrong” gift or your dcs don’t like the thing they were going on about? Then you end up spending more.

Shops start noise about Christmas now because they know people will, on average, spend more as a result. Not everyone sensibly sets a strict budget and maintains it if they think they’re spreading the cost. It’ll just be £10 here and there over the months.

I don’t think it’s ridiculous to plan logistics early - but the OP wasnt arguing that point.

MaryShelley1818 · 31/08/2018 07:22

Well I had all my Christmas Shopping finished by July - I don’t think it makes me OTT, just well organised.
I’m on Maternity Leave so have had to budget really well and buy a couple of things a month since January.
We’re on holiday September/October for 2wks, we’re then away end of October for a long weekend.
November I am going back to work, DS starts nursery and we both have our stag/hen nights.
December - we’re getting married, then DS’s First Birthday, then Christmas!
If I didn’t have things organised I’d have a meltdown, I don’t see any point whatsoever in leaving myself with everything to do in the last couple of months and getting stressed.

Whyohsky · 31/08/2018 07:28

Really don’t get people saying they have to buy a few things each month or spread the cost. Ultimately you’ll be spending the same amount! What’s the difference between buying in January or putting £50 away in January to spend in December? (Sale bargains excepted.)

butterflysugarbaby · 31/08/2018 07:39

YABU. Some people have very busy lives, and don't live 10 minutes walk away from close or extended family.

Last week, me and DH organised what we are doing with our family in December. We are all very busy people, (especially us ones with busy careers,) and most of us live 1-2 hours drive from each other. And a few of the extended family cannot make it Christmas eve, or day, (or boxing day!) due to work commitments (emergency services workers.)

So we have all set a date for the week before Christmas to have a big lunch together (15 of us,) and on Christmas day, most of us won't be seeing the rest, and will stay in our homes, (some with our immediate family, but others just with their partner, as their adult children or parents are unable to meet on Christmas day...)

Christmas is a lovely time (for some) and ideally it would be fab for the whole family (close AND extended) to all get round a table for 15 on Christmas day, like they do in the soap operas, and in films... (at the house of the poor woman who is hosting the whole thing.......and let's not kid ourselves here, it's generally women who do it all!)

However, real life is not like that for some, as some people actually have busy lives and busy careers.

So @keyboardkate it is not unreasonable to plan Christmas get-togethers in late August. Especially if you have a full and busy life. And it is only 13 weeks to December.

butterflysugarbaby · 31/08/2018 07:43

Agree with @QuoadUltra The whole of DECEMBER is Christmas IMO!

We put our decorations up a month 28th to 30th December.

MaryShelley1818 · 31/08/2018 07:44

Whyohsky - there’s nothing to understand. Some people prefer to do it differently to how you would choose. It’s really not that difficult a concept that we’re not all the same. I enjoy buying things as I see them. I won’t have time in October/November/December so I did it in a way that was easier for me and more enjoyable. Why would I not do that?

butterflysugarbaby · 31/08/2018 07:44

Sorry that was meantto say we put up our decorations a month before it - around 28th to 30th November!!!

Just woke up sorry!

Lemonysnicketts · 31/08/2018 07:52

I’ve started already, not discussing it at every turn, just quietly picking things up for the kids stockings etc. I’ve a big family, and everyone lives in different places, so conversations do start early in general though nobody has gone there yet. It’s no different to the way we planned out summer holiday a few months before, and a couple of other family get-together in the last 18 months have been organised 3-4 months in advance.

I can find Christmas stressful with all the organisation so starting earlier eases that.

To answer whyohsky not everyone has ££ to put away in one hit, if I put away the amount needed in one hit we’d go short. It’s easier to pace it out, be that putting away ££ each month or buying the gifts. I’m trying to do the kids stockings now. Reason? I have a big family and a ton of commitments start forming from October onwards with birthdays etc. I find it stressful having done all of those things to suddenly reach the final payday (which is November for many people) and have to decide on, choose and buy loads of presents. Even cutting out a large portion of my family because none of us can afford it anymore (there are loads of us) it still ends up being around 12 people to buy for even if those gifts are small. It helps my brain to process it all if I start now which is why I personally have because it all falls to me to do.

Believeitornot · 31/08/2018 07:54

everything to do in the last couple of months and getting stressed

A couple of months is plenty of time to buy gifts. You can always budget by not spending the money, putting it in a separate pot then spending in November. What do you do if your dcs really want a toy - but in July they were interesting in something completely different...??

In this day and age, Internet shopping makes life easier.

Believeitornot · 31/08/2018 07:58

I suspect for some people - they just like buying things for people so will do it well in advance of Christmas - to get that warm fuzzy feeling for longer.

Then I bet they end up doing a little top up here and there in late November/December and spending even more in the process.

Our budget is very tight this year. I’m just going to leave it until November - saving money as I go - and make a list then internet shop the lot. Then I don’t have to worry about hiding presents from the dcs, about whether they’ll like it or not etc etc.

We don’t buy for the adults in our family thank goodness (except my dh of course).

HushabyeMountainGoat · 31/08/2018 07:58

I think the Back To School time and the weather starting to cool always naturally prompt people to start thinking of the colder months. It's the same way that the 'Book Your Next Summer Holiday' adverts start on Christmas Day prime time TV, and the Easter Eggs are in the shops on Boxing Day (was happening when I worked in retail 15 years ago so not new)

Not all of us enjoy summer, so many look forward to other times of the year. You don't have to click on the threads.