To think your life must be pretty empty if you're celebrating Christmas already?

[MerryMarigold]

Maybe it's me, but I think 2 weeks before Christmas and one week after, is ample time to have your tree/ lights up, be watching Christmas films (if you're that way inclined), listen to Christmas songs, have Christmas nights out/ dress up in Christmas jumpers etc. This weekend my Facebook has been inundated with 'Look at my lovely tree' statuses and today I've just driven past about 30 Santas power walking, my kids are begging me to get a tree up (which will be dead by Christmas). I just think you need to enjoy life now and not always be looking forward to the next celebration.

AIBU and a miserable git, or do i have a point?

What @SoupDragon saud

@MerryMarigold - MN wouldn't necessarily be very quiet but it would definitely have less judgemental snidey threads

And as to empty lives - some people may simply:
Be better organised than you
love Christmas more than you
need to celebrate earlier than you (multitude of reasons)
be more fun than you
Not care what others think

And lastly, if trees are looked after they last months. We had one that kept going well into February and in the end we had to evict it as it definitely didn't want to die!

Merry Christmas

No, it's too much too early and just an excuse for shops to flog more overpriced sweatshop crap that nobody needs. I don't think it's that the OP is that bothered it's just so in your face now, so early, that you are made to feel like a grinch for not playing along with the bullshit. Most people aren't Christians anyway so it's just become an excuse to ramp up the rampant excessive consumerism to the max. You only have to look at the shit that is being sold on the Xmas markets in Manchester. Most of it is absolute badly made rubbish and no-one looks happy paying over the odds for it. People are in debt and poor already and those people having to use food banks must feel even more shit. Let's focus on caring for those around us not buying more stuff we don't need or really want.

please don’t associate it with anything to do with jesus

That’s a peculiar thing to say. ‘Jesus’ is still somewhere in the mix of most people’s christmas’s, in the desire to be together.

One of the positive things about starting Christmas early is that it feels less about present buying and more about doing fun things together.

Anyway It’s important imo not to overegg the significance of Jesus as a symbol of peace, goodwill etc at Christmas time. There is a fantastic display of giant eighth century bibles in the British library - in its exhibition about the history of the Saxons, Bede etc. What really comes across is the importance of Christianity as an administrative power base for the organising and allocation of resources, with a monopoly on reading and writing etc. Not much space for the humble socially democratic jesus of today.

Christmas was useful in our past as an opportunity to celebrate but also as a means of marking time - one of the important markers or shared reference points in the calendar before we had clocks.

I don’t have a spare minute in my life, sometimes I wish it was more empty but once my daughters birthday is out the way at the very start of December then Christmas it is. It’s exciting for the children and makes the dark nights and dreary weather that bit more enjoyable. It’s fine if you only ant it up for 2 weeks but it’s also fine for those that want to start now. I do find those that put them up in early:mid November a bit much but it’s not me that got to look at it for the next 2 months 🤷🏼‍♀️

We enjoy Xmas and have started it much earlier than we used to pre kids. Our tree is up and lights on outside. We started on Sunday the first of Advent. We have busy full lives. I agree with PPS it's a season, and it's fun especially for children.

After a rough few years of not enjoying Christmas properly I fully intend to enjoy this one and have our tree up already.

Yep. Same here too. I was dreading it last year and really not into it the 2 years previously but this year I feel like I'm coming at it with open arms!

I also don’t need see how putting your tree/decks up now costs anymore than putting them up on 2 weeks time? Apart from maybe the negligible cost of power for lights

Putting up my Christmas tree on the 1st December doesn’t mean I’m subscribing to ‘excessive consumerism’. We’ve had the same decorations for years, a lot of them from when I was a child. I don’t buy piles of gifts for the DC, just a few things I know they’ll love. I always try to buy from independent, local shops. I spend far far less on Christmas than many other people on here, judging by the threads on Christmas budgets. I just like Christmas decorations!

Oh and another thing- we’ve just had a fantastic Fistmas weekend, celebrating with those we can’t possibly see on December 25th because they will be away or caring for elderly parents. The food, the champagne, the games, the songs and the presents. As Christ’s Birthday was allegedly sometime around April, how and when you celebrate is irrelevant! It’s the shortest day of the year we really have the feasts for.

After a rough few years of not enjoying Christmas properly I fully intend to enjoy this one and have our tree up already.

Myself included, this year I am really enjoying the early festivities our tree will be going up this weekend and I honestly couldn't give a shit if that offends the control freaks who believe we should only celebrate on their terms.

Off you fuck grumpy. 🎄

Carriecakes80 Yes!!!! Merry Christmas

If you care enough to write this post Op your life is pretty empty.

I dont mind decorations up early.

What irrationally irritates me are the photos of the trees with all the presents perfectly wrapped by December 1st and you know the focus isn't 'what a nice tree', it's look at all the presents I've already bought and wrapped, I really want you to be in awe of how organised I am, look how unique and quirky I am to be sorted already.
I tend to be ready early. No presents go under the tree and no photos of presents need to be shared.

I never really got why people get so ruffled about other peoples Christmas decorations, I am an early Christmas lover, probably annoy the hell out of people chatting about Christmas in October, but you know what, it makes me happy, when I am happy my dh and kids are happy, its a happy time of year for me, thankfully I haven't lost anyone close to me to make me feel sad about it which I understand lots of people dread it for that reason. I am not harming anyone or offending anyone, so why not. I say live and let live

I never normally would comment on such a post but I was compelled to! I certainly do not have an empty life working full time for a busy Children’s charity and being a single parent to two children of my own. I am one of these heinous people who have their tree up, children enjoy singing Christmas songs and they enjoy looking at peoples decorations whilst out and about. What a patronising load of nonsense! Empty life!!!

When I was growing up we only had tree / decorations from Christmas Eve til Epiphany. But now we go away over Christmas every year so we put everything up much earlier so my dd can have some Christmas cheer in her own home. Also, we are church goers and Advent is a special time with lots of things going on, so yesterday we went to church for the Advent service and to a carol service, there will be a Christiingle next Sunday and a carol service the week after. We have also had the travelling crib starting on its journey round the village. All of these involve Mince pies etc and no, it’s not too early- Advent is a major festival in Christianity. So, people may have different reasons for having their decorations up.

I don’t think enjoying Christmas means my life is empty. In fact I often think that people who are miserable about Christmas have quite depressing lives. Who’s enjoying themselves more, me socialising with friends at Christmas or the Scrooge who’s sat at home pissed off that everyone else is happy?

Wow OP that's very judgemental of you. There can be any number of reasons why people do what they do when they do them.

My DH is leaving for 6 weeks in 10 days time and will miss all of Christmas and new year so we will be be celebrating Christmas this weekend with the family before he goes. So our decorations are up now. But yes I guess I gave nothing better to do

I think you're absolutely right. Christmas seems to be celebrated earlier and earlier every year. There were Christmas chocolates in my local Tesco in September. There is no sense of occasion any more. Chavvy idiots put their crappy nasty trees up mid November because they have the mindset of children. They can't wait.
Don't buy into it. Do it your way.

Winter is grim. Do whatever brings you joy!

I hate how so many people are bored of Christmas by Boxing Day now. Start later and then enjoy the whole season! At least until New Year's Day, even if you can't be doing with Twelfth Night.

It's all over by Boxing Day, that's why people are "bored". It doesn't matter when you start.

Im with yoh on this one OP. I don't think people's lives are empty but it pisses me off that people ruin Christmas celebrations. Like it or not, it's 12 days of Christmas. It's has started as a religious celebration not commercialised day about loading houses with lights ( I do love lights though ), about how many presents everyone can buy/ get, how drunk they can be at Christmas parties etc. Christmas was to celebrate the birth of Christ and it is a time for family. Time for forgiveness. Time to reflect. I'm not even externally religious but tradition is a tradition. Western world seems to try to ruin every other celebration. Recent HOLI parties just because people think it's fun to be covered in paint have nothing to do with the actual celebrations. Why ?

You are right - you are miserable! Let others do what they want. People can be busy and have full lives and celebrate Christmas at the same time if they want to. I’m sad for you that you don’t have a full enough life to keep you from thinking so much about other people’s Christmas habits.

@earthakitty I can assure you I’m not a ‘chavvy idiot’ however my tree was up in November because it’s my tree, my house, my life. I don’t feel the need to judge and name call people who don’t do as I do because I’m too busy enjoying my two months of Christmas!