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?

@Earthakitty contradicting herself nicely there.

Calling people chavvy idiots but them telling the OP to do it her way... I guess you only tell people to do things their own way when it's what you think they should do??

I love what the heathens call 'the time between Christmas and New Year' - ie Christmas! - and would be gutted if the decorations were all down by then. I don't know anyone IRL who takes them down before New Year's Day. Imagine going out for a pub meal on, say, 28th Dec and finding it stripped bare . But I never work between Xmas and New Year, so maybe I'm privileged in that way ...

This is the first year I’ve started Xmas early because it’s the first year my only child actually is kind of understands it is Xmas time and is getting excited about it. He’s 3 and is adoring the lights, the elves (who started causing trouble on the 1st) and keeps stroking the tree saying “it’s so beautiful!” The lights are everywhere around the house and he thinks it’s amazing. His excitement has got me excited over Xmas for the first time in decades and I’m loving it! I used to be like you - bored and irritated by all the posts about trees and elves etc - and now I’m one of those parents that goes all out! #sorrynotsorry

Usually we don’t put up Christmas dec’s till 10th or so but when my partly verbal autistic son said to me “mummy put up Christmas tree on Saturday” we went full on Lights tinsel and baubles - every shiney bit of tat in the box is up and sparkling away and he is so happy as is his twin sister. Priceless

Whatever works for you is fine.my tree Is going up around the 11th which is day after dh birthday.Earlier this year as last year the tree looked like new after id taken it down and its an expensive purchase to nit enjoy it for as long as possible.I love christmas

Yes of course, the people happily enjoying the festivities have much emptier lives than the people who are starting sneering, judgemental threads on Mumsnet about them. I've had a more awful year than you can imagine. I have my tree up because it brings me and my five year old joy. What brings you joy op?

My son in law was very ill last Christmas and in hospital until Xmas eve and remained very poorly for the next few months. This year him and my DD put their tree up 1st December and their three year old and seven month baby loves it. They want to make the most of this Christmas having totally missed it last year.

Ours will be going up next weekend. I think if you are doing the Xmas shopping, going to work Xmas parties and listening to Christmas music, watching Xmas films etc then putting up the tree makes sense. We are generally sick of it by New Year's Day though and like to take it down early. I would not say that makes our lives empty trying to get in the festive spirit. Each to their own. YABVU to comment on how others celebrate Christmas though.

I’m not in the habit of worrying about or commenting on what other people are doing. I love Christmas but don’t do gifts (we do a donation to Crisis at Christmas) and won’t have a tree (because of the dog....she won’t leave it alone). However, we will have a lovely time. I don’t give a stuff what anyone else does.

I'm not an early Christmas celebrator, because to me it feels more exciting if it's in a short timeframe. But my theory is that life is short, and often brutal, and whatever gives people the most joy, when it costs nobody else a thing, is exactly what they should do. If having a tree up all month and Elf on the Shelf makes people happy, then I applaud that completely.

Conformity, like comparison, is IMO the thief of joy. Let other people do what suits them.

@helloworld2012 - also in that boat. It does make you view the things people get agitated about a tad differently, doesn't it?

I hope you have, and are having, a fab Christmas.

I think that those with young kids should just enjoy the excitement as much as they can. I have 2 early teen boys. They aren’t into any Christmas activities unless it involves food. . So gone are the days of panto and other Christmas shows, grottos, running down the road after the Round Table Santa, enjoying putting up the tree to Christmas music, watching Christmas films, Snowflake trail in town, PNP video, etc etc

They don’t want to do ANY of it and I am bloody jealous of those who still have little ones who enjoy it all.

enjoy it all, you lot! Don’t let the (teenage) Grinches get you down!

I'm a Christmas fiend. My life is far from empty. Quite the opposite actually. Nor am I some sort of anticipation junkie, living one Christmas to the next. But I've always loved Christmas and always will, I'll make no apologies for it. Start getting the glimmerings of excitement from early November. Don't put the decs up until a week or so into Dec because of birthdays and other practicalities, but it's a season I love. The smells, the sparkly lights, the cosy evenings in. Days spent with my lovely extended family where no one has to rush off or work or other commitments. I start planning early and go out of my way to make it really magical for my children, as my parents did for me. I don't do elf on the shelf as I prefer more traditional stuff but I can see the appeal.

I don’t understand those who are “sick of the sight of the tree and decorations” by the 28th. Unless you’ve made a particularly ugly display of tree and other decorations, how can you dislike twinkly lights and shiny things? . They are mesmerising to me and make me feel al warm and “comfy cosy” inside!

I’ve put the tree up, watched half of Netflixes Christmas movies, made a gingerbread house and been to an Xmas party with my daughter. My life’s not empty, I fill it with all the things I love- one of which is Christmas!! Life is too short not to do what makes you happy just because some miseryguts is going to judge you

ODFOD!
Some of us just love Xmas and/or have little ones who are excited already.
It's really nothing to do with how 'full' people's lives are or anyone else's business what others choose to do.
I'm usually late putting my decs up but all this moaning just makes me want to get the tree down and start ho ho fucking ho-ing.

I mean, brandy butter ALONE is enough of a reason to fall in love with Xmas...

I don’t do it early but only because I am a bit lazy and leave things to the last minute. I actually envy the people who have got round to it already! I think having a Christmas tree up with all the lights on in the dark evenings looks lovely and is very relaxing so I can understand why people make the most of it.

I sort of agree with the OP that things get a bit out of hand - and those who make money out of Christmas are bound to try to extend the season.

Still, I like the way one eases into the festivities. Firstly there is the calendar to open, then people put lights, decorations and wreaths up. Shops are full of half price tins of Roses and whatnot. Poinsettias are jolly. I love the planning and arranging, the wrapping and hiding and the sneaky extra ports and sherries that can be shoehorned in here and there. Mince pies are delicious and debates about ‘to sprout or not to sprout’ are jolly. It is also hilarious to see millionaire celebrity cooks telling you how to cook a roast potato as if you have never done one before and, as for sausages in bacon, well, they are at the heart of the whole Baby Jesus phenomenon.

So, OP, I am with you. Everyone else goes totally over the top while I am just going to extract every little last sage and onion flavoured drop out of the two months that have become Christmas.

It’s the only way to cope with Brexit Britain, the civil war where nobody died.

'an empty life' is a bit harsh. There are lots of reasons people put trees up now.
One - its fun!
Two - it's December...available weekends before xmas day are now few
Three - I don't spend my christmas day at my house, I have to go to my mothers. So I like to get a good amount of use out of my tree before then. If you put your tree in water and buy the non-dropping kind, it will last.
Four - its fun.

Bah Humbug

I love starting on the 1st of December, writing the cards and wrapping presents with the tree and candles up. Once Christmas is over, so by the 27th at most, it's time to move on and get rid of the tree and everything else!

I might as well make the most of everything before I have to lug the decorations back in the loft for another year.

As long as they don't put ridiculously bright and worst of all flashing lights outside, I don't give 2 hoots how other people celebrate.

I don't need to have a Christmas tree to celebrate Epiphany either.

I actually agree!

I love Christmas but think that starting two weeks before Christmas is early enough to start festivities otherwise it all becomes a bit boring and it takes away that special feeling of it.

And yes Christmas trees do start dropping if they are up at the start of December regardless of whether you water them or not.

And indulging in Christmas food gets a bit much too if starting at the beginning of December.

We will start celebrating around the 15th Dec!

My life is so full that I don't give a sh*t what other people decorate their houses with any time of the year.

Even better, I'll celebrate the darkest month of the year with as many lights as I want, whenever I want to, and not give a second thought to anyone who wants to judge the quality of my life by the amount of fairy lights I use at some arbitrary point in November or December.

I won't judge anyone for not decorating or celebrating, be nice if they returned the favour for those who do.

Ithink your life must be pretty empty if you are thinking about what other people are doing.

This. Soupdragon said it all

How dare you judge people OP? You need to get a life if you think people who love to celebrate advent (which starts 1/12) have empty lives. Btw I don’t have my tree up yet.

Thankyou so much perfectstorm, I'm sorry to hear you're in a similar situation. I wish you a wonderful, happy christmas and many more to come x