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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

427 replies

MerryMarigold · 02/12/2018 13:45

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?

OP posts:
needtogetagrip · 04/12/2018 03:05

I LOVE Christmas and get so excited for it! The decorations go up on the 1st Dec and come down on 2nd Jan usually. I probably throw myself into the festive season. I think that you are entitled to your own opinion OP but equally think that you sound like a bit of a knob. 🤷

MarcieBluebell · 04/12/2018 03:14

You could say your life is empty is you don't decorate. I don't bother with decorations because noone will see it and is pretty depressing.

I'm not for early xmas trees but I bet some of the owners have a jolly and fullfilled life.

ManchesterMum63 · 04/12/2018 04:28

Yep - another "very full life here" thanks for asking... As an 'early' adopter of the season🎄(December)... I love the lights and the extra-cosy feeling and the rituals and all the good bits... Can't see any problem with that? All other 'normal' life-stuff goes on...

KringleBells · 04/12/2018 05:05

I think you must be a miserable bastard to begrudge people Xmas.

SuspiciouslyMinded · 04/12/2018 05:10

Christmas season starts on the first Sunday of Advent (this year - 2nd December) and ends on Twelfth Night (6th January). Nothing empty about it, celebrate away!

SlightlyCoddled · 04/12/2018 05:36

I think the op is getting a very hard time here. Yes, the use of the word "empty" in the thread title was unfortunate but if you read the actual op, it's not totally outrageous, she does acknowledge that it could be her that is at fault, , and she may be being "a miserable git". From some of the responses on here, you'd think she'd slaughtered a baby reindeer or something rather than just hold an opinion different to the majority!

If Christmas spirit really is about more than decorations, as some of you are saying, maybe we could demonstrate that by forgiving the op her "empty" comment and desist from piling in one after the other to tell her how horrible she is, because that's not very Christmassy either!

KringleBells · 04/12/2018 05:48

Not only SlightlyCoddled but also HugelySanctimonious to boot...

SlightlyCoddled · 04/12/2018 06:04

Thank you Kringlebells.

Happy Christmas to you too.

SlightlyCoddled · 04/12/2018 06:07

In fact, I rest my case!

yilloe · 04/12/2018 06:11

Some people, like me, won't have their kids on Christmas Day (or even Eve, for that matter).
Anyway, the best bit about Christmas is the build up, not the actual day. A day is just a day, but 3 or so weeks of lights and sparkles is just lovely.

Original poster
MerryMarigold · 04/12/2018 06:50

Thank you Coddled for reading the OP properly, although some people clearly haven't, or the updates. It's an interesting, although unplanned, experiment into how much of an OP (or subsequent replies) people read on AIBU! Many people come to this board just to vent, so I'm glad I've given them an opportunity to do so in relative safety.

OP posts:
Rarfy · 04/12/2018 06:53

Someone said something very similar at work yesterday and for a second it did get my back up then i realised i was being ridiculous. Each to their own.

I enjoy Christmas love all the decorations and how the season makes me feel but everyones different and i know a lot of people that do just consider it 'a day'.

Hisaishi · 04/12/2018 06:58

I don't think their lives are empty but I do feel quite confused by the early celebrators. I just don't get it. I'm talking the people who start preparing in October. If something is on your mind for 2-3 months of the year, how on earth can it feel in any way special or interesting?

I always think the actual day must be a massive letdown for them.

I also really hate all the 'you must drink a Starbucks Christmas drink', 'you must buy stocking fillers', 'you must buy a secret Santa at work' etc. No, no one is forcing anyone to get involved in any of that, but the fact is that marketing works and it's making Christmas into something that is only about spending as much money as possible. Some people call me scroogey because all I want to do on Christmas is eat nice food, go to church and exchange a few presents with a few close family members. I can't be doing with all the additional fuss that we 'must' do.

happymum12345 · 04/12/2018 07:11

It’s the build up to Christmas that is wonderful! Why does it bother you if other people get pleasure out of decorating trees earlier than you? How does it mean that they don’t have a life?

WizardOfToss · 04/12/2018 07:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BatsAreCool · 04/12/2018 07:45

I agree the use of the word 'empty' makes your OP just plain nasty.

It's sneering, judgemental and nasty to imply that others have an empty life because they do things differently. Ironically anyone who is happy with their own life and way of things wouldn't need to view others as having an empty life.

I don't celebrate lots of things but if it brings joy to others then sneering at them and saying they must lead empty life's would say more about my life than theirs.

Dilovescake21 · 04/12/2018 09:02

I actually agree with you. The non stop adverts/music etc and the sheer commercialism of Christmas is so far removed from the real message of Christmas. The pressure on people to spend more money than they should is immense and I feel deeply sad for children and families who cannot afford it. If everybody just stuck to a couple of weeks then it wouldn’t be “rubbing it in “ to those for whom this time of year is a painful reminder of their financial situation.

FastLane46 · 04/12/2018 09:30

Does it have a negative impact on your life?

If the answer is no then stop being a grump and let people celebrate the season.

MsLexic · 04/12/2018 09:54

Why worry about what people do especially if it's a happy thing that is not hurting anyone?

Claw001 · 04/12/2018 10:14

I have my tree and decorations up!

Is my life empty, no I fill it with Christmas decorations for one month a year! Confused

Muddyslippers · 04/12/2018 10:20

Oooh, watering... yes. forgot to fill the poor thing's pot...

I always have a party for my neighbours in December - we make natural decorations like wreaths for the door from holly and ivy. I like to get the tree up for then - it starts off my Christmas season and pepole always say they love it. I do have a 3 year old, but I've been getting my tree up the first week of December for ages! Originally, because I spent the week of Christmas away with my sister's family and I want to get the full benefit of all the sparkle in the dark nights before I leave. Some of my fairy lights are up all year... white ones... This is the first actual Christmas day I'll have spent here in about 23 years.... so lets see...

On January 2nd/3rd I'm always ready to get out into the garden, drag the Christams tree to the bottom of the garden and cut up last year's one to put on the fire. Thats when we start looking at spring bulbs and the focus turns outside once more.

headinhands · 04/12/2018 10:27

Just got some gorgeous red berry lights from Tesco that I've strung around the top of the kitchen. Feels so cosy. I've even got battery operated snowflake lights around the mirror in the downstairs loo. There's not much natural light about at this time of year and fairy lights just perk me up.

headinhands · 04/12/2018 10:28

A few years ago, after we led cleared the dinner table I covered it with tea lights in jars. Looked so pretty.

goingonabearhunt1 · 04/12/2018 10:41

I don't really see the issue with Christmas stuff happening once it's December. I agree that the shops go mad with Christmas way too early though (definitely don't want to think about it in September/October!) Putting up the tree is my fave Xmas activity though so I like to enjoy it for a while (will probably put mine up this Friday).

goingonabearhunt1 · 04/12/2018 10:43

My DM thought the same as you but she is strangely Puritan about a lot of things; too much fun is A BAD THING Grin She seems to be mellowing a bit now though.