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?

We put our tree up yesterday.
I always put it up on a weekend.
Next weekend is full, we have lots of winter birthdays so lots of events planned on the run up to Christmas.
I haven't done all my Christmas shopping yet and enjoy shopping for things near to Christmas.

Blimey. Who cares either way? I put my decorations up yesterday because it was nice to do and it cheered my DD up who was feeling down. Maybe that makes my life 'empty.' I have no idea!

So, is it never too early to get a tree up?

^As long as it is in December

Betty, I'm so sorry about your daughter. I hope she gets well and can enjoy lots more Christmases.

I am away from around the 15th until January. I want to see my own tree in my own house so will be putting it up this afternoon.

My children love Christmas. I love my children. They want the decorations up ASAP, I'd be happy if they never went up.

So our compromise is 1st Saturday in December. They've lucked out this year and get the decorations are up for the entire month I rarely last until 12th night

So you can snuggle into your judgy pants until they're up the crack of your arse because your judgement of us putting up decorations, opening the advent calendar and my children choosing to wear their Christmas jumpers is so unimportant it wouldn't register on an microscopic scale.

@Bettydumonde In the circumstances having your tree up from October wouldn't have been unreasonable.

Try it. You might like it OP! 🎄🎄🎄

I put my tree up 2 weeks ago because I felt so crappy and wanted something to make me feel better - do what you want to do and let others do what they want to do

Christmas is the whole of December to me. We went out today to the forest to pick a tree, get it wrapped and bring it home. We then decorated and are now sitting down to watch an xmas film and hot choc.

The rest of the month is pretty choca block with events so this was the last free day we have to do this and anyway I like having the decorations and fairy lights up.

Some years DH and i have put my elderly mother's lights up in her home a little early (late Nov) because it's been the only weekend that both of us could make it to do them for her till a lot nearer xmas.

She enjoys having the lights up early rather than late as she is partially sighted and housebound and the coloured xmas lights bring her a lot of joy. Something to think about while you're driving about pontificating on who's lives are empty OP?

It's usually people with quite the opposite of an empty life that begin to celebrate early! People who have children and families or just want to get into the spirit where most people are cheerful and merry and thinking of others..
I don't want my tree up just yet but it doesn't bother me when everyone puts there's up..

Some neighbours put twinkling white lights in their front garden a week or so ago. I thought 'A bit early, still November'. One evening I came home in the dark, tired and a bit down. Another neighbour had put smaller similar lights in a cherry tree and a bush.

Those lights really lifted my spirits and reminded me of past Christmases and the one to come.
I was also given my first card yesterday, by a Muslim, at a diverse group which will not meet again until January. The good wishes are appreciated!

Your 3 week time frame for decorations seems rather arbritrary. It's not a traditional length of time especially, like the 12 days of Christmas or the Sundays of Advent. It's just what works for you, like "the first weekend in December" or "the Saturday before Rob's birthday" or "my weekend off" works for others. We haven't put decorations up yet as we've been busy but we have watched Elf a couple of times, I've been on the mince pies since October and we're seeing The Snowman Live this week. I don't see a problem in spreading the spending, family time and Christmas lights for a few weeks, especially given how dark and miserable December is otherwise!

OP, it sounds like you spend far too much time on Facebook - are you the one with an empty life?

Sorry but I think you’re in the miserable git territory I’d almost argue the opposite of your hypothesis. My life is pretty full so every weekend is busy between now and Christmas. We had to do our tree last weekend otherwise it wouldn’t have gone up at all. I’m happy to enjoy the lights and festivities for as long as possible as I hate winter. January is always rubbish in comparison.

I agree it is Christmas madness and I do not understand people putting up their tree as early as November, then being fed up with it and taking it down on Boxing day. I think people have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and it being 12 days of Christmas and not 6 weeks. It is the dark dreary days of January I dread.

Well at church today we lit the first advent candle so...Christmas!

I don't understand the Christmas joy weeks and months before the event OP but I don't understand why you'd need to make a snide comment about what other people do? Why judge them for something that doesn't and/or shouldn't impact on you at all? I'm sure you have the wit to not seek these posts out on fakebook etc,.

But starting a thread for the sole purpose of making people who love early Christmas celebrations? Why do that? Is there something lacking in your life, perhaps?

Don't want to decorate early? Don't do it!

Want to decorate early? Go for it!

You do you, and don't spend so much time worrying about other people's lives.

How is it empty? It's full of parties, making wreaths, polishing and decorating the house and tree, carols by candlelight, dinners with friends, theatre trips, present buying and wrapping, pudding stirring, mince pie making. That's busy not empty. I love advent.

I don't understand people who think it's superior to show less joy than others. I'd love to set eyes on twenty power-walking santas. I saw a chubby dad elf with two excited children yesterday. He made me smile when I was feeling grumpy.

We have a battle in this house every year - I would be first of December, DP would be Christmas Eve. We usually compromise on two weekends before. I really struggle with the constant darkness at this time of year (we’re in Scotland and some days it feels like it never gets light) and love all the twinkle and sparkle.

It’s the season to be jolly op

I personally think it is too early for my liking but I make no judgments about other's people lives based on when they put up a Xmas tree. I want to put it up on the anniversary of my children's fathers death because the last thing they did with him was put the tree up so I want to make that a tradition.

I don't understand putting a tree up in November but it says nothing about anyone, other than they enjoy Xmas.

So, is it never too early to get a tree up?

Before the first weekend of advent is too early. Today we are decorating, eating mince pies, and playing Christmas music. Not because our lives are empty but because we enjoy Christmas, we enjoy other things at other times of the year.

“Smiles are free....sprinkle them everywhere”