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 have tweenage girls desperate to put the tree up “everybody “ is putting theirs up today apparently- oh and we have bagged the best tree

I put mine up on a whim, took half an hour or so. It just slots together, hang baubles, job done. It's not a big deal.

I'll leave you with a quote. Christmas is the season of goodwill.

"Life is short
And we never have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the dark journey with us.
Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind."

Henri-Frederic Amiel

I've put mine up earlier than normal. Having had three shit Christmas years and I'm having surgery next week so yes, it really is the only weekend I can do mine.

But if you follow the quote above, and think with kindness.....well then you realise that helping others be happy is more important than your judgement.

@LaurieFairyCake

It's the first Sunday of Advent today and in church we celebrated the season and lit the Advent candle.

And then later we have a carol service with the elderly people in a joint venture with Age Exchange.

It's a season, not a day.

This. ^

I hate it when people say 'all this fuss for just a day..........' It's NOT just a day; it's a season - as you said. These are the same type who claim 'marriage is just a piece of paper' .... clueless!

They are also the same type who mock people who get flowers and a soft toy from their boyfriend or husband on Valentines day. Mean-spirited, opinionated, spiteful people who think that anyone who does things different to them, is an idiot, and deserves derision and vitriol.

I think THEY are the ones who have 'empty lives...'

Putting the Christmas tree, and the decorations up (and switching all the lights on,) on 1st December is perfectly acceptable.

@MerryMarigold

If you don't want to celebrate Christmas til 24th December, then don't, but kindly bore off with having a spiteful dig at people who start the celebrations on 1st December (or Thanksgiving weekend, as some people do...)

How long does it take people to "put a tree up" if they literally don't have time to do it between now and Christmas Eve???

Well we have to go and buy it for a start, from our nearest garden centre which is about 20 mins in the car. Then sawing the bottom off, putting it in the stand, lights, decorating etc. Probably took us about 4 hours total (and obviously have to be hours the garden centre is open so weekday evenings are out, it has to be a weekend). We’re away next weekend and the weekend after, and the one after that is pretty busy with Christmas parties and pantomimes etc so would be a bit of a rush.

Indeed miss marple. I work with the terminally ill gives you a very different perspective

Oh and it takes the best part of a day to sort our tree, go to farm, choose it, buy it, lug it home, (dh buys the biggest tree there is) lug it upstairs, find base, find decorations, hoover etc. Not complaining it’s great fun but not a quick process

We did have coffee and mince pies at the garden centre too, which added to the time it took. But was part of the fun.

I hate celebrating early but my dd wants it and it is no skin off my nose so tree is up.

DH and DD got the tree and put it up yesterday whilst I was at the Schools Xmas Fayre. I came home to chaos, a very happy, giggly teenager, and a knackered, harassed husband!

My living room has more tat than Poundland and we are in danger of shorting out the national grid with lights, but it all makes me smile. Much better than the grumpy arse I've been for the last two weeks.

We always go for the first weekend in Dec as it takes a good day to get everything done and cleaned. This year it seems early, last year seemed late. Horses for courses.

Growing up my Mum used to be like you OP and thankfully I didn't inherit that thought process. Just because I now have my own house and family I put the Tree up on the 1st December and thoroughly enjoy the celebrations and festivities all month long. Actually in my book those who grumble are those who have something missing from their lives! For what it's worth I love seeing people's FB Christmas tree pictures as I enjoy seeing people happy!!

Its you, OP.

Well we don't get a new tree every year (we have a fake one and have only had 2 in 25 years.) Although it does look quite real tbh. We still have to lug it out of the attic and build it though, and decorate it, and put the 350 lights on. AND we put all the decorations up in every room. (We have lights in several other rooms too, incl the hallways and landing!)

AND we put oodles of lights up outside; on the house, on the bushes and trees outside, on the garage, on the shed, etc etc.......

We do it all over 3 or 4 days, as there is so much to do. As has been said, it's good fun, and the result is spectacular, but it is hard work.

It's all ready for 1st December, and will stay up til 2nd/3rd January.

Oh wow, what an EMPTY life I must lead!

I also see it as a season. 1st December onwards is Christmas as far ás I'm concerned. Our tree won't go up for a while yet, but the rest is fair game. I love all the lights and the anticipation. Dd14 and I both have agreed that Xmas day can be a bit of a let-down, so we have resolved to enjoy the whole run-up. Bring on the mince-pies!

@HermioneRuby1

Growing up my Mum used to be like you OP and thankfully I didn't inherit that thought process. Just because I now have my own house and family I put the Tree up on the 1st December and thoroughly enjoy the celebrations and festivities all month long.

Awww, that must have been a little bit shit. I have known women before who have a man who is VERY anti Christmas, and won't even have a tree up, or a single decoration. Fuck that. That would be a dealbreaker for me tbh.

Actually in my book those who grumble are those who have something missing from their lives! For what it's worth I love seeing people's FB Christmas tree pictures as I enjoy seeing people happy!!!

Yeah - I think people who bash the celebrators are the grumpy, sad ones too!

*Its all pretty vacuous and materialistic, but that is of course what xmas has become. Shops and adverts seem to be completely hysterical. And I try to avoid actual shops until a week or two before xmas. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR XMAS MUSIC BLARING OUT IN M&S OR WHEREVER IN NOVEMBER!!!!

I also wonder if people seem less and less to find real meaning in things and cannot seem to celebrate in any way except like children-on-speed, whether its a wedding, xmas or anything.*

^^ Totally agree. The sheer bloody commercialism, materialism and vulgarity of Xmas as it has become pisses me off no end. Especially when half the world is living in poverty and misery. Good will to all men? Yes let's spend a few hundred more on Xmas tat and sod those in need. And let's kick the whole thing off as early as we possibly can

We only have all the children on alternate weekends, so we started celebrating last weekend - decorating and Christmas films etc. Only have that weekend and one more with them before Christmas, and we are away for actual Christmas. So no it’s not because our life is empty but because we live it in a pattern of alternating weekends. the weekends we don’t have the children in December we tend to do fairly normal non - Christmassy stuff - house work, gym, seeing friends, work, hobbies.

But yeah, judge away.

My trees going up tomorrow. I suffer from SAD and the cosyness and prettiness of my decorations makes it a little more bearable. I’ve had a ridiculously shit few weeks so fuck it I’m gonna lash tinsel and glitter at it 😄 My lifes definitely not empty either quite the opposite, that’s partly my problem I’ve got too much going on so I’m looking forward to putting my tree up and having a glass of wine

You’re a miserable git. You make your own joy in life, and if the thing that makes you joyful is putting up a tree and watching a Christmas film, you shouldn’t feel compelled not to for fear that some sneery bitch will consider your life empty.

Alright scrooge, sorry we don't all strictly timetable our Christmas celebrations!

We wait until nearer to Christmas because I think the novelty wears off after a couple of weeks. Nothing wrong with those that choose earlier though.

well our fake tree is up. cake and mince pies are made, gifts are pretty much all bought and wrapped and we are all enjoying having something to lift the spirits in this dark rainy weather.
Each to their own. I'm glad the bulk of it is done so i can now enjoy the fun stuff.

I have an exceptionally busy life but I think this year in particular has been doom and gloom for Britain and I think it’s good for us to have an uplifting full month celebrating the whole Season.

I used to not really bother with Christmas much but since I met DH I noticed how a sparkly tree and some traditions made him happy. I now get into the Christmas spirit from the 1st December because I am far more chilled about enjoying it.

I just don't understand why it upsets people if trees are up now. It never used to bother me when I didn't celebrate Christmas as I didn't judge what others did or didn't do.

@tinstar

^^ Totally agree. The sheer bloody commercialism, materialism and vulgarity of Xmas as it has become pisses me off no end. Especially when half the world is living in poverty and misery. Good will to all men? Yes let's spend a few hundred more on Xmas tat and sod those in need. And let's kick the whole thing off as early as we possibly can.

Oh FFS, there's always one isn't there?!

What a load of old shit.

Who says that people spend shitloads on Christmas anyway? Some people manage to celebrate it, and buy gifts and food withOUT spending shitloads.

And do bore off with this passive aggressive bollux that how DARE we have a nice time when 'half the world is starving?!' I assume you have no car, no tv, only a couple of items of clothing, (that you made from wheat,) you live in a tent with no heating and no electric, you walk everywhere, and you have no internet, or mobile phone (coz you're obviously borrowing some else's!)

If all the above isn't so (which I know it isn't!) then stick your horrible snide negative opinions (about people who enjoy Christmas,) where the sun don't shine.

You sound as bad as the OP!