To think people have a superiority complex about leaving Christmas shopping late?

[windturbines]

I've just been on a thread and I noticed a few snide comments directed at the OP for shopping early for Christmas. Presumably, late October-early November. Which, in my opinion (and this year especially) is the most sensible thing to do, funds permitting?

I'm aware some need more time to save up, etc, but if you can afford to shop early, I don't see why it's a bad thing. Leaving shopping until mid and late December doesn't make you anymore festive, does it?

I personally would never run around the shops on Christmas Eve trying to find everything but I wouldn't judge someone who does. However, it seems like it's fair game to give off at someone who is organised early?

YABU - It's weird to shop for Christmas early
YANBU - Shopping early is the only way!

I usually aim to finish the majority late October. I like to save/plan in November and enjoy all the Christmassy things through December, days out, nights away. Markets & shows. Visiting family and friends. My early finish seems pointless this year with all the activities cancelled

@maddiemookins16mum

People get ‘superior’ about it because really what they’re saying is they can afford to just get all their presents etc in one go in December and have the funds to do so. Whereas us mere mortals perhaps can only afford to get them a few at a time starting in September. If I left all present buying until December I’d be skint.

Or perhaps they save the money each month and buy them all in December because it feels more Christmassy? From a budget point of view neither approach is better.

@Chicchicchicchiclana

I don't think I'm superior for not getting in a tizz about Christmas in August, I just think I have different priorities.

Literally the only thing that fucks me off hugely about Christmas is that I can't be on Mumsnet without seeing it shoved in my face from August onwards, when I actually don't want to think about it until December. As I don't watch commercial TV or go to shopping centres I can pretty much avoid it if I want to. Mumsnet is the exception to the rule.

If HQ could just get round to moving threads to their relevant topic then we'd all be happy.

Oh I agree I know a couple of people like that in RL my dm included honestly from the 1st September it's all about bloody Christmas which I don't get the giddy ness so early on . She doesn't have a lot to buy for her dgc are all late teens early 20s but yes it's all about planning and shopping for Christmas. For me I shop but put it away I certainly wouldn't be all judging because someone wants to leave it till Christmas and vice versa . I'll shop when I want but I agree there are people who think you should do things their way or it's wrong . This year with most events or occasion cancelled I even more so don't understand all the planning . It's as big and small as you want Christmas to be .

Or perhaps they save the money each month and buy them all in December because it feels more Christmassy? From a budget point of view neither approach is better

Yeah this is true. I have done it both early and late but have never been able to afford it from one month’s pay... the years I’ve done it late I’ve saved the money throughout the year.

@Swingometer

P.S. I have hidden the Christmas topic on Mumsnet so I avoid seeing all these threads from people bragging that they've finished and wrapped everything in September so YABU to post this in AIBU 😝

If only hiding the Christmas topic worked!

If you think people have a superiority complex about leaving Christmas shopping late (say, until December) then you have an inferiority complex. Imo.

October-early November. (this year especially) is the most sensible thing to do, funds permitting

So... those of us who don't shop early are less sensible, then, is what OP believes, right? Who is the one with a superiority complex?

If I shopped early , that would create a heap of problems in my life. I am curious why those problems don't happen in the early shoppers' lives. So I might ask why not. If me asking makes you feel inferior, then I won't ask. Doesn't matter.

Sometimes people ask "should I shop early" and I can tell you why I find it a bad plan to shop so early due to the heap of problems that would happen in my life. This is not a judgement on what others do. Just an experience. Why ask if you will feel bad about the answers?

Starting Christmas thinking early is wrong on so many levels. It just spreads it all out too much. I like Christmas shopping in the festive season. When I'm feeling Christmassy. I think the snobbishness comes from the over commercialisation of Christmas which is a bit naff and starts too early. And some of the threads on here... the sheer amount of stuff people are buying for their DCs and the amount they are spending is just obscene. And I say that from a well off background. We just don't spend that much on presents, start anything too early or do much to the outside of our house other than some nice lights in the apples trees. But each to their own. It's not something I could get worked up about too much. I just wouldn't do it myself.

I shop early for budgeting reasons and excitement. People mock me all the time but I just laugh it off. She who dares, wins!

I tend to shop later for budgeting reasons. If I spend my budgeted amount earlier, no doubt I'll find more things I must buy right up until December - I love buying Christmas presents

FWIW, maybe some of the late shoppers are waiting for their early December paycheck to buy presents and are then skint until January? I don't really see this as a question of money, more of temperament or other scheduling commitments. Surely later shopping would benefit the people with less money with more time to save and Black Friday deals?

@maddiemookins16mum

People get ‘superior’ about it because really what they’re saying is they can afford to just get all their presents etc in one go in December and have the funds to do so. Whereas us mere mortals perhaps can only afford to get them a few at a time starting in September. If I left all present buying until December I’d be skint.

I think you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder perhaps.

I don't really like Christmas, and just can't even begin to think about it until nearer the time. I only have 6 adults to buy for though.

I aim for mine to be done by mid October and wrapped by the end of October.
The run up Christmas is my busiest time at work,so if I'm not done by then, then people are just getting any old crap

🤔 I find it very odd that people would want to buy Christmas presents in the Summer (maybe one if you found something unique somewhere and couldn't get it any other time) but I don't think I am bragging to say "that's too early for me. I want to wait until at least after Halloween."

When I read in posts things like: "and that's DD2 done" it feels to me a bit cold, as though it's on a list along with clearing out the shed and getting curtains dry cleaned. I also think that 12mth warentees will be running out and kids change interests and adults might buy things for themselves that you bought etc.

But everyone has to figure out what works for them. Either way there will be smug people but I think the majority probably aren't.

@maddiemookins16mum

People get ‘superior’ about it because really what they’re saying is they can afford to just get all their presents etc in one go in December and have the funds to do so. Whereas us mere mortals perhaps can only afford to get them a few at a time starting in September. If I left all present buying until December I’d be skint.

😲 Well that's one heck of an assumption. Maybe they saved the money and spent it later or maybe they have fewer people to buy for or buy less in general. I didn't start Christmas present shopping until the beginning of this month and I assure you that I am a mortal.

I don't like buying presents too early, especially for older folks. It feels like tempting fate. I'm not usually superstitious but am, for some reason, about Christmas presents.

I should specify when I see things in posts about people saying "he's done" and "she's done" feeling a bit cold. I mean when it's ages until Christmas. And I appreciate that it's not meant to be cold. It's just how it feels to me reading it.

@senua

I don't like buying presents too early, especially for older folks. It feels like tempting fate. I'm not usually superstitious but am, for some reason, about Christmas presents.

A couple of months ago I saw something I thought my grandma (89) would really like. I bought it to give to her for Christmas, then thought that at 89 there was a chance she wouldn’t make Christmas so gave it to her then. She said ‘you’ve given me this now in case I’ve popped my clogs by Christmas, haven’t you?’ 😂

I don’t do it at all. Eat my dust.

Meh. Each to their own.

How do you early shoppers know your gifts won’t be obsolete by Christmas? If I bought something for DH in September he would have bought it for himself by Xmas, and six of my close family members (son, dad, 3 nephew, sister) have birthdays between September and Christmas, so anything I bought they might get for their birthday.

@CeramicGuineaPig

How do you early shoppers know your gifts won’t be obsolete by Christmas? If I bought something for DH in September he would have bought it for himself by Xmas, and six of my close family members (son, dad, 3 nephew, sister) have birthdays between September and Christmas, so anything I bought they might get for their birthday.

I suppose it depends what you’re buying. The thing I mentioned upthread that I bought for my grandma back in March was a brooch from an antique shop. Unlikely anyone would get her the same one before Christmas. Different if it was an x box game or similar though.

The thing I find a bit annoying is people say they can leave it until the last minute, or they're finished super early, but they forget everyone has a different amount of people to buy for! I know people who only have to buy 3-5 presents. My parents were divorced but there's a big family and lots of children on both 'sides', not to mention my dp and kids, so it takes a while and makes more sense to spread the cost. I let my dp deal with his family because I have too much on my plate.

I find all the different levels of superiority about what people do or don't do at Christmas bizzarre.

Why in earth does it affect anyone else? I find the people who smugly claim they don't get bought into all the clap trap and refuse to put their tree up until 6pm December 24th because they are above all that rubbish as annoying as those who display faux shock when you haven't completed , colour coded by child , personally created 694739 snow crystals to scatter above peoples heads by October.

I just don't care , I'll do my Christmas the way I want and it makes me consider you neither more nor less than me if you do it differently.

If all the things in the world i will judge myself by , this is probably the absolute last (actually no , the last would be whether i have colour coded cleaning cloths )

"....when you haven't completed , colour coded by child , personally created 694739 snow crystals to scatter above peoples heads by October..."

Damn - I knew there was something I'd forgotten, @Shinyletsbebadguys. That's it - Christmas is ruined now - ruined, I tell you!!

Yabu. I shop for Christmas stuff in December, always have. Just can't see the point of having things hidden around the house for months. I save up and purchase all at once