Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To rant about booking stuff for Christmas so early?

77 replies

DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:04

I'm in a right sulk right now! DD's birthday is 2 days before Christmas. We will be doing her a party the weekend before but trying to also find something like a winter light trail or train or similar on the actual day and everything is already booked up.

It's not even October, Christmas is bloody ages away. I thought I'd be doing a bit of research and noting the dates booking opened for stuff not already be too late.

When do people book this stuff? I'm going to have to start looking in June next year it seems or is that already too late.

AIBU to think it's ridiculous that Christmas has to be planned in the Summer?

OP posts:
JudgeJ · 27/09/2021 14:07

I recall when the grandchildren were small we booked things in Spring for Christmas, the big adults show in Norfolk starts booking in December for the following year I think!

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:09

@JudgeJ

I recall when the grandchildren were small we booked things in Spring for Christmas, the big adults show in Norfolk starts booking in December for the following year I think!
God that's depressing
OP posts:
LibrariesGiveUsPower45321 · 27/09/2021 14:10

Most offices I worked for 10-15 years ago booked Christmas dos in The late spring.

PaperhouseLegs · 27/09/2021 14:10

If it's something I really want to do I have booked in Summer for Christmas events to ensure I get the seat/ticket I want. I don't really see it as ridiculous. Annoying maybe. Tickets to gigs and theatre often sell out months and months before the actual performance date and have done for years. I had a local Christmas trail booked back in June when it was advertised as I knew it would be popular.

edwinbear · 27/09/2021 14:12

Pantomime tickets at my local theatre go on sale the first week in January! You have to be very quick to get a decent (Sat in Dec) date as well. I booked Lightopia tickets a couple of weeks ago. DC are thankfully too old for Santa's grotto, but the good one at the local garden centre starts ticket sales in September too.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 27/09/2021 14:13

The only date we could get for the Santa train was end of November. We booked two weeks ago. We were late in booking while waiting for a Nurse friend to confirm shifts (so we could take the children together), but by then her confirmed weekend off, the first weekend in December, was fully booked.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 27/09/2021 14:13

Where in the country are you?

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:13

I had a local Christmas trail booked back in June when it was advertised as I knew it would be popular.
Bloody hell. So I need to plan Christmas stuff nearer to the previous Christmas than the one being planned for. I think that's bonkers.

OP posts:
Practicebeingpatient · 27/09/2021 14:14

When D.C. were little we used to have Christmas dinner in a local restaurant. It was great, reasonably priced and family friendly. Every year we would sign up for the next year as we left. If you left it until the new year it would be fully booked with a waiting list.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 27/09/2021 14:15

It’s just organised Op. People like to be organised and have stuff in the diary.

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:15

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Where in the country are you?
Kent. But mostly looking in Herefordshire and Shropshire as will be there for Christmas this year. Which we only decided this week and I still think is pretty early to even know what part of the country we will be in in 3 month's time let alone have planned activities.
OP posts:
PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 27/09/2021 14:16

How old is DD? I would think you should still be able to get good tickets for a pantomime or ballet if she's old enough for that. If you want a matinee I'd do it sooner rather than later though — schools and Brownie packs take up lots of seats!

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:16

But allows for no spontaneity

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 27/09/2021 14:16

Most Christmas events here take bookings from Spring onwards. Some from January. Certainly would booked anything like that by August latest and even then I would expect there to be limited availability.

greenlynx · 27/09/2021 14:17

We still have places for the panto at the local theatre and some activities are advertised but booking hasn’t started yet others are booked but not fully ( at least I’ve thought so) I’m starting to worry now…I hate booking Christmas over summer, it just too much for me to cope with.

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:18

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

How old is DD? I would think you should still be able to get good tickets for a pantomime or ballet if she's old enough for that. If you want a matinee I'd do it sooner rather than later though — schools and Brownie packs take up lots of seats!
She'll be 4. Was really looking for something outdoors for GPs too.
OP posts:
JassyRadlett · 27/09/2021 14:19

A lot of venues moved their Christmas booking windows earlier this year for cash flow reasons - they lost a fair bit last Christmas with restrictions and an awful lot through lockdowns, as most are visitor or retail attractions. So opening their booking periods earlier gave them cash flow to keep going when there was precious little else coming in.

I know Christmas at Kew started booking very early this year - March or April rather than June as usual.

Plus in normal times, early booking windows enables them to know exactly what they’re preparing for. They’re not left with a bunch of staff and inventory if it was unexpectedly quiet; if there’s high demand they can look a how to meet it.

Ichangemynameagain · 27/09/2021 14:21

You've also got to remember that lots of stuff wasn't open last Christmas. So there's probably people who booked in January 2020 finally getting to see that Panto in December 2021.

JassyRadlett · 27/09/2021 14:22

But allows for no spontaneity

It’s like school summer holidays. It’s a time of huge demand so if you want to be spontaneous it will be pretty slim pickings, just like if you try to book a family holiday in August at the last minute.

I actually like planning out my Christmas over the year, so it is nice and calm heading into December and we aren’t trying to frantically figure out what to fit in where.

But then I’m the sort of person who books my holidays a year ahead, because I like to have the choice and the certainty.

Sirzy · 27/09/2021 14:24

Places want to know they have the income from big events like Christmas.

Selling tickets earlier gives them to money needed to prepare for the events.

People need to budget so booking things early spreads the cost away from the other Christmas costs.

People need to book time off for events so booking early helps with this

edwinbear · 27/09/2021 14:26

Have you looked at ice rinks OP? They don't tend to get booked up quite so quickly, DC's GP get a lot of pleasure watching them ice skate whilst watching safely from the side lines with a hot chocolate. Lots of places decorate them beautifully at Christmas.

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:26

But then I’m the sort of person who books my holidays a year ahead, because I like to have the choice and the certainty.
I'm not one for too much anticipation. It takes the shine right off it for me to have things booked too far in advance.

Looks like I'm really naive assuming booking for Christmas stuff wouldn't open till about mid-October.

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 27/09/2021 14:27

Try zoos.

Original poster
DappledThings · 27/09/2021 14:28

@edwinbear

Have you looked at ice rinks OP? They don't tend to get booked up quite so quickly, DC's GP get a lot of pleasure watching them ice skate whilst watching safely from the side lines with a hot chocolate. Lots of places decorate them beautifully at Christmas.
Yes, will look at skating. I bet Hereford or Shrewsbury have a good one.
OP posts:
gluenotsoup · 27/09/2021 14:34

Local Cheshire Christmas lights trail booked at the beginning of March, here. It was already getting booked up too then for the best time slots. We also booked Lapland in January and only just had space then! We also have The Lion King booked for December 22 already!🤯 silly timings, I think people are so desperate for something to plan and look forward to that everything is in demand