To not think about Christmas until December ( lighthearted)

[Dishwashersaurous]

Am I the only person on mumsnet who doesn't really give any thought to Christmas until December. Clearly, judging by the number of threads, I'm in a minority. But please tell me that I'm not the only one!

I start buying presents in October. I don't put any decorations up/listen to Christmas music etc till December. I find it weird how people are so shocked people buy presents before December- I shop round for good deals and thoughtful gifts and have a lot of people to buy for so need to get organised.
I go on holiday in August, I don't start planning it the same month- I have to save for it, book it, see what clothes/new camping stuff etc we might need etc in advance.
Same as Christmas. It doesn't mean I am some Christmas obsessive to buy some presents in October/November, it means I can't afford to just get everything at the last minute.

@Dishwashersaurous

Genuine question for those that present shop in the summer.

1. How do you know that the person won't have bought it already by then; and
2. How do you know that someone will still want it six months down the line?

I tend to buy, and receive books. I will have bought at least a dozen books between the summer and Christmas .

Depends what it is though, and who you're buying for. Three year olds don't care which exact duplo set they get, so buying one half price (or better) in August is a no brainer.

Most of the adults in our family won't tell you what they want, so whether you buy it in August or December its a total guess.

@freelions

I'm with you OP

I have the Christmas topic hidden on MN which I would highly recommend!

So have I, but posters don't use it.

Single parent
I start preparing on October

Booking up things (so many wonderful things but get booked up very quickly around here) and picking up bits for stocking etc. I buy no tat whatsoever so there’s a lot of effort and research and expense in getting really good stuff every year. So worth it though

No Christmas music, films or decorations until at least December 1st! I will admit to doing my best to get the majority of presents brought before then but that’s purely self defence as I absolutely detest shopping in December.

I absolutely love Christmas right up until about 9am on Christmas Day, at which point I'm bored with the whole shebang - I enjoy the anticipation far more than the reality!

That said, I don't get involved with anything Christmassy until the beginning of December. At the moment I’m enjoying the anticipation of the anticipation, if that makes sense. From the 1st to the 24th I will be in full on festive mood 🧑‍🎄

I start getting organised early because events get booked up early, dd's birthday and 4 of her cousins/god siblings are in December and we're (fingers crossed) going away the week before Christmas. But I won't be putting up any decorations until after DD's birthday.

I've finished my shopping now. Means we can enjoy the run up without the stress of busy shops and low stock. December is all about family time, Christmas outings, movies, games etc in our house.

@A580Hojas

People always say that those of us who want Christmas in perspective are curmudgeons but that's not the case at all. I enjoy Christmas very much I just don't want, as pp said, for it to dominate 2 whole months of every year. I've seen threads on Mumsnet where people are doing their Christmas menu planning in August - unbelievable!

Not at all from me, the curmudgeon opinion I mean. For lots of people Christmas is miserable and not something they want to engage in. I love it but I don't expect people to join in.

I've always experienced it the other way round, people who don't like Christmas or rather, who don't engage in early planning are baffled by those who do 🎅

I start buying Christmas presents early because I have two DC's with winter birthdays and it helps to spread the cost. We also have friends and family scattered around the country that we like to see over the Christmas period, but we all have busy lives so a bit of advance planning is needed to make sure it happens. If I didn't think about Christmas at all until December then it would be a stressful rush to get everything done and I can't be doing with that. I want to be able to relax and enjoy the time with my family. Each to their own.

Once the kids go back to school in September I like to start thinking about Christmas, making lists and buying little bits when I see them. I couldn't leave it until December I would be too stressed. I like everything to of been bought by December so I can then enjoy just putting up the tree, taking the kids to panto and seeing santa. Then all I have to do is wrap the presents.

I've completed my shopping but then I buy for only 5 people , so about 20 gifts in total....everyone else gets cash.
Don't do Xmas cards, traditional Xmas food and we go out on the day.
I've bought everything online from small businesses.
December is just for going out , eating and drinking!

Autumn is my favourite season, and it gets squeezed out by people who don't want summer to end and people who want to start Christmas ridiculously early.
We're so lucky to have a climate and location that gives us wonderful autumn colours, I don't want them drowned out by tinsel, fake snow and garish music, I love the calm and peace of autumn.
Casseroles, pumpkin spiced treats, apple pie/crumble, bobble-hatted walks through drifts of leaves. Mists and mellow fruitfulness.
There's plenty of winter already, let's not prolong it!

I've been forced to think about it earlier & earlier each year. I bought some presents in september & october i booked a few events - many had sold out!

I like to finish all my shopping by the end of October and that includes wrapping the presents too, I like the fact I don’t have to think about Christmas now and can enjoy December knowing everything is done.

Agree with OP. Don't want to discuss Christmas until mid-Nov. No presents bought yet.

One of my children has a birthday on the 23rd of November christmas planning starts after that.

Genuine question for those that present shop in the summer.

1. How do you know that the person won't have bought it already by then; and
2. How do you know that someone will still want it six months down the line?

I always wonder this, my kids change their minds, people buy things & gift receipts are usually eligible for that long.

Arent not are

I'm with you! If you're needing to think about Christmas before December, you're making it far too complicated!

My dad started talking about what we were doing for Christmas in AUGUST. I literally said nope, put my fingers in my ears, and started humming. Noooo way.

We have a very small, low-key Christmas but I start thinking and buying presents (especially for Dc) from August.

Just like I plan and book holidays months in advance. Just like I plan and buy for birthdays early. Just like I spend the first week of the school summer holidays getting all the necessary kit for the September term.

I hate being last minute.

My DC are 7 and 10 and never make a list for father Christmas. They occasionally ask for stuff for Christmas which I usually get. Their tastes don't change enormously in a few months. They also generally LOVE what I buy them. My 7 year old told me the other day that I know him really well and know what he likes

Just like I plan and book holidays months in advance.

Yep since having dc no more spontaneity, I have to book in advance too or nothing available. I hate it tbh.

I've always had to book in advance because of work - we've only ever had specific weeks we've had to take so I'm well used to it.

But I know many people who prefer last minute.

I couldn't get away with "not wanting to think about Christmas till December". I couldn't afford to. Things get so much more expensive.

I was looking through my gift list for the kids and there are things that I bought in summer that have gone up £5/10+ since then. The bike I got in August has gone up £120. 😱

I love all the holidays; we planned and booked Halloween stuff in early September, I was a bit surprised when people moaned in mid-Oct that events were sold out about why would they expect to book so late. My Christmas prep time is November; get presents (electronics wait for Black Friday), get cards, book meat and food delivery slot, book events, locate decorations etc. Kids felt tree can go up in November but the main tree has to at least wait for advent. Then we go out enjoying everything through December, rather than shopping in awful crowds or wasting time off by prepping cards; Christmas Eve is drinks with neighbours and making snowy footprints rather than wrapping gifts. The butcher likes getting orders in early, everything is available and no stress if gift deliveries are delayed, wrapped presents will be dropped off early this year to avoid lockdown risk of last year.

We don't do "lists" of exact gifts. I keep a rolling list on my phone of things people want, but most of the things we buy are things people will use, or pretty things where I know they like the designer but wouldn't buy it themselves so it won't be duplicated or it wouldn't matter. For example whisky, a designer utensil that goes with someone's cutlery set, a smaller version of a vase they love to make a mismatch pair for the table, a lovely jumper, bath toys for the baby, an item they keep borrowing, paw patrol toys etc.