Early Christmas decorations = working class

[FaLaLaLaLaaaar]

I know Mumsnet loves a class debate, so thought I’d share an argument I had with a friend last night.

She insists that only working class people put their Christmas decorations up in November, I insisted she’s a snob and class is more redundant these days so it’s a ridiculous argument.

So Vipers, I’ll ask the question as if it is coming from me to make it easier:

AIBU to think only working class people put their Christmas decorations up in November?

Yabu - No, don’t be such a snob, middle class people do too.

YANBU - Yes, it’s a working class thing.

I will be showing her the results of this.

I think white lights vs multicoloured, and naice White company garlands vs flashing Santa on the roof is more the obvious class divide.

I think White Company garlands are pure tat. Based on the ridiculous class indicators on this forum, we would be considered 'upper class'. We have a large main real tree and several artificial ones put up whenever we feel like it. I don't follow rules or care what people think of me.

I would say I generally agree with your friend as a rule. However, this year we have just put the tree up early as the children asked to and I couldn’t think of a reason why not to after they said it would make them feel happy and Christmas-y. We are as ‘middle class’ as they come on paper.

My parents are definitely mc, but me,DH and DS are 100% working class. We’re putting our tree up next weekend as we usually go the first weekend in December but we’re away the first weekend so 🤷‍♀️
I hate blue lights (give me a migraine and remind me of an ambulance) but apart from that I like a bit of tacky Christmas now and then - multicoloured lights and no colour scheme for the tree.

@Mellowyellow222

Off topic. But in my new middle class word I will be putting warm white lights on the outdoor trees.

Question one - how do you attach them?
Question two - is it also acceptable to hang large baubles on the outdoor trees😂

As long as the baubles aren't in the shapes of fast food or penises.

How do you attach them? I would hire a man for that. Dangerous business.

My pics didn't show in the last post.

@PWYP76

I put the tree up 7-14 days before Xmas day - my take from this is that people with taste, discernment and intelligence put up their tree 7-14 days before Xmas day.

Calling it Xmas, instead of Christmas, lacks those qualities you so humbly brag about..

😂

Now putting your tree up too early is not just ‘common’ and working class, but also means you are not intelligent.

Again, these threads are not to observe differences, but to punish them. They’re simply an exercise in snobbery and nastiness and an excuse to look down and behave horrible to those people deem as ‘less than.’

Take for instance the comment upthread saying ‘it’s white company versus home bargains.’ As if it’s some crime to be caught in home bargains.

@GoodVibesHere

YANBU

Eeeek, I do think there is truth in what you're saying.

Maybe the working class life is that little bit harder, so people seek joy in simple things, like sparkly lights and tinsel.

People who have had less opportunities throughout their life tend to want everything to be perfect for their children, and want to make everything grand and fun and 'more'.

I second this - I’ve had a tough upbringing and let down by my parents who are now both dead. I make a big deal out of every celebration I possibly can for my children. Christmas is the biggest event of the year, and I have activities packed for every weekend leading up to Christmas from next week. I’m working class.

Our tree has got white lights already on it maybe it's a middle class tree, we did buy it from John Lewis so it must be. We don't have lights outside but when DS was young we had a large blow up snowman in the back garden that rose every day at 4 pm then deflated at 10pm so it didn't use to much electric 😀

I only know one very posh and wealthy person. Tree goes up at the very last minute, white lights, clear glass baubles. Looks lovely. Ours is fake, goes up beginning December, all lights and weird decorations and tinsel.
We both have the Christmas we want and enjoy being with our respective families. He will go to a shoot on boxing day, I will sleep off a hangover

I also think your friend has an element of truth here, although in my experience my posh neighbours tend to follow the whole start of advent to put them up and twelfth night to take them down.

I also agree coloured lights, and bright outside decorations is usually seen more often in less expensive housing and warm white more subtle lighting is more typical of expensive housing. You seldom see a multi million pound house with a flashing green and red reindeer in the window, although you get anomalies both sides,😃

@RaRaReba

It’s common to put your decorations up early. Nobody does that on my middle class street of detached houses. But next to us is a street of semi-detached that cost half as much, and several of them have lights up. Also my street sticks to white lights whereas the semis have coloured lights.

Gosh how does one bare to live next to a street of cheap semis with their coloured lights? The horror 😱

*RaRaReba

It’s common to put your decorations up early. Nobody does that on my middle class street of detached houses. But next to us is a street of semi-detached that cost half as much, and several of them have lights up. Also my street sticks to white lights whereas the semis have coloured lights.*

It's perceived as 'common' to live in a street by many people. Judge not....

The people who are on about white lights, I sure hope you mean warm white. Cold white is the work of the devil and I'd sooner cancel Christmas than allow those things to enter this property.

Why are multicoloured lights bad?

I paid a fortune for some lantern style ones that reminded me of ones from my 80s youth.

I also had a good clear out of decorations last year & sold a bundle on ebay. Old glass ones, those silky wrapped ones, paper ones. I made £100!

multicoloured lights and no colour scheme for the tree
Those are two different things! Multicoloured lights are tacky, but multicoloured baubles are not. Having a matching colour scheme for the tree is what’s tacky. It shows you’ve bought a full set of new matching decorations in one go and don’t have baubles that have been inherited or individually purchased for a high price. Some of my baubles cost £20-40 each, there’s no way anyone but the super rich would buy a whole tree’s worth of those in one go. DH buys me one or two baubles per year as a Christmas gift, some of our baubles previously belonged to our parents.

We normally put our tree up the weekend closet to December 1st so we can enjoy it for the month.
This year however it is going up this week but will not be decorated until December. I'm due to have first child anytime soon and find putting the tree up takes ages so want the most time consuming part done.
My mother is shocked and says it will be dusty before Christmas

@Needspace21

Some massive houses near me with the Dec's and outdoor lights up so YANBU

You can't conflate social class with money.

There are plenty of WC with more money than some of the MC. That doesn't make them MC though.

Feels that way round here.

I couldn’t care less when your decorations go up but don’t take them down on Boxing Day claiming you’re sick of the sight of them, it’s not my fault your Christmas timescale is dictated to by capitalism and TV adverts, let the rest of us enjoy the festival as it’s intended.

@RaRaReba

multicoloured lights and no colour scheme for the tree Those are two different things! Multicoloured lights are tacky, but multicoloured baubles are not. Having a matching colour scheme for the tree is what’s tacky. It shows you’ve bought a full set of new matching decorations in one go and don’t have baubles that have been inherited or individually purchased for a high price. Some of my baubles cost £20-40 each, there’s no way anyone but the super rich would buy a whole tree’s worth of those in one go. DH buys me one or two baubles per year as a Christmas gift, some of our baubles previously belonged to our parents.

Is this a joke? I’m seriously asking because I don’t know.

It’s ‘tacky’ not to have inherited Christmas decorations? Or it’s tacky not to buy £40 baubles? That’s not tacky, it’s just being poor. If my tree was covered in £40 baubles there would be nothing to wrap up and put under it.

I couldn’t care less when your decorations go up but don’t take them down on Boxing Day claiming you’re sick of the sight of them, it’s not my fault your Christmas timescale is dictated to by capitalism and TV adverts, let the rest of us enjoy the festival as it’s intended

How does someone taking their decorations down in their own home affect your enjoyment of Christmas?

And I presume you know many can’t inherit baubles as they don’t have family to inherit them from. Don’t really see that as tacky myself, and couldn’t imagine stepping into a friend’s home and thinking ‘oho! What an error they have made! They’ve bought all their baubles at once so they match. How terrible common of them.’

Common is: blue lights, inflatable Father Christmases in garden or on roof, pink baubles, weird decorations, lametta, tinsel, paper garlands, upside down trees, that stupid elf, Christmas Eve boxes
Tasteful is: white lights, red, white, silver and green baubles, small real trees in porches, garlands on the stairs, a beautifully decorated mantelpiece

In my opinion - but who cares??

Gosh how does one bare to live next to a street of cheap semis with their coloured lights? The horror 😱

😂😂

Is this a joke? I’m seriously asking because I don’t know.
No I’m serious. If you have a full set of matching baubles they’re probably cheap because otherwise you couldn’t afford to buy a full set in one go. Either that or you’re super rich, richer than MC.

this is a really interesting thread. we used to live on council estate. but the people that put their decorations up early my mum frowned upon them. I think there are different sub categories within each of the main three classes. early decorations seemed to fall into the 'lower' category. I'm not sure why.
Doesn't the queen put hers up (obviously not by herself) quite near xmas but take them down until February?