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.

When I was growing up (late 80s/90s) my mum DEFINITELY gave off the impression that having the tree up early was tacky. And by early I mean 'early December'. Mid December onwards was fine. We used to do ours the Saturday after we broke up from school for the holidays. My mum would also remind us that when she was young, everyone did their trees on Christmas Eve. She also felt themed/coordinating decorations were tacky, as were people who threw out their decorations every year to do a new 'theme' the following year. But then we had multicoloured lights just like everyone did in the 80s/90s

I still feel a bit snobby about decorations very early, sorry. Seen quite a few trees already this year. We put ours up about the second week in December normally and this was an adjustment for me. Down whatever date around twelfth night is convenient. I know quite a few very middle class clergy who leave some decorations at least up until Candlemas!

In my parents house the tree literally goes up on 24th Dec which I always think is taking this to extremes….

But I’ve imbibed it and find Christmas decorations up early or down early to be a bit common.
Absolutely sad of me to think this because I love Christmas and would love to enjoy it longer really.
Class consciousness is crap. But it’s insidious and hard to break free from.

And what does that have to do with your insistence that it is tacky not to have a mismatched tree?
It’s tacky and showy to buy a whole load of matching decorations all at once. It’s like wearing a sweater with a massive designer logo on the front. Conspicuous consumption is tasteless.

@ballroompink so your mother once told you something was tacky now you are an adult and still thing it’s tacky … because she told you so. How odd.

@RaRaReba

And what does that have to do with your insistence that it is tacky not to have a mismatched tree? It’s tacky and showy to buy a whole load of matching decorations all at once. It’s like wearing a sweater with a massive designer logo on the front. Conspicuous consumption is tasteless.

What?

How is it worse than buying the same amount, for much more money, over a sustained period of time? You both end up with the same amount, but one person had to spend less as they have less. Not everyone can inherit lovely vintage baubles and buy more at £40 each. Consumerism gets us all one way or the other - just because you’ve spent more doesn’t mean you’re less of a consumer.

I think the tacky thing is looking at other people and judging them like that to be honest. It makes you sound unpleasant.

And if it’s ‘showy’ to have cheaper matching ones isn’t it then equally or more ‘showy’ to have super expensive baubles? I mean £40 is no small trifle for a Christmas tree decoration. Isn’t that in fact very ‘showy?’

When I was growing up (late 80s/90s) my mum DEFINITELY gave off the impression that having the tree up early was tacky. And by early I mean 'early December'. Mid December onwards was fine.
I think people put them according to the 12th night back then.
We never put ours up until the 12th during the 80's/90's through tradition not snobbery.
Nobody put them up before the 12th then for religious reasons.
People would find if you had them up before 12th night in the 80's.

[quote Alwaysgoldtome]@ballroompink so your mother once told you something was tacky now you are an adult and still thing it’s tacky … because she told you so. How odd.[/quote]
I didn't say that. I meant that was the impression I was given growing up, as an example of those being the attitudes that some people hold and why I can easily see how these things gain a class dimension -- and as I said we put our tree up in early December these days. Still think trees up in early to mid November are tacky AF, sorry.

We celebrate christmas until the epiphany. Ive more churchy friends who have their tree up all the way to feb 2nd. So i would never put mine up in November as it would be up for so very long.

People celebrating Christmas in advent then forgetting Christmas begins on the 25th, rather than ends on it, bug me.

Oooh, looking forward to this one! what is middle class? what is working class?

In my book, most of us are working class, because we work to earn a living, regardless of whether you are a doctor or a docker. One has acquired more "education" than the other, and might (or might not) be more educated. The doctor has studied longer and harder, and needed to qualify to study in the first place. But when the doctor decides to build a home, the digger driver and the construction team make it work. The doctor would have to learn the skill; I'm sure it's possible, but would it be a good use of his time?

Meh. I don't know if we're working class. DH and I are professionals and work with some v posh people and some v not posh people. We live in a v expensive area.

Tree is going up next weekend along with the menagerie of light up animals. They make us happy and I give not a fuck.

I'm putting a tree up in my office at work too. Maybe all my middle class colleagues will clutch their pearls

@FallonCarringtonWannabe

We celebrate christmas until the epiphany. Ive more churchy friends who have their tree up all the way to feb 2nd. So i would never put mine up in November as it would be up for so very long.

People celebrating Christmas in advent then forgetting Christmas begins on the 25th, rather than ends on it, bug me.

To be fair, I think you're forgetting that for most people Christmas has nothing at all to do with Christ, any more than Halloween is about the feast of All Saints!

It’s like wearing a sweater with a massive designer logo on the front.

They sell lots of these in Harrods & Selfridges 😱

It’s tacky and showy to buy a whole load of matching decorations all at once.

😆😆 How can it be showy to buy them all at once. How would people know unless you attached the receipts to them.

My mum would have had the vapours about the tree going up any earlier than Dec 23rd and she was quite class conscious (in a stealthy way).

Since moving out I've made a point of putting mine up as early in December as I can get away with without risking the needles dropping off.

There's definitely a historical class element to this. All the more reason to ignore it and do whatever you like.

I grew up middle-middle class and the Decorations went up on December 1st because my birthday is on the 4th and we always had the house decorated for my birthday party.

I still put them up on the 1st. Married to a properly flash American banker these days , so I don't know what class that makes me, but I love some OTT Christmas decorations. Bring on the flashing lights! If I didn't live in a flat I'd 100% decorate the front door with one of those displays Mumsnet hates.

Yeah probs, but who gives a shit? I know this is limeant to be lighthearted but
seriously, after all the crap we've gone through, and the sadness and loss and fucking misery of the past two years can we please stop looking for endless other ways to judge and divide people?
(Sorry)

Honestly who cares whether its a particular class or not? Christmas is usually about inherited traditions or making new ones. My grandparents and parents only put the tree up on 24th and took it down on 12th night. I put mine up the first weekend in Dec as my kids love it. When I was little our house always felt sad in Dec without a tree.

I used to only want white lights but last year we went way overboard with loads of colours and actually I liked it and will do the same again. Our street is very middle class commuter detached houses and people all do different things.

My sister & I have always had it drilled into us by DM that that the tree goes up 2 wks before & down 2 wks after Christmas...think she'd have a dicky fit if we put trees up in November!

Brought up very firmly working class but on a Hyacinth Bucket type estate...& yes I'm afraid I do find the whole tree up in November quite tacky & chavvy....sorry!

Lol. Such mischief OP!

[quote Alwaysgoldtome]@BonnesVacances ah ok so it’s not tacky at all then. Just something you decided in your head that has such little basis you can’t even explain it! Thanks!

Also love how you don’t give people exemptions From your bizarre notions of what is and isn’t tacky. That’s one strict system there. Hilarious [/quote]
Well not giving you a reason for that doesn't change my view. Whether you agree or not is entirely up to you. That's what difference of opinion means. I'll continue to judge decorations up in November and down on Boxing Day as tacky. And you can continue to be bothered by my thinking that, if you like. One of us cares more than the other tbh.

@MynameisWa

Lol. Such mischief OP!

Stupidity would be more accurate.

Your friend is right.

Perhaps it was a class thing in the past but in 2020 after the shit year everyone had, people in my town put up their decorations early, and this is a pretty affluent middle class town! I’ve seen a few window decorations so far, and the town’s Christmas lights go on on Thursday next week, so I’m guessing that will be the green light for people to get decorating :)

What about wreaths on doors? I tend to see the ‘posher’ homes with wreaths on their front doors, but the less posher ones don’t.