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.

Blue Christmas lights are horrid. They hurt your eyes and look like the emergency services have turned up (misses point)

We normally wait till December, however this year I’m miserable and wanted some cheer so we put them up this weekend. I would not consider myself working class in the slightest, however snobby that sounds!

On Instagram it's definitely not a WC thing.

I'm working class. I'm doing well if my Christmas tree is up before 24th December. Other than that the only other Christmas things are cards. I have got the first present wrapped and sitting on the dining table maybe that reveals my working class status.

Vipers?

The first tree is up in my street!

We are working class and we buy a real tree every year and it goes up exactly 2weeks before Christmas (book the day off work) and comes down 2weeks after Christmas (book that day off work also). That's really just because its traditional for my family. We buy a 5ft real tree and it goes on a little table as every year we build an igloo for the children to play in under the tree. My front door has a fake wreath that we've had nearly 15yrs, I use all the same decorations I've had since I left home or have been donated to me from my sister (she changes her Christmas decorations everytime she decorates her house so they match 😐). I keep wanting to buy a real one but they are so expensive where I live, the beautiful ones cost more than the tree. I looked last year, my tree was £48 and the wreath I liked was £55. Not much more I know but still.....no. As I say though we are very much so working class.

Dunno about class, but I do think putting decorations up before December is just wrong - you really need to wait for Advent. Apart from anything else, if they're hanging around for weeks on end it destroys the specialness of Christmas. I bet the people who put them up early are also the heathens who take them down before Twelfth Night.

Very entertaining thread. I have to say that I don't understand the link between fake trees and working class.
Does this make all the owners of fake grass artificial lawns working class??

I bought a Christmas tree decoration from Selfridges but... it’s a squirrel.

Am I a knuckle-dragging oik or not?

Where can I get a hand blown glass bauble in the shape of PFBs face for £20- £40?

I have got a tree out.

Its MN fault.

I do think putting decorations up before December is just wrong - you really need to wait for Advent

Advent begins on Sunday November 28th this year. Quite the conundrum you’ve got there.

I'm getting later with decs in recent years, have enjoyed leaning in to Advent being a period of waiting and preparing for Christmas. Tree up the weekend before and other bits go up slowly. It all stays up until 12th Night. Horses for courses I suppose...

@LittleLottieChaos the production of fake trees uses more ressources and produces more CO2 than a real tree. While a tree is growing to will carry on absorbing some CO2 so it makes it better for the environment than a plastic tree that will only use ressources and ceate CO2.

The best option for the environment is a real live tree (provided you keep it alive and use it again), second best is a dead real tree and third is a fake tree.

Obviously using what you already have is great. So using your fake tree for ever will be better than chucking it out and getting real trees from now on!

I think your friend is correct too, from my observations anyway. I hate the blue lights people use too. They hurt my eyes!

@helpIhateclothesshopping I can answer that, I don't, I keep them up til January, I have 4 sets of lights that run from a plug, the rest are battery operated, some people take them down because they're sick of seeing them, I don't personally know anyone in my 'low income' circle (including myself) who take them down before Christmas.

It's the working class/middle class I've noticed who have ripped their decorations down by boxing day some of them even do it on Christmas day in the evening!

The best option for the environment is a real live tree (provided you keep it alive and use it again), second best is a dead real tree and third is a fake tree

Unless your fake tree is more than 10 years old - in which case it’s greener (eco and otherwise)

It is probably working class because we want to enjoy the lights for longer- makes the dismal short days pass more quickly. Cheers the neighbourhood. It's fun.

Any Christmas decorations, internal or external before December is common.

Working class here and I don’t put my decs up till December! I have white lights only, baubles but no tinsel on my fake tree 😂

Of course your friend is correct. The people saying she’s not…just don’t realise it.

I don’t get why anyone would want to look at a Christmas tree in November and then all through December and into Jan. Surely it loses its novelty.

I think commenting on what people do/don't do as being related to their class is very vulgar.

Also, think that Christmas decorations going up super early is possibly influenced by America? It never used to be a thing!

Mind you since being an adult, I've always been keen to 'crack open' Christmas as soon as it's decent (the first Sunday of Advent).

I was always taught that you don’t put Christmas decorations up earlier than St Nicholas’ Day—December 6th.

@Rosehip10

Any Christmas decorations, internal or external before December is common.

I would put up an advent ring, a door wreath and various other advent related decorations on the first day of advent, which is often in November.