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 really hope that this is a genuine post. What a fabulous way to prove the op wrong.

I'm proper posh, me - real top drawer.
Me servants all left, cos I'm too posh to suit them, so I 'ave to put me own bl**dy decorations up.

I'll get 'em done next week, and they can stay up all year to save trouble. I'm having bright blue flashing lights, 'cos it reminds me of when the coppers took me in last Christmas Eve.
Nice lads they were, even put some holly in my cell, which was kind. Of course when they realised who they was dealin' wiv, they let me out straight away - respectful, see?
Eeh, it's an 'ard life, being an aristocrat like what I am, but somebody's got to do it!
Merry Christmas and stuff xxx

@gemloving

Could someone please define middle vs working class for me?

We've got the lights on our house, nothing inside the house yet but our 3 year old loves it!

Isn't it to do with your job? So if you're in a traditional professional like doctor, teacher, solicitor, accountant you're MC, otherwise you're WC. People mix it up with how much money they have and lifestyle factors, and these days its seems mostly self defined, but I think the official classifications are based on occupation.

Morgan12

Who’s the tiktok lady?

But no, I don’t have tiktok. I’m not very cool I’m afraid!

@MurielSpriggs. Yes it’s to mark Mary’s conception isn’t it? For my in-laws it’s when Christmas starts in their country, I’m not sure why it’s not advent but that’s the tradition apparently so that’s when the decorations and nativity crib come out and his bloody awful Christmas jumper gets a rinse and freshen up.
I just let him go full Christmazilla. I’d have a photo of a Christmas tree pinned on the window and be happy if left to my own devices.

@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.

Your friend sounds a bit dull.

Burn her at the stake.

@MurielSpriggs

Real poshos wait until Christmas Eve

We used to do this, primarily because we could get an enormous tree for a tenner on 24th

Absolutely

I'd describe myself as middle class, but I suppose it depends on how you define the classes. Our tree usually goes up at the tail end of November, but sometimes later. It's more a matter of when I can be bothered or when DH suggests doing it than feeling that it "should" be up at a specific time and no earlier/later.

Once we were busy and waited until the middle of December, and that felt too late to me. It's too much trouble, if you don't have it up for a good, long time, imo!

We have a fake tree. It's cheaper and so much easier, and when it's decorated, it's beautiful. We've had this same tree for something like 16 or 17 years, counting this year. At this point, it might even be better for the environment than that many real trees would've been.

@2pinkginsplease

Where I live , an area with council, housing association and private housing, as soon as Halloween is over with the Christmas decorations start going up in a few houses, I’m probably going to sound like a snob here, I’m not, I’m totally working class but the houses around me who have their decorations up are families where the parents don’t work. (I know because they are neighbours.)

I grew up in a village and nobody put their Christmas decorations up until December.

When we moved to our house we couldn’t believe how many people put their decorations up so early.

So the middle classes put their decorations up in December, working classes in November, and under classes in October.

Meanwhile the upper classes are usually pretty cash-poor these days so have to put the decorations up early so that they can charge people for meeting Santa in their houses.

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

Omg.

Maybe these 'working class people' just think it's important to make the most of our cultural rituals, and the so-called 'posher' ones can't be arsed?

It's about time the class system in UK was kicked into touch. It's irrelevant! And even more irrelevant is this post OP.

People have a right to do what the heck they like irrespective of what people like you and your mate perceive their 'station' is!

I know middle class people who put their trees up quite early, and I used to know a few upper class types through my dad's then job. Most of them behaved as common as muck though, so not sure class even makes any difference to how people generally behave.

@SydneySquare

Is there somehow a link to Instagram type activity? Up early, loads of pictures to share. Trips out, spend, spend, spend. Christmas Day appearing to be the end of Christmas. Everything down on Boxing Day. For me Christmas Eve is the start of Christmas, Boxing Day and other days between Christmas and new year are part of the festive season, going through to 12th night. We are visiting family, still sharing meals, having others to stay. The decorations need to be up.

I wouldn't have Christmas decorations up from November right through to January as the would take away any festive feeling.

This, it makes me sad it’s all over and everyone’s back in the shops come Boxing Day.

I grew up with a lot of church influence (high anglican) everything was very solemn (advent) until Christmas Eve/midnight mass. We put the tree up the Saturday before Christmas wherever it fell. We are now about the middle of December.

Live in affluent area. My observations : fairy lights on georgion prooerties seem to be up all year round but only turned for special occasions e.g queenies bday, street party etc. Definite increase in early Christmas decor. No cartoon style Dec's or inflatable horrors. Strictly pretty, delicate solar powered UK bought fairy lights on well pruned hedges here. Looks nice.

I put mine up at about 3pm Christmas Eve. I must be very posh, maybe even royal!

@Legomania

I think MC people are more likely to have a real tree, and real trees look pretty sad after they've been up for 6 weeks!

This.

I think its probably to do with having real tree as they don't last so long , as a family have a few birthdays in November can never contemplate any thought of Xmas before December , tree and decs tend to always go up around 1 week before Xmas but always stay up til 12th night , partly because youngest birthday just before , I've noticed the people who put Decs up so early, many have had enough of it by boxing day and are taking Decs down already , The stately homes I guess have decs up early as they are tourist attractions so takes in magic of Christmas as part of the whole feel of them at this time of year,

@CinnamonJellyBeans

Real Christmas trees digust me. Who the hell chops down a beautiful living tree and drapes it in plastic, only to throw it out a week later.

You don't have to. Mine is alive and well in a pot in the garden and will be brought in and decorated as it is every year. It needs re-potting most years, but is still not huge. When it gets too big, I'll plant it in the garden and buy another live one.

Oh well, I think the takeaway here is those in their already decorated homes are feeling festive while those sneering and branding others LC, tacky and prescribing what others should never, ever do are pretty miserable individuals.

Sure, it might be not be it your taste but isn't it enough to be happy with what you're doing and upholding your own traditions without belittling others?

And for those banging on about the true meaning of Christmas, doesn't that include peace and goodwill? Or does that only begin on Dec 25th?

Very working class here and proud! Decoration time frame
12 days before 12 days after.
Oh and to the person who said working class are common, shame on you

Oh just to add I once put up a real tree on Christmas eve but only because store gave them away free 🤣

Well of course it’s working class to put your decorations up really early. Ditto buying your kids a shit load of presents and taking pictures of them. But being working, any, or no class at all is fine and nobody should really care.

Not sure what class we are but we can't have a real tree because DH is allergic to them

We put our tree up at the weekend as DH works abroad and won't be home again until late December. It's not lit yet, we're waiting until 1st December before we switch it on although may go as early as this coming weekend. It's in a room that we don't tend to use a lot, so not bothering us being up and not switched on. Not sure where we fall in your debate

Oh and we don't work either, we are early retired