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.

Ignore that - wrong thread.

Husband and I from same class background. He insists tree goes up 1st December. I would wait until a few days before Xmas and straight down after boxing day but I don't want to spoil his fun!

So no, nothing to do with class

@ShinyMe

Well I've noticed on Instagram that Highclere and Chatsworth both have all their lights and tress up already, so I reckon your mate might not be the font of all knowledge.

But not everyone is charging a fortune to go and see their tree and lights.

In the same vein, I have had some (not at all serious ) discussions with my ex-public-school DP about fairy lights up all year round. He says they're trashy, I say he'll be prising my lovely twinkly lights out of my cold dead hands! (or more literally, off of my sitting room walls)

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.

Almost all of us are working class. So she’s got her premise wrong right from the beginning, IMO.

Definitely true 🙈.. we actually drive round a couple of council estates to see the the mad lights and things noone has more than a couple of tasteful lights outside by us which is a "nice area" always tempted to buy a massive blow up thing just to upset everyone 🤣🤣🤣 but I actually like my neighbour's and actually probably would make us social outcasts! X

I’m not convinced it’s a class thing. I belong to a Facebook group for female owners of a very middle class status symbol and there’s currently at least one post a day agonising over which Balsam Hill tree to buy.

Good lord, everything in this country has class signifiers

As in every other country I've lived in! I am always amused at those who post that their country does have class signifiers etc., everywhere does, it may be delineated by different things but it's always there.

[quote FaLaLaLaLaaaar]@TatianaBis Funnily enough, she also insists anyone with blue Christmas lights is common.

She is a lovely person, I’m making her sound awful. I just never knew Christmas had all these secret class signallers![/quote]
Oh yes, "funnily enough"...

Come on OP, there's nothing wrong with the annual working class v middle class Christmas mince pie bun fight thread.

But do at least own it. This is embarrassing 🤭

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.

@Fromthebirdsnest

Definitely true 🙈.. we actually drive round a couple of council estates to see the the mad lights and things noone has more than a couple of tasteful lights outside by us which is a "nice area" always tempted to buy a massive blow up thing just to upset everyone 🤣🤣🤣 but I actually like my neighbour's and actually probably would make us social outcasts! X

My neighbour has tacky light up reindeer out the front every Xmas and she is very MC! And usually quite stylish and tasteful too...

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule

Almost all of us are working class. So she’s got her premise wrong right from the beginning, IMO.

The most judgemental people about class (in my experience) are those who don’t want to be the class they are.

People are quick to brand things as ‘common’ or ‘chavvy’ or ‘working class’ as if they’re all the same thing and as if that makes them a higher class. So if they look down on plastic trees or tracksuit bottoms or the baby name Jackson they can convince themselves that they’re actually middle class. When in fact we’re basically all working class except the few fortunate.

Ours is going up next week - not sure it makes us common!

It’s because the kids are with their dad in the week running up to Christmas so wanted to get a bit more time with it!

I think its more that, in the UK at least, the aspirational and firmly upper classes tend to put more store in sticking by convention. Exceptions made for the Queen and the occasional aristocratic 'eccentric'.

Everyone else tends to question the traditional much more.

There will be threads on all sorts of Christmas stuff and what is seen as chavvy soon.

Usually it's the annual MN "Christmas Eve boxes are awful /wasteful/tacky/cheap/American/chavvy/i'm glad they didn't exist when my children were small" debate, when what those posters usually mean is "I think poor people do them and I find poor people distasteful".

@ShinyMe

Well I've noticed on Instagram that Highclere and Chatsworth both have all their lights and tress up already, so I reckon your mate might not be the font of all knowledge.

That’s about being open to the public not family tradition.

But maybe having kids who go to their dads would be considered common by your friend!

@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.

Me!

@HeyFloof

There will be threads on all sorts of Christmas stuff and what is seen as chavvy soon.

Usually it's the annual MN "Christmas Eve boxes are awful /wasteful/tacky/cheap/American/chavvy/i'm glad they didn't exist when my children were small" debate, when what those posters usually mean is "I think poor people do them and I find poor people distasteful".

Yes, it’s exactly that. The scorn and disgust on baby name threads of utterly normal and unremarkable names shows you about it. Or any thread where people ask ‘which home trends do you dislike?’ It would be better to say ‘come and say nasty things about crushed velvet and ‘tacky’ signs from B&M.’

@housemdwaswrong

I don't know when working class came to be such a negative thing. Fair day's work for a fair day's pay is not a bad thing. As far as Christmas decs go I have no idea and care even less. People do as they wish. I'm working class I think, and I'll put them up when I have time. Last year they were up early, the year before they didn't go up as no time. I don't think there's a pattern depending on your wealth, though I could be wrong.

Because it's no longer Fair days work for fair days pay, it's fair days work for low pay, no opportunities and getting shafted by management at every opportunity!

As for the Christmas/Class debate, I do see them up around my area earlier than the area I used to live in. Guess which class is which?

I don't see it as a bad thing at all. Let people live, especially after the awful two years the world has had. It doesn't negatively impact the environment or anyone else if the neighbour has their tree up (unlike fucking fireworks!).

[quote FaLaLaLaLaaaar]@TatianaBis Funnily enough, she also insists anyone with blue Christmas lights is common.

She is a lovely person, I’m making her sound awful. I just never knew Christmas had all these secret class signallers![/quote]
She sounds just like my mother.

White and silver decorations only on the tree, white lights, not flashing, anything that deviates from this is a hideous assault to the eyes apparently.

The most judgemental people about class (in my experience) are those who don’t want to be the class they are.
The problem with this is that merely commenting on social patterns on here is enough for the self-rightous to get on their high horses about how everyone (else) is obsessed with class and it's sooo judgemental to comment on fairly obvious social trends.
It's the class version of people saying "I don't see colour". The people saying it think it makes then sound oh so open minded and inclusive, but really they sound like a bit of a wally.

My Dad was a coal miner, we lived in a 2 up/2 down rented house with no bathroom until I was 16. My Mum wouldn't allow decs up before December. I now class myself as middle class and similarly can't face decs up until the end of the first week in December at the earliest (they have to come down before Jan 1st, too).

I have middle class friends (middle class born and bred, too) whose decs are already up...

(My point being the middle classes are working class too, for the most part. But I accept that’s a discussion for another day.)

If what she means is that it tends to be people with less money who start earlier than others, eh, she might be right but on the other hand I’m not sure it’s all that definitive anymore...

Certainly on our street there are a couple of households that will have trees up this week, and it’s not a ‘working class’ (by what I presume to be her definition of the term) street.

I will light my first Advent candle on the first Sunday of Advent, which is next Sunday.

My (v. tasteful, v. subtle) outdoor lights will be lit up on 1 Dec. I will turn on the candelabra in the bay window and hang the (v. minimal) window decorations. I will burn a daily calendar candle from the 1st as well.

My tree will go up somewhere between 10 - 15 Dec.

My vote goes to YABU because it’s not strictly an either/or thing.