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've no idea what class I'm in, although like to be working class.

We generally put our decs up mid/end Nov but this is because it's anniversary of life changing operation of my hubby. However we're both so busy this year, it'll be Dec I think this year as we're both frontline workers now.

I've never given any thought to the lights but my husband has now starting thinking about the colour we use to separate us from the 'non-workers' in the neighbourhood. I honestly don't care, unless it looks pretty & makes me smile as I'm driving home :-D

Yep. You are right.

I've never given any thought to the lights but my husband has now starting thinking about the colour we use to separate us from the 'non-workers' in the neighbourhood. I honestly don't care, unless it looks pretty & makes me smile as I'm driving home

The fact that you work separates you from those who don’t. Anyone who knows you will know this and people who don’t know you won’t be swayed by your lights.

‘
However lots of stately homes have already hosted their Christmas markets and start their Christmas garden light trails tomorrow so - the juries out 😂’

As someone said upthread these are businesses. They will usually move ahead in f domestic settings.

@Kanaloa

I've never given any thought to the lights but my husband has now starting thinking about the colour we use to separate us from the 'non-workers' in the neighbourhood. I honestly don't care, unless it looks pretty & makes me smile as I'm driving home

The fact that you work separates you from those who don’t. Anyone who knows you will know this and people who don’t know you won’t be swayed by your lights.

Exactly. I ain't buying any more so the colours we've got will do.

I don't think the colour of lights mean anything if I'm honest and when it comes down to it, my husband won't want to buy more either.

The people that know us look forward to seeing them go up early as they know the meaning behind it. However, they will be disappointed this year as we are one of the last ones on the street to do it.

@Restart10

We have just moved to the UK this year and I'm shocked this is even a thing. We have ours up already. We have always done it early because it's just for us to enjoy for longer. It's sad though how people judge others on things that are so insignificant.

In real life, I don't think anyone cares. If they do, their opinion doesn't matter. Do what makes you happy!

Yes do what makes you happy. What is making me chuckle is that some pp aren't happy with just that. They want their choices to be approved too. Well you're never going to please everyone. So crack on. Put your tree up in November, take it down on Boxing Day and be confident with that. Stop worrying about whether people are looking down on you for that or not. Who cares? Unfortunately it seems many pp on here do.

Don't worry Restart, it's not really 'a thing', no one will judge you for your lights and if they do then they're not worth knowing.

@BonnesVacances

Yes do what makes you happy. What is making me chuckle is that some pp aren't happy with just that. They want their choices to be approved too. Well you're never going to please everyone. So crack on. Put your tree up in November, take it down on Boxing Day and be confident with that. Stop worrying about whether people are looking down on you for that or not. Who cares? Unfortunately it seems many pp on here do.

I think there's a difference between wanting your choices approved and not wanting them criticised with all sorts of assumptions made about you because of them. How about instead of telling the people being judged to crack on have more confidence, we tell the people judging them to crack on and stop judging?

The real question is - why does it matter?

@Tillsforthrills

The real question is - why does it matter?

Hahahahahaha. Totally agree!

I think there's a difference between wanting your choices approved and not wanting them criticised with all sorts of assumptions made about you because of them. How about instead of telling the people being judged to crack on have more confidence, we tell the people judging them to crack on and stop judging?

Yes that's true too. There's a good quote that says something along the lines of confidence is not comparing yourself to others and feeling you're better, but not needing to.

@Nayday stately homes were also financially hit by the pandemic. They need to play catch up so starting the Christmas markets etc early makes sense.

My comment re stately homes was more tongue in cheek for people who think they are slightly naicer for waiting until December to decorate!

I think coloured Christmas lights are coming back into fashion. I was thinking of getting some for my tree this year.

I have never thought about it before this thread but it genuinely is! Perhaps it's to do with real trees being expensive and they can only be bought neat Xmas?

If the later you put them indicates how posh you are then not putting them up must make you royalty, which is what I must be then

Mine go up when Turner the gardener cuts the tree and foliage. Hell on the housekeeping staff.

@TKLover, I am just interested, genuinely and honestly, in knowing why you'd want to be considered WC? I have never thought about what class I belong to (because I'm ordinary MC with a father in the services and a nurse for a mother) and so I have learned to chat to landed aristocrats and tradesmen and everyone else in equal measure. I find MN class obsession interesting, but puzzling. I talk to everyone I encounter; some people pigeon-hole you, but most don't. I do have a mono-coloured Christmas tree though. Glass ornaments and warm white lights. I don't like glitter.

Our are up later because we have a real Christmas tree. Can't put them up too early or it'll die. And in australia with it being so flipping hot, it feels daft having them up too early when I'm used to the UK, and here it's 30 degrees!

@allXingMing I think you are being terribly brave to admit your are MC. I dared to made a comment and got a barrage of abuse!! Class doesn't really matter. If you get some sort of kick out of sticking to be WC despite your obvious educational, social and economic advantages then good luck to you all.
Had a long chat with my DD about this thread, our conclusion? Most of Mumsnet contributors are a little bit bonkers. Me included. God bless you merry gentle folk

Apparently it perfectly okay to mock middle class or upper class people, but God forbid mocking the working class - its not allowed.

@FitAt50

Apparently it perfectly okay to mock middle class or upper class people, but God forbid mocking the working class - its not allowed.

Yep. It's kinda the rule. People in positions of privilege can't mock those who don't have their privilege. There's loads of other privilege it applies to as well; it's not just class.

@FitAt50

Apparently it perfectly okay to mock middle class or upper class people, but God forbid mocking the working class - its not allowed.

This

I've changed my Decs with the style of my house. In ancient cottage I had coloured tree lights and old fashioned decs. In modern house it was white lights. Before children - a real tree, when children came and started crawling and walking it was a fake tree as the real tree dropped spikes that never seemed to disappear.
I've never decorated outside the house apart from an outdoor Christmas tree at the door.

The worst offence is people who leave decorations up all year! Santa's and other wired contraptions bolted onto the side of their house looking sad over the summer months. Should be a law against it (only half joking)