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 actually agree with your friend but as others have said it may be more to do with real v artificial tree - more expensive to buy real every year and if you want it to last til the end of Dec, you don't buy it just yet.

Oh and I leave them up til 12th Night.

As a child, I grew up in a country where the decorations and the tree were put up on Christmas Eve. Always a "real" tree. And they all went away around 6-7 Jan.

DH is Scottish, of MC background and we live in a very MC area, most people we know put the decorations up from the beginning of December. We usually do it during the first weekend of December. Fake tree though - because of the cats, kids and my laziness (hate finding needles everywhere for weeks and months after the tree is gone). And we use it for years and years.

But I have to say that from mid November onwards I love coming from from work in the afternoon/evening and look at people's Christmas decorations along my way.

I think many moons ago say 20yrs ago it was seen to be "common" to put the decs up early but not now, I think it's more acceptable to do them early now.

Oh God! My parents (LMC) were so anxious about this. It was all about competitive good taste. So joyless. I'm more secure than they were and I delight in putting up lights on the front of the house and illuminated penguins etc. In fact , everyone on our very middle class street joins in and we have a street turning on of the lights. The children absolutely adore it and it makes the whole period magical for them. Whatever makes the children happy makes me happy. My family and my husbands still think it's awfully tacky. Miserable buggers! Tree is real and up three weeks before Christmas.

You’re wrong about class being redundant though - I’d argue that it’s more entrenched than ever.

WTF?

@supremelybaffled

WTF?

She's asking whether putting your Christmas decorations up before December makes you working class.

My family who are in scotland are working class and apart from a niece only consider decorations in December and my mother still only puts her tree up a week before xmas.

I am working class oo but live in London and did put decorations up early for the last couple of years. However I live in a wealthy area of London so not sure how that sits with your mate! Last year folks on my street did early decorations and left them up late like the queen.

I think there can be reasons for it to

So for instance our Christmas decorations are up but my husband left 5 days ago back to work abroad and won't return till end of January

We have two young primary aged children who desperately wanted to do xmas with dad before he left so decorations it was

We also have characters in our garden all lite up, not something I would choose personally but my kids and the other kids in village love it , it's nice to spread happiness

@LolaSmiles

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.

But why does she need to comment repeatedly that blue lights and early decorations are ‘working class?’ What’s the relevance? Why the insistence? Why tell op that?

It’s nothing like saying you ‘don’t see colour.’

Mine go up 1st Dec (I’m working class but don’t consider myself a chav thanks )
I don’t put them up then because I’m uneducated and have a low status job, I put them up then because they’re jolly and I’m looking forward to Christmas cheer!

Why do middle class people NOT put there’s up til so late? Are they a hive mind? Do they lose their social status if they go up early?
Just seems weird that to some people it’s obviously a “divide” but WHY?!

If I’m ever rich I’ll move to your neighbourhoods with my light up reindeer

@WorraLiberty Sorry, I’m a working class immigrant, so often miss the class signifiers that others do not (or somehow they intrinsically know).

It all started after 2 bottles of wine and a discussion about when Christmas decs would go up. With me wanting to put them up ‘too early’.

Although I do admit to saying at the time that this is going on Mumsnet and I thought she’d be proved wrong.

@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.

They do it because it gives them longer to make extortionate amounts of money from the commoners

@Tal45

We've just put a tree up, a new covid tradition started last year, we always waited till Dec before. I guess we've gone down a class because of it? I'll embrace my chav ways and enjoy the lights for longer before i have to take the whole bloody thing down again.

Same here. Def not a class thing, during Covid we started putting up earlier to give us something to look forward to. It also means I can spread it over a few days/weeks rather than the mad panic to get everything sorted in one evening.

I live in a nice house, but wouldn't say I was middle class, working class more like! Every year I've done white lights, and colour themes for the tree, this year I'm going for multicoloured lights, and foil ceiling decs! I'm going all retro and I can't wait!
I remember Christmas as a kid and I loved it, all colours on the tree, multicoloured lights in beautiful colours that looked magical!! I want to give my DC a little taste of that this year! I also have our small tree up today, the big tree I'll do next Sunday! So guess I am working class!

My tree is up and outdoor lights on it makes me and my family happy and I give zero fucks if it's common , chavvy working class etc

Although I do partly agree with your mate, most people who think they are middle class are absolutely not middle class they are working class snobs who think they’re something they’re not.

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.

@LolaSmiles

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.

In all seriousness, I've never been in the habit of trying to work out what social 'class' the neighbours are. Where I live now, I have no clue. It's not social housing, but beyond that I don't know, nor have I ever devoted any thought to trying to work out whether they're middle or working class or whatever. So to my mind, if you've spent enough time trying to work it out that you've started identifying patterns, you're pretty over-invested in the idea of class.

Isn't it a little unclassy to be commenting on class?

@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.

Well we have a real tree but it’s been grown specifically for the purpose and we don’t drape it in plastic. And it’s recycled/composted after the holiday. Have you researched and found imitation to be the environmentally preferable option?

Some people will be at a point where they can't afford the extra cost of decorations, especially ones with lights! I remember reading about one of those Christmas houses which were completely covered in lights, and how the family would be paying significantly more in electric.

I'd be worried about cleaning Christmas decorations often if I put them up early, dust magnets.

But why does she need to comment repeatedly that blue lights and early decorations are ‘working class?’ What’s the relevance? Why the insistence? Why tell op that?
It's an observation they've made. I've no idea why they shared it. DH and I joke that on our way to the supermarket we pass Blackpool illuminations the second Halloween is over.

Most people would take it as an observation of someone's area and not take more into it.

It’s nothing like saying you ‘don’t see colour.’
I didn't say the comments about what is/isn't a different class is like saying someone doesn't see colour. I think the people who fall over themselves to argue that they couldn't possibly see social patterns in trends/behaviour because that would make them judgey is alike to people claiming tbey don't see colour.
They think it makes them sound so open minded and liberal, but really they look quite silly. Like it or not the UK has a class system, getting annoyed that people comment on the society we live in doesn't get rid of the class system.

It happens on any thread where someone mentions class and any element of life. There's always dozens of posters ready to pretend that interior design trends, baby names, Christmas decorations, (insert other topic here) is absolutely not linked to class at all any anyone who observes otherwise is some Hyacinth Bucket class obsessed judgemental snob.

We barely had Christmas last year. Covid has been miserable for everyone. Everyones looking for an excuse to celebrate and be happy.

Couldn’t give a damn if folk put up Christmas decs in October. It cheers up the eternal darkness that is British winter time.