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.

But DH won't let us have more than a few lights on the house as apparently it would upset the neighbours 🤣😂 Hilarious.
It's another world.

@LittleDandelionClock Why don’t you think I’d just post the opinion, if it were mine?

I had no problem posting a terrible homemade Xmas Dec and saying I hated it.

No one here knows who I am, so why pretend it’s not my opinion if it was?

My real 8 ft Xmas tree goes up on Dec 18th every year. That must almost make me royalty.

Usually I put my tree up after dec 6 but this year I put it up today, trying to bring the joy a bit earlier this year. Never heard any of her rules.

Oh no redtoothbrush, I won’t be going for wooden decorations. I have coloured plastic lights, tinsel, and glittery baubles. I’m actually out ahead of the crowd with my vintage 80s stranger things tree. Very fashionable and not at all working class of course.

The UK is full of unspoken class markers.
How different groups celebrate Christmas is definitely one of them.

That doesn't mean every person in each group behaves identically or in the way you would except most people in their socio-economic group to behave.

Broadly speaking I think your friend is right OP.

@Kanaloa Sorry to tell you but you are, in fact, common. I’m sure this will be upsetting to you but try not to be too hurt while you’re dragging your ‘dusty plastic tree’ out of the loft
It's also over 6ft so I can easily chuck myself off in despair at being exposed as common

@MsTSwift

Never forge helping on a school trip near Christmas and adorable lad about 8 explaining that when he was a grown up he was going to have lots of blue flashing lights and plastic reindeers on his house at Christmas. He explained his house was “very disappointing” at Christmas 😁. His mum is my friend they are both doctors with low key tasteful minimalist Christmas decor 😁

I'm that child. Though with less plastic reindeers. And I do try and keep it tasteful, particularly outside.

My parents refused to have the tree up before Christmas week.

I called them Scrooge and have rebelled into my 40s with the mentality that the tree MUST be up before the end of the first week of December even if that means it has to go up in November.

I also have multiple Christmas Trees. One is just not enough. The more the better. Last year DH complained that they were getting in his way as they were everywhere! I start searching online and in the shops for this years Christmas decorations in October... I start thinking up a theme / decorative colour scheme in September. My friends (and DH) think I'm utterly nuts.

Its 100% connected to my parents dislike of decorations and I've always made the point.

Some massive houses near me with the Dec's and outdoor lights up so YANBU

I don't do any Christmas decorations, what class does that make me? Tbf I am Jewish but I didn't grow up Jewish and I don't really do Hanukkah as it's a minor festival.

I do exchange Christmas presents though. My hamster has an advent calendar. We will have a nice meal on Christmas but I hate turkey and the nice meal can be anything but I always make sure to buy ferrero rocher and Bailey's. When I have a DC, they get 1-2 presents and a chocolate advent calendar as I did when I was a kid.

I'm from a v working class background (parents grew up in slums, no flush toilet let alone bathroom), and I remember being surprised back in the 1970s when my very middle class PILs didn't put the tree up until Christmas Eve.
They explained it was traditional to decorate it on the first day of Christmas and leave it up until Twelfth Night. I had grown up with the tree going up a week before Christmas, which was apparently very non U!

Also working class / middle class is a pointless distinction these days. There are the uber rich and the rest of us plebs.

@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.

To be fair, the trees are only grown to be chopped down for Christmas trees. So if nobody bought them, they wouldn't be planted in the first place 🤷‍♀️

It's definitely true. The posher the family the later the decs. I'm not posh but do live in a very MC area and I'd have them up end of November if I had my way. I have to settle for 1st weekend in December.

My real tree goes up, on the 11th December and stays up until 4th January.
When I was little my wonderful parents, put Christmas decorations up after my sister and I went to bed on Christmas Eve. Magical!
A tradition I couldn’t keep up with my children.

@Needspace21 what is Uber rich though? To me rich means investable income of at least £1 million which is separate from value of primary residence. That is the definition of high net worth individual which is what banks target for premier banking/investing services.

My parents are high net worth, but I am not. So I suppose I am from rich background. Their decorations go up in December but they often don't decorate either! They are not into Christmas, I got maybe 1-2 presents usually books, nothing expensive. My mum said it is the thought that counts. She gives me more expensive presents now that I am an adult but not exceeding £160-200 which is much less than a lot of mumsnetters spend on their toddler children!

I agree with your friend OP.

Posh people put their decorations up much closer to Christmas. I actually don't like to see Christmas lights in November on houses though, so I'm probably a bit biased!!

absolutely no one has Xmas deco up outside at all yet in my area.

@WorraLiberty

I know Mumsnet loves a class debate, so thought I’d share an argument I had with a friend last night.

AKA - "It's Sunday, I'm bored and I think I'll start a bun fight on Mumsnet" 🤣🤣

This. There is no friend, you just thought you would start an argument. Anyone who bangs on about class clearly has none. All the people I know who you would all call ‘upper class’ (private incomes, house in the country, kids go to Eton or Roedean etc) never mention ‘class’ because it is vulgar to do so. If you work for a living, you’re working class.

@hangrylady

It's definitely true. The posher the family the later the decs. I'm not posh but do live in a very MC area and I'd have them up end of November if I had my way. I have to settle for 1st weekend in December.

Maybe in YOUR area, the later the decs if the family is 'posh.' Doesn't make it definitely true!

Also, why do you have to wait to put yours up? Are you scared people will think you're not 'posh' like them? Fucking hell.

I wish people would just mind their own business. Why are people so bothered about others' decorations?

Maybe people want to bring some joy to their lives and Christmas does that for them. I wanted to start Christmas early this year because my dad's health is not good at all, but he's had another health crisis and in hospital so no time or headspace to do it right now.

I am middle class and I have no view on when people choose to put up their decorations beyond that I hope everyone enjoys the season.

Even if there does happen to be a general difference in timescale, how can one date be ‘better’ than another? How can there be any judgement involved? Except by twats.

Anyway the decs are up on the S Bank and look fantastic and festive, and if it’s good enough for (arguably) our leading cultural quarter it’s good enough for me!

(My decs go up 10 days before Christmas because my house isn’t big enough to live for long around the size of tree I like)

We have a fake tree and a real tree, but don’t put it up until mid December, and anything festive is banned before 1st December. Not sure what class that makes us 🧐

I hate to say it but I have moved to a much posher neighbourhood.

I drove down my old street and several houses have already decorated, but no one on my new street has. My rule for Christmas decorations is not before 7 December. November horrified me. Seems very fake that early.

I have never really thought about it as a class divide before. I do hate blue Christmas lights and do notice you rarely see them in expensive homes.

@WorraLiberty

I know Mumsnet loves a class debate, so thought I’d share an argument I had with a friend last night.

AKA - "It's Sunday, I'm bored and I think I'll start a bun fight on Mumsnet" 🤣🤣

Yep.

@Eggshausted

This. There is no friend, you just thought you would start an argument.

This too. Exactly what I said, the OP has posted for a bunfight. As worraliberty said. No conversation with any 'friend' took place.