Christmas every four years only - who’s up for it?

[MuttsNutts]

Ok, so inspired by another thread but not wishing to hijack, I’ve decided it would be a great idea to have Christmas just once every four years.

Every year is just too much work, expense and forced jollity that leaves far too many people feeling inadequate, lonely and skint.

The ridiculous lead-up means that for over a quarter of the year, every single bloody year, we have it rammed down our throats at every turn.

So, as with the Olympics or World Cup, I’ve decided to campaign for it changing to just once every four years. I think even I could maybe get on board with it then.

Who’s with me?

#christmaseveryfouryearsismorethanenough

But it is. Really it is. I've never noticed most of what people are complaining about and even if I do, I just roll my eyes and move on.

And I do leave the house. I just don't go out looking for places that are desperate sell me things I don't want, which I wouldn't buy anyway.

No it's not.

It probs does in countries where these are majority population events.

How the hell does no one here see the difference?
Also starting to eonder if everyone knows ramadan vs Eid

When you were a child, would you have liked this?

Don’t wish for it for today’s children if not.

@JanetSally it is easy to ignore if you want to. Not completely...but you can blank it out. I said up thread that I didn't even see my high street Christmas lights one year - because I never went there when it was dark.
Christmas music might be playing in the shops - either shop online, wear ear defenders or just zone out the music.
I hardly ever watch TV with adverts so I don't see many but to be honest I don't take much notice of TV ads anyway.
Don't need to watch Christmas TV films etc. There's a 1001+ other programs to watch.
Yes it's there but if you don't want to take part in any of it - you don't have too. You can just avoid. It's not impossible.

@Applesandcarrots I used to work in a shop selling toys. Once my area manager wanted to know why my branch had sold so much less toys in the last couple of weeks compared to another towns branch (ie where had we gone wrong...). The reason was because it was Ramadan and the other town had a large Muslim population and they were buying toys as Eid gifts. My town had a very small Muslim population so we weren't selling many extra amounts of toys than we normally would.

@Needmorelego yeah, I am not arguing they don't shop here. We have to order lamb here month in advance too. 😁 I think the posters in butcher go up 2 months before.
In countries where these are majority events, they will also have the big build up like we have with Christmas. That's what my post was answering to.

Though i agree shops should leave merch it till November!

You're being totally unrealistic. If people are being bombarded with Christmas displays, Christmas advertisements, Christmas music, Christmas decorations etc from October on, then it's impossible to ignore unless you live in a bubble.

Tbh i was in asda today and there was no bombarding. I don't go to seasonal isle tho

Give it another week

Crikey, the anger’s still going I see 😅

As powerful as I would like to think I am, you do realise that I can’t actually ban Christmas stuff three years in every four?

Unless the YANBUs get over the 50% line of course, then it will become law immediately.

Come on comrades, we can do this!

@Applesandcarrots it makes me laugh so much when people go on about the 'horror' of supermarkets having the massive stacks of Chocolate tubs from late August and "it's far too early...blah blah blah".
I saw some in one of my local supermarkets. But nowhere was any Christmas signs, the tubs don't say Christmas on them...it was just a giant pile of Celebration tubs. Some people make things 'all about Christmas' - when actually - they can be for anything you want.

I'm pretty well adjusted to ignoring premature Christmas before 1st December.

I've really missed Christmas in 2020 and 2021 because all the real stuff was restricted out of existance or just beyond joy. No nativities/ school fayres/ parties. Last year I got Covid symptoms on Christmas Day and spent Boxing Day queuing up for a PCR in a different county shivering in the drizzle in the street for over an hour and all my visiting family plans got shelved.
Christmas was reduced to buying presents for the DCs, Christmas lights (which I do love to light up the dark) and cooking Christmas dinner. Winter felt particularly long and bleak in the past two years because there wasn't the light relief in the middle. The pagans and early Christians that piggybacked on to Yule knew what they were doing with a mid-winter festival.

It will be lovely to have a return to school/ festive events, socialising and proper carol services and just doing things normally at long last.

My 9 year old was 6 the last time he experienced a normal Christmas.

@Needmorelego they don't! You are right. We buy them as pressies throughout the year to take abroad. Or the bags if no tins.

Nope, I love Christmas I'm looking forward to it once September comes in, but no one is forced to celebrate it, Christmas is what you make it

@JanetSally when I worked in retail I obviously couldn't avoid Christmas as it was our biggest part of the trading year. But once I walked out my job for the day I could completely ignore it if I wanted to. But that wasn't always out of choice. I didn't get to go to Christmas Fairs, Carol Concerts, Nativity events etc because they all happened when I was at work. I was working long hours - I didn't get time to do much of the Christmasy things I would have quite liked to have done. Obviously on my days off I did stuff like go to the supermarket - so Christmas was there in my face - but this was pre internet shopping days. Now I do most of my food shopping online do I can ignore the Christmasy experience of the supermarket.

Er..... no!

@Applesandcarrots there is probably a holiday or event somewhere in the world every day of the year that needs a large tub of Celebration chocolates 🤣
It's is always a time for chocolate somewhere....

There are always kids to fight over it 😁 @Needmorelego

Well that's kind of the point. In order not to be affected you have to shop online, not listen to the radio, or look at ads, try to ignore all the lights in people's gardens etc

Why can't we just enjoy Christmas in December?

Other religious festivals don't dominate ONE THIRD of the year. It's overkill. Every year. Total overkill.

and nor does Christmas unless you choose for it to.

Now, obviously there are a few jobs where it is more in your face..... when I taught infants we had to start learning words from when we went back after 1/2 term to be ready to 'perform' nativities or Christmas concerts by the 2nd week of December. If you work in a toy shop then I should imagine it is more in your face, but for the overwhelming majority of the population neither of those apply, so yes, of course it is easy to take no notice until you choose to opt in.

I love Christmas- it's one of the few times of the year when (most, not all) people feel somewhat obliged not to be absolute jerks and a nice excuse for a rest week/few days at the end of the year.

I quite like this idea.

A big fat celebration in the depths of winter is human nature! If it wasn't Christmas, it'd be something else.

Also, one third of the year? There's not much Christmas stuff around at the mo. They (the shops) tend to let loose after Halloween. That's one sixth of the year.