AIBU to think that people who put Christmas decorations up super early are just attention seekers?

[HahBumhug]

My neighbour has had her house decorated fully for Christmas now for almost two weeks- they started going up on Oct 31st. Fully lit tree in the window, outdoor lights, Christmas wreath on the door- the works.

She’s done this since she moved next door to me five years ago and I assume she did it before that too.

Since I’ve known her, she’s also posted on Insta and her WhatsApp status each year on either Christmas Day or the 26th to show her decorations coming down and a general “I can’t spend another minute looking at them” message.

If she put them up at Christmas and not at Halloween, she wouldn’t be looking at them for all that long.

She’s one of these “I’m daft me” types.

I know there are some exceptions where decorations are put up for different reasons like someone with a terminal illness, a family celebrating early before someone emigrates etc. but those are rare so I’m not factoring then into my thoughts around this.

Am I being unreasonable for thinking that someone who put Christmas decorations up at the end of Oct/early Nov is attention-seeking?

I don’t think it’s attention seeking either. More I think they’ve not got much to look forward to or much going on,so they get a bit excited and go for it. I couldn’t take issue with it and think we should all live and let live.

Also for people saying I put mine up in November cos I love Christmas, it doesn’t make sense, it isn’t Christmas time in Oct or November. It’s 12 days of Xmas so if you really love it you wouldn’t be taking it down on Boxing Day

I love Christmas and really enjoy the house feeling and looking all festive but I'm very much a 'no Christmas stuff until December!' person (except for present buying because it's just good sense to spread out the cost a bit). Come December 1st I'm all about Christmas 😊 I think for me, as pp have said, it feels less special when it goes on too long. Tend to take the decorations down around a few days to a week after New Years.

I jokingly judge those who put theirs up before December but I don't actually think badly of them! It makes no difference to me when they want to start getting in the festive spirit (though I probably would find it a bit ridiculous if they put up their tree in June!) I don't think it's being attention seeking, just that they want to feel excited for Christmas.

That being said, I also would think 'why the hell do you put them up so early?!' If they put them up immediately after Halloween and were complaining that they're sick of the sight of them on Xmas day or Boxing Day 🙄😂

There's a great little mantra I try to stick to in situations like this:
"Not my circus, not my monkeys".
You do you & let her do her. It is none of your concern what she does or doesn't do.

I think people can do what they like in/to their homes.
I like to decorate on Christmas Eve. My daughter and her family have their tree and decorations up already because their toddler loves it all. What harm are they doing anyone else? Lord knows, lots of people could do with a bit of sparkle atm.

You aren’t serious? This really bothers you?? Omg 😳 I’m literally shocked about what people
find offensive these days, it’s bizarre!!

Its her home, she can do as she pleases without being judgemental neighbours. As longs as it’s not hurting anyone, great.

Leave the poor woman alone to enjoy her Xmas without needing the approval of others.

People need to ‘mind their own’. She could have 100 reasons as to why she puts her decks up early, and unless she’s told you why, then I don’t see its your business.

Some folk really need to focus all this energy into doing some positive rather than bringing others down. It’s so unkind!

Other than serious illness I don’t know?

When I say illness I mean if someone is not expected to see Christmas that year.

Well said I agree 🎄

100% this, well said! The OP needs to get off her soap box!

Ok, then keep your curtains closed and all your decorations inside. If they're just for you and not affecting anyone else, it must be that no-one else can see them right?
Oh, but its not, is it?

God, the Mumsnet obsession with "attention seeking" gets more and more ridiculous.

I know someone who puts her decorations up early. Her grandson has ASD and loves the lights and the decorations, but she has rheumatoid arthritis so worries about getting the decorations up and likes it to be done and dusted for him to enjoy, she doesn't like to rely on people too much either.

It's not the nicest thread is it? Maybe people need to learn delayed gratification with judgemental comments, and they can take the time to work out what their actual problem is?

If the worst thing you've ever done in your life is put up Christmas decorations in November to get attention, you're going to heaven quicker than most people.

I don't think putting up decs early is attention seeking. But I do think it's daft and spoils the specialness of Christmas. Really I don't want to see/think anything Christmassy til December. That said I know that Americans tend to get theirs up early, directly after Thanksgiving and by Boxing Day they're taking them down again. I'm slow to get mine up and even slower to take them down again. Each to their own.

No she doesn't.
I don't think it's attention seeking but I think it's very silly unless there's a reason such as someone very ill who wants a last Christmas with the family or serious seasonal disorder.

But people whining that they hate November and it's all so dark and wet and they NEED something to cheer them up sound like snowflakes who just can't deal with ordinary non exciting periods in life.

Maybe they just prefer it to coping by whining online about completely inoffensive things.

Exactly. I don't want to see your inflatable Santas and gaudy flashing lights for weeks on end. It takes away from the special feeling of the days leading up to Christmas.

It brightens up the dark evenings and brings some people joy, I don’t see anything wrong with that.
you could claim anything in life is attention seeking if you twist your mind enough and try and suck the joy out of it.

Why do they have to 'cope' with normal life?

I think you've missed the point. It's a discussion forum, and an interesting topic given the number of replies. Not attention seeking.

Threads on the topic of putting decorations up early will be repeated many times over the next couple of weeks. It's the same every year.

YABU, I decorate in November, I don’t decorate for anyone else except for my family, we love Christmas, it’s the time of year we look forward to most and the decorations make us feel happy and super cosy, we do it for us and not anyone else.

I don't think that's what she actually said, is it?

Why do they have to 'cope' with normal life?
What is normal life?
Everyone's normal is unique to their family unit.
You've no idea what happens in anyone's life but your own.
But if whinging helps you get by, carry on. 🎅

But as a previous poster said, why can't you just put them up inside? That way it's totally your own business. Forcing all the neighbours to see your lights and plastic santas for weeks on end and having to start feeling like Christmas is already in their faces when they prefer to wait until December is very annoying for lots of people.