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 understand it's got nothing to do with putting up Christmas decorations. It might have something to do with mad stretches in trying to blame early decorators for mental health crises to justify your own personal preferences though. Do you hear yourself?

I get the feeling you might be someone who likes to put their decorations up early 😁 . I don’t really understand why people put their Christmas decorations up long before Christmas. I’m not saying they shouldn’t, have them up all year round if it makes you happy, I’m saying I don’t really get it.

And I think that’s great but this particular person is pulling her decorations down on Christmas Day/Boxing Day because she’s sick of the sight of them.

Maybe people who put up their Christmas lights too early need to stop being so selfish and consider other people's feelings before they do what they want in their own homes! How dare they do things when they feel like it for their own enjoyment. You should be doing things to please other people - not yourself! Especially for people you wouldn't normally associate with because of their sour attitudes. Do it for them the most!

Have some decency and consider the strangers you're offending with your own personal choices, you insensitive beast!

Erm...you are being unreasonable yes! They are just people who want to put up their Christmas decorations and there is nothing wrong with that.

I don't object to the early going up as much as the early taking down. I do find it odd going up before Advent but this year I'm away the weekend before Advent starts and DH is putting it all up then on the 22nd. A full week before Advent but up to him.

I will not have them down before 12th Night though and very much judge anyone who does.

When I'm in charge it will be illegal to take any down before then. It won't be mandatory to put them up but anyone who does has to commit to it and keep them up throughout the official Christmas period until Epiphany.

Why does it bother you so much?

Have you been round and asked her to stop as you don't think it's appropriate?

So many rules and all the judging. On when crimbo decks go up and come down. It doesn’t get more petty does it.

Absolutely. It's one of the things I love being petty about.

I know someone who puts their lights up when the clocks change. I think that's lovely on a dark night and would be tempted to do the same if I had lots of lights. The tree and anything Christmassy is saved for December. As for taking it all down so early, that's sad. We're still too busy celebrating and visiting to set about taking everything down. Christmas finishes after new year for me. I stick to the 12 days.

I wouldn't think it was attention seeking at all.

If she loves Christmas and loves her house being decorated then good for her. Don't really see it as any of your business

If someone is doing something that makes them happy, who are you to moan and comment about it. Maybe you should find something that makes you happy instead of watching your neighbour?

Ok for all those people talking about how its no one business and they can do what they want for themselves....what about outside lights and decorations?
You're sitting inside your house, you can't see them. Who are they for? Who has to look at them? Not you. Literally everyone else.
Putting shite up outside your house is not to make you happy, is it? It's not not affetcing others.

Go you

and don't even get me started on the total twats who put bright flashing lights outside their house that flash into other peoples houses. Death is too good for them

Thanks!

To me that quiet week between Christmas and new year IS Christmas. Into January is exactly when you need the extra lights, everyone is skint, there’s nothing to look forward to, it’s cold and dark…yuk

Absolutely agree with this. On the first few days of back to work/ school in first week of January it's so dark and depressing. I love coming home from work and putting the tree lights on for a twinkle until twelfth night. I gradually remove most of the decorations from 2nd Jan so I don't have to do it all at once but the actual tree and the fairy lights are the last to go. Twelfth night is also the ritual smashing of the gingerbread house which has become a fault tradition. The kids can mash into it any time from boxing day but they've usually got so much other stuff by then the gingerbread house tends to remain untouched!

Oh and the nativity set stays up until Candlemas (2 Feb). The Kings only arrive on 6 Jan so it would be a shame not to let them party!

Why do you need to get it though?

Unless it affects you, it isnt really any of your business and continuing a faux "but I just dont get it" makes you appear as though you do, you just want to try and belittle someone for their choices.

Honestly I couldn’t care less what my neighbours think, putting up some lights on my house isn’t hurting them! My husband has cancer, we don’t know how many years we have left with him, if we want to make the most of Christmas with our children then we will because life is too short to get offended by such trivial matters!

I decorate mid November, we don’t get sick of having the decs up at all and always take them down in January 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don't put external lights outside and my Christmas tree isn't in the window. But these are always, and have always been for kids/adults who love christmas?

As for the point that some people dread Christmas and it's a constant reminder - well that is unfortunate and sad but there are things that anyone can do to get through the season easier. I know - I do them all! Get involved in your local community if it helps - if it doesn't then live your own life as you see fit, no one is forcing you to endure the decorations in your own home!

I see people having barbeques in the summer and I don't complain I have no garden to have a barbeque although every summer I wish I did? You can't go around living your life so scared to do anything in case it offends someone. Can you? And I refuse to. I am thoughtful but never to the extent that I suppress every single wish I have in life. You can't not enjoy your family because someone doesn't have one, you can't feel bad for having a home or even a garden because someone doesn't have one. Everyone has areas in their lives that are a sore point but it isn't the worlds job to salve every wound. It is simply asking too much.

She’s one of these “I’m daft me” types
That's the real issue.

She's someone who has to appear wacky and different.

It might be Christmas decorations in October but throughout the year she'll find other ways to show how different she is.

I don't like decorations up before 1 December at the earliest, and left to my own devices would really much rather put them up the weekend before Christmas.

I normally have a live-and-let-live attitude to other people's choices about when to put their decorations up. I think it's slightly silly to put them up very early, especially if they use a lot of electricity, but hey, it's not my electricity bill.

But if she's actively moaning about being fed up with them so soon after Christmas, then yes, that is quite unreasonable of her. Unfortunately there's not much you can do about it, but you're not alone in judging her for it!

Do you hear yourself? Please stop putting words on people's mouths.

I think you miss my point.

For whatever reason they're going up early, it's very unreasonable because I have to listen to my DCs nag me until the 12th December. It's not fair, everyone else has them up in November etc..during my childhood, school would break up around 12th December and my DM would bring in the tree when I was on my last day of school. Oh the excitement of walking through the door, having broken up from school for a month and the smell of the Christmas tree in the house, the roaring fire and getting to decorate the tree and house that afternoon and evening listening to carols. Sublime! And so worth the wait. And yes they would stay put until Epiphany.