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Original poster

Shops have been de-Christmassed

361 replies

CharityShopChic · 27/12/2022 13:21

And it's WONDERFUL. They must have had the elves in over the last couple of days because in both the Asda and Waitrose I was in this morning had no decorations, no festive aisles full of tat, no screeching Noddy Holder on the tannoy.

Fabulous. At last back to normal.

OP posts:
quantumbutterfly · 27/12/2022 15:07

Christmas isn't over till twelfth night (6 Jan)

Original poster
CharityShopChic · 27/12/2022 15:10

Elves, workers, whatever. We've all been there, for me it was Christmas 1994 working in Debenhams staying till 8pm on Christmas Eve and back again at 9am on Boxing Day for the sale.

Whoever did it, I'm very grateful that all the bling and glitter and tat and godawful music is gone for another year.

OP posts:
MirandaWest · 27/12/2022 15:12

It’s still Christmas here. My family is coming to see us to celebrate Christmas tomorrow until 30th.

Original poster
CharityShopChic · 27/12/2022 15:13

quantumbutterfly · 27/12/2022 15:07

Christmas isn't over till twelfth night (6 Jan)

Lots of people have zero interest in 12th night. An irrelevant date on the calendar. Yes it might be "tradition" to keep decorations up to 6th Jan but times change and the vast majority of people in this country are not practising christians.

Christmas is now a secular festival which begins far too early, peaks through the first three weeks in December, and culminates on 25th.

OP posts:
TashaBasha · 27/12/2022 15:13

SocksAndTheCity · 27/12/2022 13:25

I worked in a department store over Christmas many years ago, and the staff had to stay late on Christmas Eve to take down the decorations and put up the Sale posters, tag the Sale stock and hang it all out. I remember I didn't get home until 8pm and I was by no means the last to leave.

Needless to say, most of those working were women who will have then spent most of Christmas Day on their feet running around after others. At least back then the shops didn't open on Boxing Day.

Oh is it mostly women that work in retail? And mostly women that run Xmas day? That's quite some generalisations there...

Benjispruce4 · 27/12/2022 15:14

I hate taking the Christmas decs down I. School on the last day of term but have to because we won’t have time when we return .

RampantIvy · 27/12/2022 15:14

Oh is it mostly women that work in retail? And mostly women that run Xmas day? That's quite some generalisations there...

Sadly, in my experience that does seem to be the case, yes.

Pedestriancrossing · 27/12/2022 15:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Have reported this comment. Antisemitism is not ok.

Weepachu · 27/12/2022 15:17

Pedestriancrossing · 27/12/2022 15:14

Have reported this comment. Antisemitism is not ok.

Show quote history

Eh? What on earth are you on about? What was anti semitic?

I just said it was Christian tradition for decs to be up until 6th Jan.

This is actually freaky.

Parker231 · 27/12/2022 15:17

quantumbutterfly · 27/12/2022 15:07

Christmas isn't over till twelfth night (6 Jan)

Christmas for us is the period leading up to Christmas Day. We don’t bother with the 12 days or 6 January. January is the NY and nothing to do with Christmas

80sMum · 27/12/2022 15:18

CharityShopChic · 27/12/2022 13:31

MN is the only place I come across this attitude that Christmas starts on 24th/25th December, and goes right through to 6th January.

This is not something I see reflected in my life or my friends' lives, "Christmas" is basically 1-25 December with parties, nativity plays, shopping, planning, pantomime visits etc, all culminating in Christmas Day.

By now, it's over.

Show quote history

How interesting! For me, it's the opposite. Christmas ends on 6th January and always has done. I've never known anyone who thinks Christmas is over before New Year's Eve.

However, being in the USA over Christmas back in the 1980s was a surprise. Most people dragged their Christmas trees (the real trees, that is) out to the kerbside on 26th December, for collection by the refuse collectors. I was amazed to see that. But, as there's no such thing as Boxing Day there and everyone went back to work on the 26th, I guess it's understandable.

thelobsterquadrille · 27/12/2022 15:18

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 27/12/2022 15:02

And it's WONDERFUL. They must have had the elves in over the last couple of days because in both the Asda and Waitrose I was in this morning had no decorations, no festive aisles full of tat, no screeching Noddy Holder on the tannoy.

Considering that two days ago was Christmas Day, I really hope that a load of hard-pushed retail workers, who've been rushed off their feet in the run-up to Christmas, were not expected to give up their family Christmas Day just to take down decorations and festive signs.

Not Christmas Day, but they'd have had to work late Christmas Eve and come in extra early on Boxing Day.

MrsWooster · 27/12/2022 15:20

Valentines chocs and flower displays up in our local garage /Spar.

quantumbutterfly · 27/12/2022 15:22

2021 census says 46.2% stated Christianity as their religion, it happens to be the one I was brought up in so I'll crack on till 12th night. I hear that in Spain that's when the pressies are given.

You do you and I'll do me. 😘

Pedestriancrossing · 27/12/2022 15:24

Weepachu
If you cannot see what was antisemitic about your post, then you really do have a problem.
Luckily MN has deleted it and I'm not going to repeat what you said.

Fiddlersgreen · 27/12/2022 15:25

SocksAndTheCity · 27/12/2022 13:25

I worked in a department store over Christmas many years ago, and the staff had to stay late on Christmas Eve to take down the decorations and put up the Sale posters, tag the Sale stock and hang it all out. I remember I didn't get home until 8pm and I was by no means the last to leave.

Needless to say, most of those working were women who will have then spent most of Christmas Day on their feet running around after others. At least back then the shops didn't open on Boxing Day.

We used to do “overnights” to get the store ready for sale. Thankfully they changed the sale dates so it would start on 24th instead of Boxing Day so our overnights didn’t need to run into Xmas day!

Dullardmullard · 27/12/2022 15:25

Feels like a deadline not a holiday now a days

SqueakyDinosaur · 27/12/2022 15:26

CharityShopChic · 27/12/2022 13:31

MN is the only place I come across this attitude that Christmas starts on 24th/25th December, and goes right through to 6th January.

This is not something I see reflected in my life or my friends' lives, "Christmas" is basically 1-25 December with parties, nativity plays, shopping, planning, pantomime visits etc, all culminating in Christmas Day.

By now, it's over.

Show quote history

Well, yes, culturally now it's basically December, but in religious terms, the 12 days of Christmas actually start on Christmas day with the birth of Jesus, and end on Twelfth Night, the Feast of Epiphany, when the Wise Men arrived at the stable.

That's the period that the 12 days of Christmas carol refers to, and it's why a lot of crib scenes don't include the Wise Men at first.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 27/12/2022 15:26

Christmas is now a secular festival which begins far too early, peaks through the first three weeks in December, and culminates on 25th.

Maybe for most people, but there are actually still a lot of Christians out there who are celebrating it as a Christian festival.

Not Christmas Day, but they'd have had to work late Christmas Eve and come in extra early on Boxing Day.

Even so, it seems such a shame to have to truncate and spoil an already-short special time for a break and celebration with family and friends. It's bad enough for people who have to work over Christmas in hospitals, emergency services and plenty of other essential settings; but for the sake of some signs, decorations and stock-rotation?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 27/12/2022 15:29

It seems too early for me , I feel they could've left them up this week at least ?
I always take the decorations down on Jan 1st , nice clear start to the year .

Sweeping everything away when the clock has barely ticked over onto the 27th seems a bit Well, now we've had your money for your Christmas food/decorations/tat , now what else can we tempt you/rip you off for

But I have a Mum who CBA with Christmas , all too much effort and she made sure we all knew this .
"Boxing Day is my favourite then its all over" "I wish I could go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up after New Year"

Yeah , way to make us feel like we were special and deserved some effort there Hmm. And she didn't even decorate or cook , any guest (or more likely me ) that dared set foot in the kitchen was given the task, my Dad did all the shopping .

Weepachu · 27/12/2022 15:29

Pedestriancrossing · 27/12/2022 15:24

Weepachu
If you cannot see what was antisemitic about your post, then you really do have a problem.
Luckily MN has deleted it and I'm not going to repeat what you said.

Well I shall just have to report you for anti Christianism since you are taking issue with the fact that I think the decs should be up until 6th Jan.

SocksAndTheCity · 27/12/2022 15:29

TashaBasha · 27/12/2022 15:13

Oh is it mostly women that work in retail? And mostly women that run Xmas day? That's quite some generalisations there...

Show quote history

Yes, in the department store where I worked over Christmas (in 1993) and which I was describing in my post, the vast majority of my colleagues on the shop floor were women. Why would I have said they were if they weren't?

Weepachu · 27/12/2022 15:31

SqueakyDinosaur · 27/12/2022 15:26

Well, yes, culturally now it's basically December, but in religious terms, the 12 days of Christmas actually start on Christmas day with the birth of Jesus, and end on Twelfth Night, the Feast of Epiphany, when the Wise Men arrived at the stable.

That's the period that the 12 days of Christmas carol refers to, and it's why a lot of crib scenes don't include the Wise Men at first.

Show quote history

Thank you for reminding people of the real meaning of Christmas.

No doubt your post will be deleted in a minute for offending non Christians who just want to celebrate the commercial side of things.

Pedestriancrossing · 27/12/2022 15:33

Weepachu
Go ahead. You know what you said.Referring to non Christians as "other sorts" who are "cashing in'.....in relation to some well known UK retailers

I have made no anti Christian comments.

Weepachu · 27/12/2022 15:34

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

Sweeping everything away when the clock has barely ticked over onto the 27th seems a bit Well, now we've had your money for your Christmas food/decorations/tat , now what else can we tempt you/rip you off for

Perfectly articulated. It seems like that because it is like that. I find it very antiChristian.