To wonder why does Christmas start so early in the UK and are you happy with that

[TheFateofOphelia]

I was in John Lewis yesterday and a huge part of the ground floor was taken up with Christmas trees and decorations. My heart sank because, much as I enjoy the festive season, I want it to start mid Nov not end of August as it does in supermarkets.

Anyday now they'll be blasting out "Do they know it's Christmas." The what shall we do with Uncle Stanley on Christmas Day threads are popping up on MN. Do you like it starting in Autumn or will you join my pointless 'Let's keep Christmas in December' campaign?

I just ignore it until I’m ready to deal with Christmas. I have a huge amount of family birthdays between now and and the first week in December and will deal with Christmas then.

what annoys me though is I have to buy my December birthday cards and wrapping paper now as Christmas takes over the shops come mid November and the choice is limited.

I don't understand the argument that people need to get christmas presents and all in early so thats the reason all the christmas stuff is out.

You can still buy the deals what annoys most people is the songs playing from October before halloween has even happened. All the christmas paraphenalia and decorations don't need to be out front and centre.
Most people do not need to buy a whole load of new decor every year anyway.

I put a bit of money away every month for christmas then buy the last week of November after deciding what I am getting people. Surely you spend more over months and months of this?

I finished my present buying yesterday. I am making mincemeat this week because I have a gazillion apples.

But I could perfectly well have done that without shops and restaurants having Christmas in October. It drives me insane, which is one reason why I’m now done and dusted with shopping until late December.

I was in the Range the last few days of September and couldn't believe the season section was full on packed with Christmas decorations etc, trees up twinkling and lots of people buying stuff
I'm mrs. Christmas I've always loved it but omg September seriously 😧
I noticed the supermarkets getting little bits here and there ..1st of November for me that's the run up not the end of September 😞🤬

I like being to pick up bits each week to spread the cost but I've always felt able to do that even before everything was out in October. The full fanfare so early makes it feel less special when you get to December.

Oh yes and another thing that gets me is the Christmas spirit is gone by the time Christmas season is actually upon us ..shops taking down their Christmas stuff and people moaning they want to declutter 

@ scalt -
“Christmas starts on 25th December, and ends on 12th night (and in the church, the Christmas season ends on Candlemas in February).”

You’re absolutely correct, but unfortunately it seems as though Christmas runs from Dec 1st until Christmas Day. I hate the fact that n Christmas Eve, or even the day before, all,the Christmas stuff is being cleared away for the sales, and that the children go back to school before twelfth night - if I made the rules, they’d get an extra week after Christmas and a week off the summer holidays - apart from anything else, it would save the country a lot of money in having to heat schools. When I was young I lived in a country where Christmas really didn’t start until mid-December, and it was lovely. (As this was some long time ago, I have no doubt that rampant commercialism will have taken over there just as it has everywhere else.)

On Friday I bought some lebküchen and pfeffernusse. Ive found these get bought up early and DH has hidden them so they won't be eaten until December.

Obviously in the minority but I'm happy with it. As soon as we hit autumn and the temperature drops a bit I immediately think 'Whoop! Christmas! Jumpers! Ooh, will I buy a new coat this year.' Love this time of year.

I don't always race out and buy all my Christmas stuff in October but it's good people have the opportunity to spread the cost / plan ahead if they want to. The ones who don't like it can just walk past it.

And of course retailers want to increase profit. That's the nature of their business surely. Nothing wrong with that.

Similarly I went to home bargains in early August and there was an entire aisle of Halloween decorations and then another of 'autumn decorations' - i was still enjoying summer and why do I need to lob pumpkins around my living room to celebrate autumn 🙄

But that doesn't make any sense. Say they are spreading the cost by buying £50 worth of Christmas stuff after Sep/Oct/Nov pay days. How is that any different than saving that £50 month and spending the £150 after November pay day? Or indeed getting to the end of those months and setting aside what's left for shopping in December?

Mid October is plenty of time to stock shops.
Christmas music from the 1st of December, not before.
Mariah gives me the rage.

I don't start until December. I put money aside from Oct, but I refuse to shop before advent.

I don’t know, for me Christmas is also the midwinter season of combatting the darkness, of fun and misrule and giving joy. Presents are part of that, though the joyless phrase ‘to buy for’ is something I struggle with.

I agree with you OP. On 1st September my local Sainsbury's got out the mince pies, advent calendars and other Christmas food and related crap. The kids hadn't even gone back to school! I hate it. The mission creep of fucking Christmas every year. Argh! It's not like this in other countries. There, December is for Christmas and they don't have four months of build-up every damn year.

I do not do Christmas until December, real tree, presents ect. I love this season.
However, I am retired now, after years if working I can afford to do all the Christmas shopping in December, fir some young families they need to do it earlier due to finances.

Two things made me wince in Sainsbury’s the other day 1. Xmas stuff next to Halloween stuff and 2. Autumn decorations that were very American style - including a doormat saying Welcome to ‘Fall’

This and its made Christmas feel not as special now. Boring actually, all the food n tat. I do enjoy family time though.

Agree.

i did my shop at Aldi yesterday and it’s so annoying not to be able to find products in their usual place because it’s replaced with Christmas food .

Its barely even October!

I hate it, it makes me anxious. And that’s from
someone who loves actual Christmas.

I work in retail and from a work perspective I hate it. Having to find space to dress it onto the shop floor, customers moaning to the minimum wage staff about mince pies being on sale too early and buying them anyway…

From a minimum wage worker it’s handy to be able to spread the cost of Christmas over several pay checks. I’ve never been in debt because of Christmas (no credit cards etc).

Christmas starts on first day of advent in an ideal world. Except it doesn't. I remember mocking my mum for asking my Christmas plans in late August, when I was in my twenties. Now my behaviour makes me cringe. She was the one who had to ensure all visitors were comfortable. Now it's my job to co- ordinate airport pick ups and collecting elderly relatives from hundreds of miles away and planning festive menus that cater for vegetarians and meat-lovers, outings that entertain 20-somethings and 90-somethings, stocking fillers for stray friends of DC with nowhere to go. I love hosting Christmas but it takes some planning, so I start early.

I'm with you, OP. Agree with PP that it's been this way for a long time now. Having Xmas paraphernalia and music in shops for 3 long months really dilutes the magic to the point that by mid- December I have Xmas exhaustion, although I love the actual celebration of Xmas. No longer living in the UK and it's also a relief that DCs school (mainland Europe) does not do Xmas-themed events throughout December - just a couple of things in the last couple of weeks of term. It is so much less stressful!

Doesn’t bother me at all - but I love Christmas to an unhealthy degree so 😂 …. Having said that - I’m not one of those who keeps imposing Christmas stuff on others….

I love Autumn and I love Christmas, it doesn't need to be all squished together!