To not get why Christmas now starts on the first of November

[Whatthe777]

Was in home bargains today and they were playing Christmas music

I don't want to police other people's fun but I do think it's too early and entirely driven by retailers which is what annoys me the most. Also the longer you do something for the less special and exciting it is...well for me that's true. The retailers want you to buy all the stuff and of course they don't want left over stock they will have to put on sale so they get it out early, then it all begins to go so we all then feel the pressure to start buying. Then by mid December there won't be anything left. Same with every other seasonal celebration. My dd and I went to 3 different supermarkets this week to find some halloween themed napkins but all sold out, not the end of the world but inconvenient.

Anyway, we tend to wait till December for decorations, I do start shopping toward the end of November. Although I do make my Christmas cake in November.

In John Lewis it started weeks ago, likewise B and M. Years ago - when we still had them - Woolworths started in August. I don't mind if as it's cheerful. I did used to mind Back to School starting before they broke up for summer hols as that's not cheerful

I’ve just put the Halloween decs away and nothing Xmas will appear until 2nd week of December at earliest. Last year I decorated mid November and it was horrendous by the time Xmas came 🤢

I'm grateful that it starts before December because it's the only way I can afford Christmas.

The tree doesn't go up until after my sons birthday on December 13th though.

Not that I give two hoots about my birthday but I don’t get in the Christmas zone until it’s out of the way. My birthday is nearly mid December!

🤣

I’ve known them to appear before the Valentines Day stuff - crazy!

Can I ask a genuine question?
What are you buying that can’t be bought any other time of the year?

Just thinking about the people I buy for and what I get then and none of it is Christmas themed. And in terms of food, I can’t think of anything we buy that can only be bought at Christmas.
You’re definitely not the first person I’ve seen that says that they can afford Christmas by spreading the cost but unless all you’re buying is party food and Christmas pyjamas could you not just get what you are buying whenever you are able to rather than waiting until the shops start blasting Wham and decorate the aisles with tinsel?

It is mainly Christmas themed stuff but I also have an incredibly tight budget so I can't afford to save year around for Christmas or randomly buy something for Christmas in say, August, if I haven't carefully budgeted for it. I can just about afford to get some things together in time for Christmas and the themed stuff going out early means I have slightly longer to budget for it and helps a lot.

My sons birthday is also December 13th which is another expense leading up to the day as well.

Christmas stuff is in the aisles along with Halloween so it starts even earlier than that in the consumer world. So sad and completely takes away the old magical feel. I choose not to mentally take part until December.

This was my reaction as well. I don't get presents with Christmas themes generally, just normal stuff. The paraphernalia like napkins etc are usually reduced days before Christmas, that's when I get them if not saved from year before.

It's always been like this though. Perhaps social media has highlighted / hastened the people who decorate their own houses in November - but there are no rules against it.
Although it pains me to do the maths behind this, 30 years ago I had a Saturday job in BHS. Their Christmas shop opened around October half term each year and the Christmas songs started playing not long after. You are not forced to buy anything.

More in reference to what others have said really.

Same here, they are all on timers and set to ping on at 6pm for 8 hours, I have them on the bookshelves and in little glass bowls dotted around the house including the bathroom and my bedroom.

I agree with the Woolworths back to school displays. We used to have our holidays in the UK and invariably there was a trip to Woolies to spend some of our pocket money - but the back to school displays took a little bit of the shine off!

Quite a few shops near me have been doing this since mid-September, and have for a few years.

Some earlier, I remember a few years back having my kids complain when we were out getting some last minute back to school supplies and hearing Christmas music in one of the shops.

Meanwhile we have fireworks going off every night, it began on Dwali and will go on without respite until just after new year. Some lads were chucking them about in the street gone midnight last night, horrible for pets and wildlife and very small children, these were so noisy, like guns going off.

A week before Christmas and 11th day down here. shopping done in a panic mid Dec

I bloody love Christmas. I spend a lot of time at home due to illness, so having my tree and decorations up brings me so much happiness. That said, the tree will go up on 23rd November, so not quite yet. I also prefer this time of year because, due to said illness, I am heat intolerant so it’s like my body breathes a massive sigh of relief.

I/we never spend more than we need. We have a (good) budget that we stick to but I pick things up that are on our list from around now onwards.

And I’ve just started listening to Christmas tunes while I’m pottering.

Planning for Xmas in my family starts around mid October.

We, by agreement, do lists that the other two will pick from, there are three in my immediate family.

So my nagging for their lists starts mid October. I usually wear them down by early November.

given my time line, it really doesn't feel unreasonable for shops to start advertising in November. Which is where we are now.

so my nagging time and the advertising time doesn't seem out of sync to me. (Shrugs and moves on).

Why does it bother you? Honestly? Maybe it makes people happier. Maybe it lifts spirits as it’s so dark gloomy and rainy. Who is it really hurting? How is this harming you?

Because shops want to sell us more useless crap we don't need.

This si why the shit of the season. It used to be Advent, where you were abstentious, then your tree etc went up Christmas eve, and then a week or a few weeks of fun and good food and visiting family - but not much consumerism. Since most of the holiday was after Christmas there wasn't masses of time for buying gifts and decorations.

Now that we have almost two full months of buying frenzy there is lots of time for us to get sucked in to more and more gifts, events, and decorations.

By the time we get to Christmas everyone is done with it all so there is no actual Christmas season.

Um, retail staff who have to put up with 8 hours of xmas music each day for months.

A little cafe I used to go to had xmas music on early. One day, one of the staff lost his shit over it and turned it off. Said he could take no more.

Agreed - it is now time for remembrance day. Then Christmas

I’ve got friends putting up Christmas trees, ffs. Covid changed the rules

My Christmas tree went up today. It does every year because it makes me happy. I love Christmas, it fills me with happiness. My husband and kids love it so why not?