The Christmas season begins when....

[storminabuttercup]

Greggs start selling festive bakes....

What about for you?

When the christmas Radio Times come out even though it's too expensive to buy now

I'd also like to hear more about the festive bakes ?

Yes, indeed, wtf is a festive bake?

Can't remember the last time I was in Greggs but this may change!

Ooohhh gingerbread latte, now you're talking.

Boots, Tesco, Asda catalogues coming out.
Booking the panto.
Reading Nigella Christmas and planning lots of culinary delights that never ever come to fruition

Ooh Christmas Radio Times.........enjoyed with a hot chocolate, mince pie smothered in cream and DCs in bed. Utter utter bliss

A festive bake is those really nice pasties they make in November (I think) with turkey and stuffing inside. My DP says they're like Christmas in a pastie

Oh yeah panto!

I cant believe how many times greggs is mentioned on MN!

DO normal people really go in there?Im trying to think of a nice way to say this,but there isnt one,the one in my nearest town is just full of scumbags hanging around outside it smoking fags and god knows what else!Ive never been to a greggs!

that's disappointing, I can't stand pasties.

I was hoping it was something sweet and naughty!

Back to the gingerbread lattes!

Christmas officially starts when Christmas fm comes on air, usually last week of November. Its a charity radio station here in Ireland that only plays Christmas music.

And if course every Irish person will agree, its officially Christmas when the toy show comes on!

Never ends really! I love Christmas....probably too much!

I bought DD a sausage roll in Greggs today. She decided that she was ravenously hungry as we were on our way to her ballet class after spending the morning at the theatre and library (I am establishing cultural credentials here) and Greggs was on the way to the ballet class. No louts outside, either, just hungry-looking shoppers.

day after thanksgiving. so a friday ill get the tree up, make sure i have all the decs etc than when the kids come home from school we slowly start decorating.. adding to it through out the weeks.,. :D

Planning is all year round. Advent stuff on 1st December (calendar, candles, autumn decorations changed for wintery ones) and tree goes up on 21st December.

Coca Cola advert on the TV is the start for me to. 'Holidays are coming, holidays are coming!'
That's not to say I don't start planning/watching Christmas movies before then that's just when I start to get really excited!

The Christmas Good Food magazine gets me in the mood.
Baking the Christmas cake at the end of October.

When VH1 or Magic start playing The same Christmas videos constantly in differing formats:

Noddy Holders top Christmas picks
Viewers favourite Christmas hits
20 best Christmas tunes ever....etc

I still have to watch the Wham video all the way through....and march round the house to Jonah Lewie.

As I don't live in the UK I had to buy all my Christmas crackers when I was over last week. And I have started on my cake. So I guess it's brewing now.

...I put the tree up on Dec 1st

(But really it begins in Sept when my head starts filling up with Christmas memories and nostalgia and ideas for themes and presents)

20 best Christmas tunes ever....

And what will Number one be?

Yes , the wonderfully non-festive but sooooooo Christmas-gets-you-right-in-the-guts Pogues.

Those opening bars (music not alcohol thank you)

Depends on the shuffle of the program....

Either that or 80's - Feed the World.

The other stomach knotting sobfest for me is Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Power of Love.

When my youngest daughter has had her birthday (21st November).

Both DDs have their birthdays in November, so once that's done, we can focus on Christmas.

But it really starts when the tree / decorations go up on the first weekend in January.

John lewis ad

(Gawd Im posh)

lade you're doing it all wrong if your tree goes up in January!! :-)

The coca cola advert comes on

John Lewis getting its Xmas decorations up. Always early in our local one. Apparently the same company does every store in the country and they always start with Bristol so we're always first (so I was told by one of the staff earlier this week). Oh, and Costa doing mince pies - usually the beginning of November, I think.

Same as another poster, my birthday is in the first week of December so the tree has traditionally been decorated the closest Saturday to my birthday !