when does Christmas start?

[Misty9]

Or, when can I start pigging out on all the goodies?

I remember as a child my mum would buy all this lovely food but loudly proclaim "its for Christmas!" if we went near it!

So when does it officially start for you?

When the tree goes up

Already on it! Stilton, brie, nuts, mincepies.. all fair game.
Once you've had the Christmas party, kids nativity and Christmas jumper day surely its started :)

Having said that, my mum used to say the same thing. Meant Christmas Eve onwards.

Though I like to think I keep Christmas in my heart ( and my tum) all year round ;)

When we have Christmas Fridge - when the fridge is groaning at the seams and most of it is cheese, cream or pate.

We've just done our last Tesco visit so Christmas Fridge has arrived

I haven't got a clue where I'm going to stash the goodies I plan to pick up in M&S on Monday!

Early Sunday morning when I finish work
DH and DS finish on Friday so once I'm done (about 6am) that will be it

As in when opened the 1st tub of chocolates? Then it was 2weeks ago

Or when opened second tub of chocolates? Then it was last week

Or when opened tin of sweets, then its today

Christmas has started here already

Not until Christmas Eve in our house. We don't buy chocolates for us so that doesn't start till Christmas Day.

Thankfully dd is dairy free so no cream/butter etc allowed.

I still feel very very fat but that's all the meals out.

My Mum did the same thing - she would start buying food in November and stock-pile it, but we weren't allowed to eat any until Christmas eve. However invariably every year she would have gone mad with over-buying and we would have still be eating it until Easter. So I say start now and get ahead.

1 December.

As soon as I can without getting the look from DH (I get unreasonably excited by QVC Christmas in July )

Officially it starts when I finish work ..............today Yesssss

And when I hear "Fairytale of New York" when I'm out,

tomorrow night, when the schools have broken up, that's the start of the Christmas holidays, so it's holiday season for holiday food.

Christmas Eve, 3pm. When the Carols from Kings start and you're peeling sprouts.

Christmas Eve around 5pm. All jobs done, house clean and tidy and the wine's open

I'm always saying the quality street is for Christmas. Even at 21 my DD still asks when that is:)

Another one when school/work finishes.
Everything is just stress before that. there is too much to do in the precious few hours after work and unfortunately that gets eroded by school plays,drinks parties, Christmas suppers etc etc

After school tomorrow.
We have eaten a pack of mince pies and I have opened some cheese, but as of tomorrow, we will crack ooen anything we want and my Christmas cd will go on.

Christmas Eve, when we go to stay with family. I don't buy in chocolates, mince pies etc or any Christmas snacks, as we don't spend Christmas at home. That way, the excess is contained into the few days we're away and we don't spend two whole weeks stuffing our faces!

Definitely started here. Tea party for my friends and our collective 14 dc here today. Manic but fun.

For me, Christmas starts when the house is clean and tidy, the tree is decorated, the cards are on display and the decorations are up. I usually achieve this state by about 9.00pm on Christmas Eve,so that's when I allow myself to believe that it's Christmas.
But, to tell the truth, I look forward most of all to being able finally to relax when it's all over and I still have 3 days off before going back to work. I am not a fan of Christmas. For me it is a time of additional stress that I could do without.

When DD finishes school which was last Thursday 11th december at midday exactly!

3.30pm today when I finish work. Having a Chinese tonight after DDs Xmas dance show to kick off the festive eating marathon!

I have had the odd mince pie, but not much else. I haven't bought any christmas food yet- apart from some freezer stuff. Today I will clean out the fridge, give it a good scrub out in preparation for the food shop, which will start this weekens. I don't do one big shop, it will be done in batches as I like to go to several shops for different things.

I love 'Christmas fridge'! we have it since Dh went shopping yesterday. Pâté cream brandy butter....I think Christmas starts tonight....

6:30pm on Monday when DH gets home from work, then he's off until Boxing Day.

12pm on tuesday when DS breaks up from school

In December. I'm not a believer in gorging over 3 days, I'd rather spread it out over a month!

It starts tonight for me.