What do you consider the 'run-up' to be?

[MollHackabout]

I know some people don't even think about Christmas until the 1 December, and some don't think of it until they put their tree up about five days before Christmas. Each to their own of course but I've a feeling that none of us here have that sort of approach

So, when do you think the Christmas run-up begins? I've always separated it into various stages:

1. The very early run-up when your mind first turns to Christmas, which

would be early September when school/autumn begins (so, about now!). This is when I start my Christmas notebook, take stock of what I've already bought through the year and what I need to buy (and when I start to get excited!). This period includes the shops starting to fill with Christmas stock, Christmas UK going full-tilt, 100 days to Christmas on the 16th, winter clothes in shops and wardrobes, stews and broths for dinner and me and DD's first Christmassy outing in half-term week (though this year she's at uni so we'll have to re-jig that a bit).

1. The 'pre run-up' which for us begins on the weekend after Bonfire Night.

This is a bit of a deal in our house - all the big 'events' are over Hallowe'en, Bonfire Night etc) and the next one is Christmas. On the 5 Nov it's also a nice round 50 days until Christmas, too. The weekend after it we have a weekend of stuff to mark the start of the pre run-up - a mini Christmas dinner (with a couple of crackers!), a trip to the coast for hot chocolate, and a trip to the local big garden centre which by then looks like Santa's grotto. As far as we're concerned, it's the start of Christmas! Then the decs go up on the last weekend in November (first Sunday in Advent). November also has the return of Smooth Xmas, the first Christmas films on TV and the lights going on in town.

1. The run-up proper, which starts with the first advent calendar door

being opened. December is the best month of the year

So, by my rationale, we're into the run-up now. Surely I'm not the only one?!

Thank you, we have agreed this year we'll wait until after the first anniversary is out of the way and then we can get decorations, films, activities etc out. Wouldn't seem right nor would we be in the mood to do any of it before. Children though do force you to get into the Christmas spirit because of course you want to do it all for them and our son will be 3 this year so is going to understand it all. We will just do it later in December than late Nov like we have done before.

I have:
Christmas Run Up in my head (ie, I see things, plan things but don't actually say it out loud unless it's musing to my Nearest'n'Dearest who understand me )

Then the Christmas Run Up in Real Life:

Christmas in July on QVC (I used to book the day off work but the past few years have been meh so I don't)

Costco start their Christmas stock arriving in Sept when the DC go back to school (though they call it "The Holidays" because it's an American brand . The Holidays makes me stabby)

I get excited by the Nectar Points building up especially when they send out the Points Booster (spend £100/week for 5 consectutive weeks and get loads of extra points. Hope they do again this year )

Hallowe'en
Guy Fawkes
Colder nights and days

TV shows- used to be Merlin and Dr Who, or Atlanis and Dr Who

The Christmas things arriving instore
I start planning advent Calenders, I buy my Lakeland Limited Family Calender

DD has her Winter Bedding on 1st Nov then on Dec 1st we all have our Christmas Bedding (its subtle , the Christmas blankets go on the week before Christmas)

Decorations go up about 10 days before Christmas , usually the weekend 10-14 days before.

My DS has a December birthday so nothing done before that except the Advent Tree/bedding

And I buy the Christmas editions of Good Housekeeping, Woman&Home and Prima, then try to pick a quiet morning with a big mug of coffee to read and take notes.

The Christmas TV Times- 4 Highlighter pens so we can each mark what we want to watch

And the first time I hear Fairytale of New York Pogues and Kirsty MacColl (preferably not the 'clean' version and definately never never never the Ronan Keating version.

Starbucks Christmas coffee (Toffee Nut Latte. I had with soya milk and no cream. Not as delish as the real one but near enough)

70, I'm already in Nectar-boosting heaven. I've racked up about £10 in two weeks that I know about (I've got about £6 more to come, plus another £5 if one of my donated items sells in Oxfam before 6th October). I'm on £45, so getting to a useful amount.

I did the booze double up last year and got £40 of booze for £20 points. They then gave me £10 points as a thank you for doubling up, so it was a massive win!

Have you signed up to My Coupons? It's an easy way to get more points each week. :-)

Peggy

When I get back from my summer holiday I'm in "thinking about" Christmas mode. I start listening to the hints that the DC drop for present ideas and start making lists and checking prices.

Once everyone is back at school and uni I do a bit more - put the fruit in to soak for Christmas cakes for a couple of weeks and will bake them at the start of October.

The real run up starts when I buy the Christmas edition of Good Housekeeping and Good Food. I read them from cover to cover and then don't change my decor or menu - I just really like the pictures of sparkly rooms.

At about the same time the Christmas adverts start and I can unleash the beast that has lurked inside me all year. DH even joins in from the first Sunday of advent.

The Christmas TV Times- 4 Highlighter pens so we can each mark what we want to watch

The actual best part of the Christmas run-up

Every year me and DD go on a mad TV listing mag hunt on the Friday closest to 10 December when they come out. Only one or two shops have them in then - most don't stock them until the following Tuesday - but when we find one the victory and excitement is real It's a silly tradition of ours and signifies the start of the Christmas-is-imminent bit of the run-up - we wait until DH gets in from work, order pizza and out come the pens. That weekend is also when we go to see a film and go to a carol concert, so it's big excitement all round.

I am actually fizzing with excitement writing this!

When are the big glossy Christmas magazines out - Good Housekeeping and i forget its name

I'll be in the UK weekend of 8th October - am I likely to find one? Crosding my fingers! They have nothing so luxurious in Spain!

The December issues are usually out at the start of November elQuintoConyo. You'll be able to get the November issues though which are always chock-full of Christmassy goodness

If you have an iPad or tablet you could buy the Dec issues to read on that maybe? Not quite the same but better than nothing!

Normally I start getting excited in August.

This year we get married December 18th (very Christmassy wedding) so Christmas properly starts on the 19th

Oh, barnacles! I was looking forward to thumbing through them with hot chocolate laced with Baileys and my BFF!

We secretly talk about Christmas once Easter is over with!

My life can be fairly shit, Christmas is my happy place. I like to make decorations. Hopefully next year i'll be able to start selling them.

How long would snail mail take to get to you? Would you like a copy posted to you?

I'll get my dad to send a couple, he'd be more than willing

Ahh Christmas

It was 38° here at 6pm. I'm longing for autumn!

Birthday on 13 Nov which is exactly six weeks till Christmas so that's the official run up for me. I do start thinking about it from September but I love autumn so try to enjoy that first :)

As soon as The X Factor begins that's when it's the run up to Christmas!