People shouting 'it's November!' just look like twats.

[Invasionofthegutsnatchers]

I don't have a tree up yet, or outdoor lights, but probably will put them up next weekend.

People getting cross with others for doing the above or buying stuff for Christmas or making plans by stating the month we're currently in, though... I'm sure we are aware of the date. Just let them crack on.

I'll freak everyone out as I never removed my Christmas playlist from my iPod. All year! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it

It's the competitive "I haven't even thought about Christmas shopping yet" still going on in mid December.

As if it's some kind of badge of honour to go shopping an entire day and find all you need.

I christmas shop as and when I see stuff from September and out my tree up the first week of December where it's possible.

But even I had it up before we came out of lockdown 2 last year!

@KatherineJaneway

I'll freak everyone out as I never removed my Christmas playlist from my iPod. All year! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it

Neither do I 🤣🤣🤣

A bit on the fence and I do love Christmas too - always have.

I think there are certain things you HAVE to start in November. Indeed, I have spent today baking the Christmas cake and making the pudding, it is Stir-up Sunday after all.

I have bought the Christmas Cards and started thinking about what to get people because let's face it, it is time consuming so I don't think you can really put that off until the last minute.

Also I play in a local Concert band and we will be doing some carol concerts so we have started practising Christmas music a while back.

However, I cringe a bit at trees and decorations being up this early and announcements in shopping centres wishing people seasons greetings etc. One of the latter caused me to loudly exclaim "It's November 20th" yesterday!

We usually get our tree two weeks before as we get a real one and I expect all the needles would drop off if we got it any earlier. The other day I saw a woman buying a real one from Sainsbury's - they have these little 2 foot high ones in pots. I am worrying now that this is yet another thing there will be a shortage of and if we wait until our usual mid-December tree buying time we will find they have all gone.

@Sprostongreen21

That’s me though I’m not a twat. It’s lighthearted. I love Christmas but I don’t like it being dragged out for weeks in end. December for me!

Do find those that start decorating in November, then they get sick of Christmas much earlier and complain about it all. Then they take everything down on Boxing Day declaring it over! Still got up to new year to celebrate!

Not me - decorations stay up until 6 January usually. I have no issue at all with seeing people's decorations and trees up now. I think it looks lovely, and has no effect on my enjoyment of Christmas.

Advent starts in November... you are technically supposed to put the tree up on the 4th Sunday before Xmas (start of Advent) and take it down on Epiphany.

So that would be 28th November - 6th January this year.

That said I frankly don't care or pay attention to if someone puts it up on the 1st November or 24 December or if they leave it up all year round etc... like who cares it's not hurting anyone.

People saying they hate the shops getting into it.

It genuinely made me smile to hear Xmas music while shopping, it was just oddly happy background noise.

And as a shop window stated yesterday it's only '34 days till Xmas' so hardly inappropriately far away it 1 month away pretty much so I cant be getting het up on whether it's this week or next week people start digging out twinkly lights and wrapping paper.

@KatherineJaneway

I'll freak everyone out as I never removed my Christmas playlist from my iPod. All year! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it

If it was up to me I would leave the decor up all year. There's a song I love about being proudly trashy that has the line in 'And I keep my Christmas lights up on my front porch all year long' and I would totally be that proudly trashy lol.

Really not arsed either way , I don’t think it’s a bit sad those that put decs up week’s early then itching to get them down Boxing Day . I also think we have a can’t wait culture these days those that want it to be Christmas now so put decorations up now . It’s nice to look forward to it nearer to Christmas imo rather than spending 6+ weeks looking at them at thinking can’t wait for it it to be over. After all it is only 1 day and more and more people are dragging it into 2 months and beyond .

@Newdad19

The worst are those that come into the Christmas threads to say stuff like "of course so haven't started my shopping - IT IS ONLY NOVEMBER".

Why are you on a Christmas thread on the Christmas board?

Why do you care so much to have to take the time to post that it's only November. The only thing they are actually doing is trying to bring those down who do enjoy it and are starting early - so it says a lot about them.

Yes I hate this too. I think sometimes the Christmas threads pop up on Active Threads so it's not that clear that they're on the specific Christmas board, but still doesn't explain why people bother replying to a thread from people who clearly are buying presents now. What do they hope to achieve?

Also we have a real tree if they was put up in November there'd be nothing left by December !! It seems to be the fake formulated trees that go up early.

Outside lights up today purely because it's a big job and we don't have the free time in December to do it as we help put up our 80 year old neighbours too. Tree is up but just with lights on for now. Makes the lounge feel all cosy 🥰 they'll come down New Year's Day

@gettingolderandgrumpy

Really not arsed either way , I don’t think it’s a bit sad those that put decs up week’s early then itching to get them down Boxing Day . I also think we have a can’t wait culture these days those that want it to be Christmas now so put decorations up now . It’s nice to look forward to it nearer to Christmas imo rather than spending 6+ weeks looking at them at thinking can’t wait for it it to be over. After all it is only 1 day and more and more people are dragging it into 2 months and beyond .

I never 'can't wait til it's over' 😱😱😱

@lollipoprainbow

Also we have a real tree if they was put up in November there'd be nothing left by December !! It seems to be the fake formulated trees that go up early.

I'm very allergic to real Christmas trees. I'll stick to my artificial one. No idea what you mean by 'formulated'.

For me it’s not about what others and neighbours choose to do, it’s having to listen to Christmas songs on the radio from mid November, by actual Christmas time I don’t know how anyone is not fed up with them.

@Stompythedinosaur

I don't think anyone is suggesting people should have to start celebrating Christmas earlier than they like. I have a hardline against decorations before December.

But trying to insist other people can't decorate their own houses is unreasonable. They can put up Easter bunnies in October if they like! I think there's something about the "it's November" response that sounds like an attempt to belittle or humiliate. They know it is November, they have decided to decorate - so what?

Because everyone gets dragged into it. Because there’s the constant undercurrent that you’ll not be able to buy lights or a tree if you haven’t got them by the beginning of December. Because the “celebrating early” crew are happy to mock the traditionalist buy saying they should have booked, bought or paid early otherwise they are stupid and ill prepared.

And yes. I find it ludicrous that Easter eggs are in the shops in January and people buy them because they like to “get prepared”
It’s like the toilet rolls and petrol all over again. We’ll all be prepping for Christmas in August at this rate. Where the joy or seasonality?

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Well I'm currently sitting in a service station car park waiting to meet my brother to transfer the Christmas presents from my parents to my children as they are nervous after last year... when they got delivered at Easter.

I got the November comments one year when we had our tree up etc at this this time... completely missing the reason behind it of DH having his two weeks leave from Afghanistan and wanting to celebrate Christmas with our then toddler... who frankly didn't know we did it a month early and had a brilliant time.

Exactly - they have no idea what's going on in someone else's house.

A friend of mine has just suffered an awful loss and has been really down. Last night she sent me a picture of a beautifully decorated tree in her front room. She said it's the first time she's smiled since it happened.

Bloody good for her. It isn't doing anyone any harm and I'm internally cringing at some of the "it's only November, what's wrong with you?!" comments she's had. They don't have a fucking clue what she's just been through. That beautiful tree and some Christmas excitement is really needed by her and her DC right now.

Christmas decorations are so cheery. It seems really miserable and snobby to take offence at them because they've been put up a few days before December starts. (FYI first day of advent is in November... If you want to be a stickler about it...)

What do you mean, lightisnotwhite, by where's the joy or seasonality?

People putting on Christmas music and decorating in November are clearly feeling both seasonal and joyous. Why do you think they're lacking? They clearly feel festive and want to make the most of it, or maybe they're hosting over Christmas and want family time to watch a film with the tree up before all the chaos.

Why are you in charge or whether they feel festive and joyous or not?

My neighbour has just put a flashing, 2m tall inflatable snowman on his balcony
Update: they have either taken it down or it has been shot. Maybe they read this thread??

My neighbour has just put a flashing, 2m tall inflatable snowman on his balcony
Update: they have either taken it down or it has been shot. shock Maybe they read this thread??

Or he might have had a thought of his electricity bill and reconsidered.

@rifling

My neighbour has just put a flashing, 2m tall inflatable snowman on his balcony Update: they have either taken it down or it has been shot. Maybe they read this thread??

This seems like the sort of comment one might leave if one shot their neighbour's inflatable snowman and wanted to throw others off the scent...

@mam0918

Advent starts in November... you are technically supposed to put the tree up on the 4th Sunday before Xmas (start of Advent) and take it down on Epiphany.

So that would be 28th November - 6th January this year.

That said I frankly don't care or pay attention to if someone puts it up on the 1st November or 24 December or if they leave it up all year round etc... like who cares it's not hurting anyone.

I’ve never heard of a ‘rule’ to say you’re supposed to put the tree up on the first Advent Sunday!

I’m old enough to remember way back, and the week before Christmas was when most people did it. Though having said that, the trees most widely available - I don’t remember any other then - were the Norway Spruce, which doesn’t like being indoors and will start to shed its needles all too soon.

I dare say one reason trees go up so much earlier, is because reasonable looking fake ones are widely available now. I can remember when fakes were generally pretty dreadful.

I will be putting a small potted one outside the front door next Saturday -the day before 1st Advent Sunday - because little Gdcs will be staying the night. It’s usually 1st Dec for the outside one though.

Big indoor tree will go up on the 6th, earlier than usual, because we have family we haven’t seen since before COVID coming to stay on the 7th. 🙂🎄🎅🏻

Our Christmas lights have been up all year because we couldn't be bothered to take them down
I think we had them actually on each eve until about Valentines day , we chose to leave up longer because last winter was particularly depressing.

outdoor ones we took inside decorations down at a more conservative time !

Doesn’t matter to me when people put their decorations up. I do think November is far too early but each to their own.
Do your own thing and stop wasting your energy on getting riled by what other people think!