I honestly feel depressed/defeated by premature Christmas stuff (apart from cooking, of course)

[eekamoose]

Bil and Sil have phoned us tonight asking for Christmas present ideas. They are going Christmas shopping this week on Thursday. I feel rage in my blood and I can't quite explain why. Ok, well, perhaps I can: in my world, Christmas should not be a factor until December. However, being diplomatic by nature and aware that I do not live in a little bubble which is just me and my immediate family, am prepared to compromise and understand that some people like to plan a long way ahead, and so maybe Christmas can be mentioned in November.

But mid-way through October??????? No way!!!!!

I actually love Christmas and am in no way a scrooge or bah-humbug. But surely the point is that it is a special one or two or three days? Not three farking months of the year!

Harrrrrruuuuuummmmmmmpppppppphhhhhhh.

Not to me she doesnt eek. But thats probably because I agree with her

DS1's birthday is 15th December. When I was hugely pregnant with him I knew I wouldn't make it around the shops buying gifts etc. So I decided to have it all done by the end of November. It was so wonderful, peaceful and calm that that's what I always do. 16 years later I love my October/November Christmas shopping.

DSis sends out the first Christmas emails in September. No one ever reads them. They say the same thing "So dinner at Mars', I'll do the lamb, you do the ham..."

Beginning of October the fish man asks me if I'm going to want a turkey again. We don't mention it again until he delivers it Christmas Eve (I love that man!)

Other DSis and I book a day in November to go to Watford and shop. Arrive in Watford. Coffee and breakfast. Shop. Stop for some coffee. Shop. Stop for some lunch. Shop. Stop for some coffee. Shop. Back to London. Supper with alcohol.

End of November/beginning of December get things into the International post.

December attend Christmas parties/drinks. School productions. Give cash to DS1 so that he can do something with his mates. Go to carol services etc.

Christmas Eve wrap presents!

Lovely! Year in and year out.

PMSL

In previous years I would have agreed but this year I've done most of the pressie shopping already

I don't have that many to buy but the big pressies for the dc's like the wii will get harder to find nearer christmas and the lego they wanted was 3 for 2 in woolies at the weekend so I saved myself alot with that too.

Last christmas I had too much to do in December and ended up ill all over christmas and new year which I'm sure in part was due to being run down. So this year I'm getting the shopping out the way so I can enjoy the other preparations a bit more.

I think you are ungrateful. Are you saying that you haven't thought of one single thing you or your dc might want for Christmas??? You must have too much.

I start my shopping now so that I can get the things I want. The only things left on the shelves in December are the broken things and the crap noone wants.

I'd love to be able to take the I'll do it all in December approach. But with a more than full time job from which they currently won't let me take time off because there's no cover for me, and which often involves weekend and evening working as well as daytimes, 2 kids, and a dh who is away abroad for work a lot, often at short notice, if I left it until December then Christmas probably wouldn't happen for us at all. So AIBU if I take advantage of the rare opportunities I might get to pick things up now?

I used to leave it all until December and would get all stressed trying to juggle loads of stuff eg. Present buying, a 2 year old, work, mother with dodgy hip who needed help, hospital appointments for DD who has dyspraxia . All the nice bits about Christmas like Carol services went out the window and things like DD's school play became a chore.

The next year I got organized and now by December I am sorted so I can spend time enjoying the bits of Christmas I like rather than stressing.

I had all mine done in July, in the annual Australian toy sales. You pile it all into the trolley, take it to the layby counter and then don't clap eyes on it again until Christmas Eve.

Genius

i do my shopping the week before christmas

You sound extremely ungrateful, and I am sure that if they could see/hear your actual thoughts about their question as to what you and your family want for x-mas then they would just stop at the gas station on the way to your house and get you some toilet seat covers, windscreen wipers, or if you are looking a chocolate bar.

I think you sound ungrateful

I have done 95% of my Christmas shopping already. Reasons being: I live day in day out with a chronic painful condition - I am rarely able physically to go shopping, and when I am it will knock me for six for at least 10 days, even in a relatively empty shopping centre where you can find seats. Therefore I have to take advantage of when I have a good patch to go and do it - I don't want to get close to xmas and either not be able to go or ruin xmas for myself by going. I also need to budget hard so look for things in the sales etc. I also have a list of 40 people to buy for (and that's just close family, people we see on xmas day, and god children), plus 4 close family birthdays in Dec/early Jan. Fortunately not one person I have asked for ideas has felt I was wrong asking in October, in fact most of them said "oh please don't feel you need to buy us a gift". Also it means it's now done, I have nothing else to worry about until December when I and my family can literally get on and enjoy the celebrations rather than succumbing to the commercialistic side of things, not once having to step inside a shop.

ok its weird to get in a rage about it

did it make you feel inadequate

I do all mine before december as I spend december in a happy fug of school stuff (3 kids)

I bought ds1's presents in August in the sales as what would have cost £65 only cost me £18. I don't like thinking about xmas in the summer but I do keep my eye for bargains.

hi,started a thread similar to this on Friday."Let's throw Christmas back into December".You're a girl after my own heart.I'm not a scrooge and love spending Christmases with my family but I just wish that the music in shops etc.and decorations could be put back to December 1st.It would make it so much more exciting and we wouldn't be fed up with it six weeks before the event.However,there are a few people who tried to say that they couldn't afford to leave things until December....neither can I.I was only talking about the Christmassy atmosphere NOT buying in beforehand....we have to otherwise everything goes out of stock.

I get all my presents in october. that's when the best offers are in. if you wait until december you spend twice as much. I have a strict budget at christmas - not because I can't afford it but because I think it is ridiculous the amount people spend.

I have spent more than i was planning to on DS (£150) but oh well.

My parents have had £5 between them and a photo of DS

Ditto for my grandparents

Aunts/uncles - photo of DS

Sister and BF - £10 between them (sister used to get it to herself but now she has BF they have to share it)

Cousins - £5 each

"Seriously, eek - if they're that annoying why don't you just tell them you don't want a gift from them?"

Believe me, Sobernow, I have suggested that there is no need for the adults in this family to buy each other Christmas presents. I was over-ruled on that one too.

And as for "you must have too much" already, whoever said that, you are so so so wrong, you can't begin to know how wrong you are. I'd suggest you don't go making assumptions about people you don't know on the internet.

I am just not materialistic. And not a practising Christian. Therefore Christmas to me is an enjoyable holiday with some lovely family traditions and jolly nice food/drink. I love the Christmas cards, the decorations and, of course, the presents for the dcs. It is just not something I want pushed to the top of my to-do list 8 effing weeks before the event.

eek - rather than asking them just tell them. say oh btw don't worry about our xmas pressies cos we are only buying pressies for the kids this year. and stick to it. even if they buy you something. cos if they do that they are only doing it to get their own way so you will feel obliged to get them something aswell. i would then guess that next year they will listen to you and just buy the kids. and if they don't well it's up to them if they want to buy something but you don't have to feel like you have to get them something cos you have explicitly told them not to.

although i have been doing my christmas shopping for a good few weeks, i was very surprised the other day when i popped into sainsburys and discovered that they have a huge christmas tree up in their foyer. yes i love christmas, and yes i am slowly getting into the spirit but ffs having your christmas tree up in fecking october??? thats is ridiculous.