Sick of it already

It does start too early and the commercialisation of Christmas is dreadful. We are lucky in that our family, although not local, are fairly near and we usually see some of them over the holiday but I feel very badly for those whose sons, daughters and grandchildren are hundreds of miles away. I doubt Facetime or Skype are a substitute for a cuddle so let's not rush into judging those who dread the whole thing.

I've always started shopping early and have everything wrapped by the end of November,I used to bake a christmas cake foor ten family members too and have up to 20 on Christmas day.Last year on Dec 12th my cousin msgd me on FB from Canada to ask could he come stay on Christmas eve and leave on Hogmanay ,we were delighted to have him.My daughter has taken over the Christmas day meal now and the tradition of open door ,so all are welcome I believe the last we spoke about it there were around 23 expected this year ,but that will probably increase

I think we all plan and organise Christmas in our own way. Just because you think the build up is too commercialized doesn't mean you don't do Christmas well. I have just been reading about the origins of Advent and how it was meant as a period of fasting and contemplation before Christmas. How would anyone feel about starting a fast on the first Sunday in Advent-4 weeks before Christmas? That would upset all the retailers and the pre-Christmas parties wouldn't it!!!

If I don't get my grandchildren's presents wrapped and off this week to a remote part of Australia they won't get them in time for Christmas. A parcel for one of their birthdays just took 3 days shy of 4 weeks. I have to do my shopping online and even for my 'here' grandchildren it takes time and getting started at the beginning of December just wouldn't give me enough. September is too early but not November. I love Christmas and will watch my Oz GCs open my presents on FaceTime and enjoy a little of their excitement and love.

Yes, I'm wrapping presents for my sister and her family tonight, as we're heading up there soon to do the annual exchange of cards and gifts. I'm not in the festive mood yet, but it's full on here once the Christmas spirit hits! That's usually when I see the first Christmas ad that makes me cry (okay, John Lewis, bring it on....).

I love Christmas, but it is the lead up to it I like best rather than Christmas day.
I am paying for my Grandson as part of his Christmas present to go to a Winter Wonderland, a week before Christmas, and I am going with him and his Mother, my daughter. My other Grandson had his present in October, it was a Football shirt with the name and number of his favourite player. He knows it's for Christmas and he is grateful to get it early so he can wear it for matches
I agree the hype in the shops is too early, and I find it annoying, as other than my Grandsons present, I start Christmas off about the 12th December when we go pick out a real Christmas tree and decorate it.
I do not get into debt for Christmas either.

Maybe, Shanma, Christmas is the only time of year when everyone can get together. My family lives all over the UK and abroad and it's difficult to coordinate things so everyone can get time off together. As it is, my oldest and his family can't be with us this year and I know they'll be much missed by us and his siblings.

No I dont think November is to early for Christmas talk. We have a very quiet Christmas if we are in the country and dont't really have much planning to do. I went into a big Tescos at the beginning of November and saw families with trolleys fulll of Christmas stuff. At first I thought this is a bit early but then realised that for a lot of people there was only one more monthly payday before. Christmas so it made sense. I love the christmas lights and all the lovely comfort food but hate the Christmas music in shops.

Shanma I didn't tell you to ignore what you find uninteresting. I merely pointed out that you can. In the past we have had one or two newish members who seemed to think that they should read every thread and make a comment that they had read them, but without actually contributing to the subject under discussion.

Of course you have every right to post your opinions and, indeed, every right to loathe the Christmas hype.

Absent I have been posting for quite a few weeks now. I don't consider myself still newish even if others do

It's only November and already some folks are moaning about Christmas.

Iam64 - makes a change from Brexit, though!

Exactly NotToo and I now wish I had bought a bottle of Baileys.

Shan you can post whatever you like, and when you like. after all, it's made an interesting thread.

Shanna started this thread. Is that allowed under GN rules... don't you have to have posted 1000 times before you are licenced to do that?

I'll drink to that Roses

Careful Anya.... some may believe you!

Shanma...regarding family get togethers. You're absolutely right about my family. A couple of hours is OK but a whole day or god forbid a few days and we'd end up killing each other. We love each other dearly but in small doses

Christmas Day this year will be DH and the younger children so Santa will still come ( a bit awkward this year because he's bringing a bike for the one who still believes lol). My DDs will pop in with the DGC for an hour or so to exchange presents and let the children play for a while then it will just be we four again. We'll go out on our bikes so the youngest can try out his new bike (weather permitting), eat too much and generally chill. At some point between 1 and 3 I'll manage to get all the dinner cooked...no pressure to have done by a set time. We'll eat when it's ready.

I wont bother at all just the two of us so no decorations, and a normal dinner , we eat well anyway I enjoy cooking from scratch so we will just see what we feel like nearer the time.

Probably have a lie in, clean up as usual, might catch up with the ironing, i don't know really. If it is an ok day we could go for a bit of a walk. Like I said I don't think anything of it at all.

Don't you have any family Shanma?

I bet that GN will be as active as every on Christmas Day.

No one is going to change their mind about how they feel about Christmas because it's such an emotional occasion. It's pretty much a case of enjoy or let enjoy.

Shanma, I find it strange that in one thread you simply say you won't bother with Christmas because you don't think anything of it all, yet you opened the thread with very strong vocabulary saying that you loathed it and were sick of it which of course was going to provoke a lot of disagreement.

I don't think I could treat Christmas Day as an ordinary day but I have to admit it's not as exciting as it was when I was little.

We were very poor so fizzy drinks, sweets and such like were very much part of the Christmas feast. Mam saved all year for them. Now we can have them all the time so they've lost their shine (not that we don't still stuff ourselves senseless lol).

Shanma you do know that live is about looking forward to things, the list just goes on and on.

After Christmas we'll start planing the holiday, but in the meantime we've GC toys to buy, entertainment to organize menus to plan.

I hope the picture does'nt cause offence, it brightened up my day.

NO NO NO Im68Now life is about making the most of today!