Sick of it already

I have to start early not only because of money issues but also I hate the spend, spend, spend build up to Christmas. That said I love Christmas. Whether you celebrate it as a religious festival or as a means of bringing light into a dark, dismal time of the year it lifts the spirits and helps us get through the dark, cold days until Spring arrives.

I know it's not a good time for everyone but when is?

I will be spending Christmas alone but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy Christmas. I have always loved it and will be decorating the tree and buying presents as always. I am always invited to spend Christmas day with my in laws but prefer to spend it alone with my memories of all the wonderful Christmas' my DH and I spent together. Christmas is what you make it.

Yipee, only 49 sleeps until Christmas!!! I love it, it's my favourite day of the year. I love all the preparation, I even love making the Christmas dinner. This year it will be even more special, as all my family will be here with us. Bring it on, I can't wait, November is just the beginning.

I start picking up little presents throughout the year if I see something appropriate. Christmas cards are written ready for posting by 3rd week in November, post early December.

Tree now goes up begining of December as every-one here puts theirs up & I'm going to be away for a week in December

I am going to DD's for Christmas Lunch, arrive about 9.30/10.00 to see DGS open Presents, we all exchange presents before Lunch (in total only 5 of us). DD & her OH will cook a lovely Lunch.

3.00 - time to go home, leave DD, her OH & DGS to enjoy relaxed afternoon. Home, feet up, sort out good tv & have nibbles later when I'm hungry (always treat myself, smoked salmon, nice bits cooked in oven etc).

I love Christmas but wish it didn't start so early in shops. I worked as a Waitress in my Teens & we were always relieved when it was all over

I think most people have forgotten why we celebrate Christmas, unfortunately it has become another excuse for commerce. Christmas is lovely for Grandchildren, the build up is so exciting for them, for us, shopping for presents, I love, then the food preparation, I also love, but this year will be best of all, spending Christmas in beautiful Cornwall, how good is that for a change.

And mine lillhu

I do agree with most of the OP.
Shops filled with overpriced "gifts". People getting stressed not knowing what to buy. Wasting money on unwanted/unneeded gifts. Buying too much food. Grossly over excited children with ureasonably high expectations.
As I get older, much of it seems a nonsense and a waste. Ask a child what Christmas means and see what their answer is!!!
The media hype is sometimes insane. That's what I hate most!!
Everyone is entitled to their opinions and I feel answers could be given without a personal attack on the poster. Some people on here are too personal and patronising. That's my opinion!

Shan perhaps you have personal reasons for loathing it all, or is it mainly the commercialism?
on the latter, shops only have a small window of opportunity to sell Festive goods, so they do need to advertise, having said that, it is sad to see people get into debts spending the earth on their families when they don't have that kind of money.We spend only a little, and always have done, through choice as much as circumstances,yet have always managed a good Christmas.

I understand the OP point of view, the lead up to Christmas starts too early, I'm always amazed at people who ask back in September "what are you doing for Christmas?", "I don't know I'm still savouring the last days of summer" says me. I'd rather have a European type of Christmas less driven by consumerism, although of course the economy benefits from the wholesale spending that goes with Christmas, nevertheless it's very in your face in this country imo. I think the momentum by December has cranked up the spend, spend, spend aspect putting a hell of a lot of pressure on those who can't really afford it. I also feel for those who are bereaved and alone, every advertising campaign depicts the family having loads of fun, awash with food and drink.

I thought that both of your posts are spot on radicalnan

These past three years Christmas preparations have started in September. Not for our family Christmas - which will get fitted in somehow and be very relaxed - but for our Pop-Up Christmas Shop which will open on first December and close on Christmas Eve with the aim of collecting and reclycling pre-loved but outgrown toys, party clothes, decorations etc and making them available on a 'pay what you can' basis to families in our area (which has 25% of the children 'living in poverty', with the aim of giving parents the opportunity to provide a good Christmas for their children without landing themselves with a load of debt. Money raised is donated to the 2 local foodbanks to fund special Christmas parcels for families in need. It is hard work both before, during and after but all the team feel it is the most rewarding thing they have ever done.

For anyone railing against the commercialisation of Christmas, I can recommend doing something for others (home or abroad) as the best antidote.

I don't find November too early for Christmas threads at all it helps forum members with ideas for presents and recipes that they may not have thought of and we must remember that some people will now only have 2 paydays before the big day so need to budget their salaries accordingly,also people on some benefits will have to budget carefully,if you see a Christmas thread you can ignore it can't you no one is forcing you to partake in the discussion.

I've always thought of people who are on their own during Christmas, and wondered how that might feel. This year I'll actually be on my own, in as much as it'll be my first Christmas in 32 years as a newly single person. I can't believe that it'll soon be a year since exP left.

However, I'm fortunate enough to have been invited to enjoy Christmas day with other people, so I do have a choice and I choose to do just that. I'm not dreading Christmas, but am not sure how I'll feel either. I'll definitely set out to enjoy it and if a little sadness creeps in that'll be ok, as I won't let it ruin the day.

I think if you don't let the commercialisation of Xmas overwhelm you, just see it for what it is, then you'll enjoy it all the more.

Let's hope we all have a peaceful holiday, anyway.

As I said, it's different for us all. But then so are most things. I love so much about Christmas and that overshadows the personal down sides, but that doesn't mean I can't understand that not everyone shares my views. We probably all carry some 'if only' about Christmas, whether for ourselves or others.

I'm not a fan of Christmas either. I'd just become a teenager when my beloved father died just before Christmas, & from then on mother was always crying. Sis & I dreaded December. It still makes me sad, especially for all those who are alone or grieving. It's different now, I have a lovely daughter & gd, & I enjoy shopping for them & planning meals, but that residual sadness never leaves you. And mother still cries (sigh).

I worked for a famous retailer I loved my job but it did a great job of putting me off Christmas altogether..... The stock starts to come in at the end of August and obviously by xmas eve well sick of it. People go into panic mode if a certain item were unavailable. Makes a laughing stock of the whole reason for the season.
Now I am retired I'm still not keen on shopping too early but have now started thinking about lists etc but will not start shopping just yet ? Sorry could not resist the santa emicom......??

Two critical posts on here, "Anyone can ignore threads that they find uninteresting, including threads about Christmas." and "Your mind creates your world. Change your mind, change your world. I could probably post this as an antidote to most posts on gransnet."

The first is as true of those who post to admonish the OP as to the OP herself.

A bit of the second is sometimes true but I disagree with a lot of it. Mernice must be concentrating on the wrong threads if she would apply her opinion to most posts on Gransnet. Some people's world just can't be changed just like that.

Another one here who loves it and doesn't spend a fortune.
We have a traditional Christmas and yes I start in November - I kicked off yesterday by making the cake which needs weekly treatments with brandy before almond paste and icing goes on and then my ancient cheap and probably tacky cake decorations. DH and I love to go to Church - its starts here the first weekend in December with a massive Christmas Tree festival in the church, Christmas lights switch-on, fireworks on and Victorian Fair (see Gransnet Leicestershire local site for details). This weekend is very important for the economy of the town, local charities and livelihoods.

Its going to be lovely this year at my daughters house and for us its all about spending time together as a family, we think about absent family and friends but will absolutely enjoy every moment of it.

Let's face it, Shanma enjoys agitating, we should just let her get on with hating Christmas!
Personally I love it, and this year will be my first with my DGS, so it's going to be wonderful!

What a lot of condemnation. Personally I think the early arrival of Christmas is wrong on so many levels. Firstly it is purely commercial- the longer they give you the more you might spend, secondly it actually negates the religious timetable of Christmas-known as Advent, but thirdly (and most importantly) it dilutes the 'magic'.
If you want to shop early, cook early or plan anything there is nothing to stop you doing this without all the shops being full of stuff. I still remember the excitement in my house when we put the tree up somewhere about Dec 12th. There was then a short countdown to Christmas Eve. Now we are assailed by Santas and decorations in late October, people put their tree up in November and children have a great long wait, by the time it actually comes they are past it. I'd say nothing in shops until mid November and no trees up until early Dec.

Why do you loathe it Shanma?

I have sad memories associated with Christmas. Is it the same for you or just the blatant commercialism? Yet, I love to see it through the eyes of my young grandchildren.

Your mind creates your world. Change your mind, change your world. I could probably post this as an antidote to most posts on gransnet.

It is the mid winter celebration and goes back far further inn time than Christmas, people have had to support each other through times of cold and darkness. It is part of our primeval selves.

I loathe the commercialisation of it all and avoid that at all costs, but the follow on from harvest and all being safely gathered in is part of nature. It is wonderful to be able to stock up even on the smallest things, get the throws out and plump the cushions.

A flame of any sort log fire or candle is something we can all appreciate in the dark months AND once it is out of the way, the light starts to come back.

Follow what nature is doing not what the shops tell us and you will find bits to love, even if, like me you hate the hype.

I do know people who don't enjoy Christmas because of unhappy memories - a close relative died at that time, or parents were always bickering, etc. And I do feel sad for them, because it was always a magical time for me as a child, despite parents usually being hard up and not being able to afford much.

I do agree about over commercialisation and a load of unnecessary tat - however nobody is obliged to overdo everything. As for the 'perfect families' and the perfectly decorated houses in ads and on TV, I would imagine most of us are not fooled by them, any more than we think everybody else's kitchen is like something out of Homes and Gardens - acres of shiny, spotless, super-stylish cupboards and worktops in the latest must-have colour/material - with just a couple of sparkly wine glasses, a bottle of fizz, and an artistically arranged designer bowl of lemons and limes.

My kitchen certainly isn't! And our Christmases aren't Homes and Gardens, either. No artistic 'designer' tree - same old stuff, some of it ancient, goes on every year, and I have even been known to drape it in - shock horror! - coloured lights!

Oh Bluebell don't get me wrong there is NOTHING perfect about my family , far from it. And I appreciate that not everyone can be with loved ones or have some other issues - but that is true at any time of the year also.

But I shall not be curtailing my joy or enthusiasm because of that. I have the utmost sympathy for those people and in fact on my times through the years we have welcomed people into our home and at our table who otherwise might be alone.

My life is too short to not take every opportunity to celebrate ( quite frankly we'd celebrate the opening of a paper bag if it came to it )