Christmas!!!!

even tho I do have to shop for gifts early, I actually do it throughout the year as I can't afford to buy all at once I will not shop Christmas items, like decorations, etc and do not even go and look at shop displays until at least November. I feel that if this is a special time of year, and it starts in September it is 'old hat' by December and people get fed up with it before 'C' gets here. It's the same as the shops selling Easter eggs in January.

Stella, I ignore halloween.... every year. Please advise me as to how I can ignore Christmas since it is absolutely everywhere.

I love Christmas and would gladly have it all year long. So no I don't have a problem with it. Just ignore if you don't like it.

I've tried buying my Christmas presents early, so that I could have them all bought and wrapped by the end of November - and feel smug.
It doesn't work!
Because I keep seeing things that people would like throughout December, and buy those too, spending twice as much!

its so awful , all of it. Why do we do it?

a Christmas thread in the first week of September? Arrrrgh.

I'm with Marthjolly1, January 1st is one of my favourite days of the year!

Leaving present- buying very late would be my nightmare - in fact I do still have a nightmare that it's 4 pm on Christmas Eve and I've forgotten to buy any presents!

Dates back I'm sure to many years ago, when dh and I came back from the Gulf for Christmas, at v short notice on the 23rd. I then had just ONE day to buy for everybody - charging round the shops at 6 1/2 months pregnant - and there were quite a lot to buy for. Still not sure how on earth I managed it.

I would never cope with present shopping in December. The crowds in the shops would limit me to only online shopping, and I would be in panic mode as the 25th grew ever closer and I might not have found exactly the gift I was looking for.

I am usually shopped and wrapped by Dec 5th, other than small extra items I may spot locally.

Why cant we do like the yanks do? I don't know as I've never been, but I heard that their Christmas starts on 1st December. Nothing - Christmassy anyway - is in the shops till then. It saves all the hassle and pressure. They just got over thanksgiving anyway so they don't want to think about Christmas yet. Food is diff. You can get all the food you want in you want and freeze it throughout the year or whatever but you shouldn't start thinking about presents until December. Anyone agree? - BIG COL1

Me neither Notanan2. Perhaps there’s a business opportunity for us? I’m making a determined attempt to get Christmas under way early this year. It makes December much less stressful and gives me time to help the various charities that I’m involved with.

We went to a garden centre the end of August, they had Christmas cards, elves on the shelves, lovely little C'mas boxes etc.,
DH complained loudly "It's only bloody August!" then took a pic and fb'd his friends with similar complaint, because I was like "Oh look at the lovely Elves on the Shelves, ooh these boxes are nice" and "I need to get some nice C's cards this year for the women in my crochet group" hahaha

I buy Christmas gifts all year round saves time and worry nearer Christmas.

We also see family over the Christmas period, i.e. any time from start of December to new year. Our families have all sorts of blended/divorced situations and branches so its not one big get together on the 25th.

By Christmas week we have already had several "Christmasses" with various family branches so leaving it until then would be too late

& for armed forces on Ops last post for Christmas can be in November.

For friends & Family abroad last post for Christmas can be as early as 4th December!

toys in advent calendars? Land fill.

alchemilla where do you get your pagan mid winter light festival and feast advent calendars from then? I haven't seen any about

Oh, and don't get me started on chocolate/toy Advent Calendars. The only good Advent Calendar is either the one that celebrates the real meaning of Christmas or at a pinch the refillable ones which can also do so.

Looove Christmas as do all my family. However, I avert my eyes from anything prior to mid-November though like other PPs I buy the odd thing in a sale if it will last/not go out of fashion/is cheaper than it will be in December. But between now and then I should be moving house and doing autumn things like making preserves .... which will turn up at Christmas, no doubt.

Making plans and booking already for the things I'm in involved in or else it wont happen - lots to do.

Haven't seen any mince pies yet - a colleague used to buy and scoff the M&S ones as soon as they appeared!

I still make mine, first batch of 24 trad. ones usually go in the oven on 1st Dec. , with first carols on at the same time. And v likely a glass or 3 of mulled wine....

I still make Chr. pud, too - love the smell when mixing up, though often don't get round to it until December. Old GH recipe, not nearly as dense and heavy as most shop ones.

Oh noooo! Ive seen them too and quickly averted my eyes and tried not to feel depressed. Wish I could wind the clock forward to January 6th. [Sad]

I have started buying some Christmas presents as I need to spread out the spending. I find buying from some online places if I don't buy some items early they run out of certain sizes and you can't guarantee to get them . I love Christmad and like to be extravagant but not loads of money so hence this is the way I budget

I have always made the C cake in early September.
Thankfully I shopped in Sainsbury for ingredients:
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/tesco-recalls-organic-almonds-after-salmonella-detected/amp/