Christmas. Is it too early?

Far too early! Though it’s also made me want to start planning 🤣😂🤣

We have a large family, if I do not start early I would be running around in utter panic closer to the day 🙀

I like to have all gifts purchased, wrapped and cards sent by 1st December, then I can concentrate on decorating the house (I do upstairs and all bedrooms) and enjoying all the festive season has to offer, including the religious aspects.

For me it's too early to think about Christmas. I will be pumpkin picking with my DGS later in the month for Halloween. I may start to think about it after that.

I feel the same - I would prefer shops to stick mainly to selling things relating to the current season, not one that is several months away. Or at the very least, make sure that they still have a good stock of of all the usual gardening paraphernalia still out on display.
Especially annoying if you go looking for something specific that you need right now, and it has been cleared away make room for this other stuff.

For the next couple of months, when I visit garden centers I will only go in the sections that have genuine garden-related on display.

Is just the biggest retail sales fest, they would probs put their stuff out in May if they thought there would be buyers.
I ignore it completely until I am ready to think of Christmas, and that won’t be for some time yet.

I can understand why they do it - and if one place starts early, they all need to if they dont want to lose out, but that doesnt stop me from really hating it.

When I become ruler of the World, I will ban any shops from doing this before a certain date - certainly no earlier than mid / late November for Christmas goods. If people dont like that, they will have to start to plan further ahead and buy in the January sales instead

GrannyGravy13

We have a large family, if I do not start early I would be running around in utter panic closer to the day 🙀

I like to have all gifts purchased, wrapped and cards sent by 1st December, then I can concentrate on decorating the house (I do upstairs and all bedrooms) and enjoying all the festive season has to offer, including the religious aspects.

Well done, I do wish I was more like you!

Oldnproud

I can understand why they do it - and if one place starts early, they all need to if they dont want to lose out, but that doesnt stop me from really hating it.

When I become ruler of the World, I will ban any shops from doing this before a certain date - certainly no earlier than mid / late November for Christmas goods. If people dont like that, they will have to start to plan further ahead and buy in the January sales instead

🤣😂🤣😂🤣

Oldnproud when I become Ruler of the World I'll ban Christmas altogether!! 😁

AGAA4

For me it's too early to think about Christmas. I will be pumpkin picking with my DGS later in the month for Halloween. I may start to think about it after that.

I’m not too bothered about Halloween, but I do think we miss out on the glories of autumn. We overlook the wonderful colours and changes that autumn brings in favour of tinsel!

Passifloral I cannot abide tinsel it has been banned ever since I had my first home.

I prefer poinsettias (red and white) along with vases full of winter foliage with a few flowers.

Must be a real Christmas tree, and natural swags on banisters and fireplace etc.

Your house sounds heavenly at Christmas GrannyGravy and I can fully appreciate the amount of effort, planning and enthusiasm you put into it. 🎄 🎅 👼 ⛄️

Grannybags

Oldnproud when I become Ruler of the World I'll ban Christmas altogether!! 😁

Very tempting, but I might go easy and put that off until my second year as ruler. Or maybe not - i wouldnt want people to think that I was too soft. 😈

Grannybags

Oldnproud when I become Ruler of the World I'll ban Christmas altogether!! 😁

I have almost done this for the last couple of years. All the GCs are grown up and earning so don't appreciate the presents or small money gifts which I used to give, so we have cut out all the gifts between them and me. I also chose to have the day alone and ate my favourite meal of baked Camembert with crusty garlic bread. I don't even use any decorations apart from a years old homemade ribbon door wreath. I still send charity cards to those whom I know like them, but the younger ones get a WhatsApp with a greetings GIF. I do see family on other days around the time, but this all adds up to a relaxed worry free time.

GrannyGravy13

We have a large family, if I do not start early I would be running around in utter panic closer to the day 🙀

I like to have all gifts purchased, wrapped and cards sent by 1st December, then I can concentrate on decorating the house (I do upstairs and all bedrooms) and enjoying all the festive season has to offer, including the religious aspects.

I’m with you GG13 but I do wish the shops would hold off with all the tat. Some of ours had ghastly hallowe’en (I love autumn but hate hallowe’en) tat in July …

I’ve just had an update from Money Supermarket, which says the average family spend this Christmas is forecast to be £1681. That includes food, drinks and travelling expenses. I think some of us will spend more, but some will spend less.

In answer to the question, I’ve got my special cards and general ones from Marie Curie. Late DH’s family want vouchers and mine would appreciate money. The DGSs can have anything their little hearts desire!!

We have been discussing this a bit on this thread.

www.gransnet.com/forums/christmas/a1362077-Ahead-or-behind

People starting earlier maybe because to help spread cost of living.

Generally, I don't look forward to Christmas (birthday just after and it was always two in one!). But always made the effort with dekkos, trees, food and so on. For health reasons, this might be my last and was making plans for the young to be here. They won't be, so a tad disappointed. Oh well...........

I think it is reasonable to begin buying SOME things for Christmas - mainly items such as Christmas gifts and Christmas crafts. (If you're planning on making some craft projects, such as those involving knitting, crochet, or needlework, they can take quite a bit of time. You need to start those well in advance of Christmas.) However, I think it is FAR too early to start buying decorations and most of the food and things.

Growing up, we always had a real Christmas tree. (We went to a garden centre to buy our tree, and always made an evening of it - the garden centre had beautiful Christmas displays, and we would also drive around and look at Christmas lights.) If we bought our tree this early, we probably wouldn't have a house left at Christmas because the tree would have caught fire and burned down the place

I will order my Cards, and do them bit by bit. I dont send many, but like them to have the personal touch.

Not many pressies either, small family, but my family DiL especially love a piece of homemade art work, so have that at the back of my mind.

sometimes I look forward to it, other years dread it, it depends on factors out of my control really. But I do not like huge family "do's" and am actually happy on my own, but love to see pix of grandchildren all excited in advance.

Sounds like heaven to me.

Reluctantly I did my Christmas food shop last week and even so the latest delivery (I could afford) was the 19th December. Normally I pay a year in advance for "free" delivery Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday..

It is done and I can make changes closer to delivery. I live alone so to me it is almost a normal day. I give money for a couple of presents and friends have agreed not to bother as we need zilch.

I wouldn't have given it a thought until early December.

Passiflora1

Sounds like heaven to me.

I've had periods of such severe depression that nothing counted at all: and it was dread ,bearing up. But these things pass: I have learnt to appreciate and prefer, the small things, and also let go of some of the "musts": one cannot please all around one: no-one has a right to "demand' for example that adult children "must" do such and such: no one should feel they have to perform in the face of adversity, yet respect others have needs and try to offer what one can, even pretend one is all right at times.
I just feel sorry for families who cannot afford what is thrown at them by the adverts, or those richer, and I appreciate that actually December 21st, is the return of the light and longer days, and that Christmas is actually a festival of new beginnings, sorrow and joys - (religious or not, it is the season of the turn of the year)

but not those who feel pressurised to produce what our consumer society says we "should" need or want.

It is a time when the gap between this on the streets and those very wealthy becomes very evident, and then one realises "simple is enough" Being warm enough, going to the park and watching the children on their new bikes, smiles for those others alone, saving up something good on the TV, (and for those who read another thread, undyed smoked haddock...)

Christmas needs to come with a severe warning. It's a Bermuda Triangle for family relationships.

Long-suppressed grumbles, that have maybe been festering since the Christmas before, suddenly rush to the surface fuelled by alcohol. Inhibitions and restraint evaporate and then all bets are off.

The Season of Goodwill has a lot to answer for. Especially as it starts ramping up when the starting pistol fires on 1st September!