Why talk about xmas in September!

With the lorries and deliveries being what they are at the moment , I have ordered grandsons presents online to be sure of getting them in time. I know it’s early but better safe than sorry. Also apparently there will be a shortage of toys this Christmas

Well after having no real interest in Christmas last year, covid/furlough/divorce/moving/closed shops etc. I have started my Christmas shopping early this year. Visited a couple of farmers and craft markets when they reopened and found some lovely small stocking fillers and handmade gifts. Ordered a new Christmas tree to fit in my new smaller home and have stocked up on my favourite tipple. I have a lot of birthdays from Oct to Jan to buy for so being able to do a small amount of prep has been lovely this year. There's no point complaining about it shops will get their stock out as soon as they can to try and get the early bird shoppers. The only thing that does annoy me is the lack of birthday cards available once the Christmas cards take over half the shops so I buy a selection and hope one of them will suit the person I'm sending it to. I will probably dpe d Christmas day on my own and it will be my first ever but I'm looking forward to relaxing, watching rubbish on the TV, eating whatever I fancy and enjoying a drink (or 3!)

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I’m one who buys a present throughout the year if I see something suitable for a certain person. Rather that than scratching my head and buying something in that last minute panic just because “it will do”.
I do the same. If I think "I'll get that later" you can almost guarantee they'll be sold out.

Some people like to be prepared and organised instead of rushing to the shops on Christmas Eve and finding empty shelves. I have started looking round shops for potential gifts at my leisure while everything is still available. Going to buy my artificial Christmas tree next week because I’ve seen the one I want.

Love Christmas. As I do stockings I buy all year, whenever I see things. Just bought a tea- light advent calendar for someone. Have to admit that I tend to avoid the shops for the last couple of weeks before Christmas….some people seem surprised that - yes, Christmas is on the 25th of December again! ( I’ve got to say how pleased I am that retailers have agreed to let their staff have two days off….so needed and deserved.)

Christmassy things in the shops this early spoils the magic for young children, Christmas should stay in December.
If you make gifts, cards etc. then it is different.
Putting up decorations should stay out of shops until November has gone.

If you are talking about the party goings on, I agree it may be too early, But I talk about Christmas all the year round because it signifies the birth of Christ.

I’ve just ordered some cards from the RNLI shop, plus a Plasticine ‘Advent calendar’ for the older Gdcs - 5 and 6. One Christmassy thing to make for every day of Advent. Gdd in particular loves anything like that.

If anyone else is interested it’s in the RNLI online shop, £9.

Oh, and a trad (little pictures) Advent calendar for me. ??

lemongrove I too love Christmas pudding with cream. Plus as Maw said Baileys. My West Indian partner also makes Sorrell. I now really fancy all the things listed above.

The overkill on Christmas makes me think how drab the other 364 days of the year must be for people.

pce612

Christmassy things in the shops this early spoils the magic for young children, Christmas should stay in December.
If you make gifts, cards etc. then it is different.
Putting up decorations should stay out of shops until November has gone.

This is exactly how I feel. People quietly stocking up on presents etc well in advance is a good way of spreading costs and reducing stress, plus leaving time in December to actually enjoy the build up and outings etc.

But shops playing Christmas carols in October and putting up their decorations as soon as Halloween is over, and the television being full of Christmas ads for weeks and weeks before the actual day just drags the whole thing out to the point where a lot of people are jaded with it all by the time Christmas day actually arrives.

Also a lot of people find Christmas a particularly sad or poignant time of year, and being bombarded with reminders from late September must be very difficult.

It's all very well to say ignore it, but you'd really have to be blind and deaf nowadays to do that.

Thank you for the heads up re the RNLI Advent calendars.
4 ordered - job done!

Personally..... don't talk to me about it until 24 Dec then NEVER mention again after 25th!

Normally I don't think about Christmas until November, and dislike seeing Christmas things in the shops in the autumn when I'm still wearing summer clothes!

But this year I'm already in 'Christmas mode' as I'm sewing stockings, advent calendars and quilts etc. They take time to do so the house is littered with appropriate fabrics and trimmings. I even find myself humming Christmas songs as I sew!

I think a lot of people are starting their Christmas shopping early this year in case there might be shortages nearer the time, or delivery services decline in the run up to the big day. And, of course, they can spread the cost over a few more weeks.

Since I love all things Christmassy I really don't mind discussions about it, more interesting to me than Brexit, Covid and vaccinations which I'm getting bored with now.

Merry Christmas everyone!

halfpint1

The overkill on Christmas makes me think how drab the other 364 days of the year must be for people.

It's possible to get organised and love Christmas but still enjoy the other 364 days
I work, have a busy life, and I collect my Grandson from School once a week, we enjoy Hallowern, Easter, his Birthday, going to parks, holidays and other things. Just because I love Christmas and have to be organised does not mean my life is dull.

I love xmas and don’t mind it starting early although I usually start prepping early December. Having said that, 2 weeks ago when Tesco had the sweetie tubs out for just £3.50 I bought one with the intention of putting them away. When I saw my adult son later I have them to him knowing that they wouldn’t have lasted until Xmas in my house. Last week I bought mince pies in Asda. Delicious. All 6 of them …

pce612

Christmassy things in the shops this early spoils the magic for young children, Christmas should stay in December.
If you make gifts, cards etc. then it is different.
Putting up decorations should stay out of shops until November has gone.

Totally agree. I loathe xmas with a vengeance and always have done. Nothing to stop people buying and stockpiling presents etc all year round if they want to, but there's absolutely no need whatsoever for this massive commercialised build-up, which seems to start earlier and earlier every year. I honestly do think that the earlier people put up decorations, trees and so on, that it spoils the magic of it for the little ones.

You know we discussed this last year or the year before too.

Most people are paid once a month, so we will get our salaries or pensions in four days' time and on the last banking day of October and November.

So seen from a shop keeper's viewpoint it is not too early to be stocking Christmas goods, although items such as mince pies obviously cannot be bought now and eaten at Christmas unless you have space in your freezer.

If you are going away for Christmas, or inviting visitors who will be staying, it is quite a good idea to discuss things now. Train and coach journeys have to be booked, the same applies to hotel rooms if you go away, or need to break a long car journey.

In the days when my parents came to us for Christmas, I routinely discussed it with them at the end of September, so we all knew what we would be doing, whether they would be staying for the New Year as well, or not, and DH or I could inquire about taking an extra day off work while they were here.

Early

Not at all. Popped into my local food store yesterday evening. Big display of mince pies by the till. The young assistant and I exchanged looks. I know ... , he said wearily.

I love Sainsbury's getting the mince pies out in September, I look forward to it. I did think the hot cross buns being out last week was a tad early for Easter.

grandtanteJE65

You know we discussed this last year or the year before too.

Most people are paid once a month, so we will get our salaries or pensions in four days' time and on the last banking day of October and November.

So seen from a shop keeper's viewpoint it is not too early to be stocking Christmas goods, although items such as mince pies obviously cannot be bought now and eaten at Christmas unless you have space in your freezer.

If you are going away for Christmas, or inviting visitors who will be staying, it is quite a good idea to discuss things now. Train and coach journeys have to be booked, the same applies to hotel rooms if you go away, or need to break a long car journey.

In the days when my parents came to us for Christmas, I routinely discussed it with them at the end of September, so we all knew what we would be doing, whether they would be staying for the New Year as well, or not, and DH or I could inquire about taking an extra day off work while they were here.

Buying mince pies and not eating them? What madness is this.

effalump

Don't even mention the 'C' word to me!!! I've worked in shops at Christmas and I cannot understand people who shop right up to closing on Christmas Eve, buying any tat that's still on the shelves. One lady, paying for goods, opened her purse to reveal at least a dozen credit cards. Absolute Madness. It's no wonder we have young people who think everything revolves around them.

I remember the year my father died. My mother was sort of frozen. Two of us were at senior school but the youngest was only 7. I did some shopping for him but i was just 13 so didn't have alot to spend but I didn't want him to have nothing. On Christmas Eve my mother suddenly asked me what was going to happen for Christmas. I showed her what I'd bought. She said, "Get your coat." and we went to buy extra food and lots of presents for the youngest. We dragged it back as it was too much to carry.

Sorry if any of the shop assistants felt it was madness, for me it was the start of my mother returning to normal and a relief that a seven year old who'd had a shit year was going to get lots of presents.

theworried ?

My emoji was for the two earlier posts.

lemongrove

My emoji was for the two earlier posts.

I thought so, wouldn't have been nice about my poor widowed mum. The main point is obviously don't get between me and a mince pie. I am not going to tell you how many boxes I've had since 1st September but it definitely more than one. I'm already sad that they will disappear from Sainsbury's in early January but trying to be brave.