When does it start for you?

I think Christmas starts around the end of November when I start buying Christmas presents and extra food bits.
This year proper Christmas will start on Friday when the DGDs will arrive with my youngest DS. They will be staying until after Christmas. DS2 will also be here on Christmas Eve and Day with partner.

After Christmas when I can relax and no longer feel pressured by all this supposed Christmas merriment.

that's when it starts for me too glass of sherry (never drink it at any other time) and first mince pie of the season in hand

Really starts for me walking to First Mass on Christmas morning - perfect no matter what the weather!

It doesn’t start properly for me until the boy from King’s College Choir sings the opening solo verse of Once in Royal David’s City, on Christmas Eve.

When the Christmas tree is lit up on a local tower, about two weeks before Christmas. (It's not really a tree, but a tree shape made of metal - when the lights go on, then it's really Christmas).

I have a sister for whom it starts in January ?

It will start for me on 21st when we travel to Cornwall to spend Christmas with both daughters, their partners and the grandchildren. We stay at the local Premier Inn and spend time with both families. DD1 is doing christmas day for everyone. It's also my birthday so they do not allow me to get involved in any cooking or clearing up so I get to spend all day playing with the DGSs and this year also DGD who will be 1 on New Years Day. Can't wait.

This year it starts today! I'm having Xmas dinner with my dd & dgd complete with presents tomorrow! I'm going home for Xmas this year so santa is coming early to me! I'm very excited ?

tonight for me. Just waiting for son and his wife. and gd's to arrive and we'll decorate the tree, and put as much tinsel as we can all over the downstairs of my house! Have all my children( 3 of them) and their other halves and my 6 gandchildren for lunch tomorrow, plus daughter's puppy - our annual pre-xmas get-together - then they are free to go to in-laws or my ex husband on xmas day! I then cook xmas lunch on the day for my husband's family.........no peace for the wicked!

Christmas started today for me - watched Elf followed by Its a Wonderful Life. Christmas has started ?

This year ours starts on the 23rd as my daughter, who works for the NHS, is working all over Christmas. Christmas lunch/dinner (see a previous thread) with DD, DS, DDiL and DGC, cooked by my DH. Then, 2 lovely quiet days with the two of us before we go to DS & DDiL for Boxing Day.

When I was teaching, I had a huge carol concert to organise in the local priory, so it started in September, more or less. With all the Christmassy stuff going on at school, I felt that Christmas was over when we broke up. The Carol Concert was the highlight, and even though it was a very stressful event to organise, the results always moved me to Christmassy tears, and I felt that THIS was Christmas. Everything else was an extra.

Nowadays.......I think I start to feel the magic when DH and I put on Christmas carols/music and wrap the presents.

It starts to get serious on 15th Dec which is my eldest DSs birthday we have always put the tree up on that day and it has always been his job to help decorate said tree over the years we then celebrate his birthday with a special party of close family,things will change next year when he becomes a daddy as he will have to start his own traditions with the baby.

Like BBbevan I work in a school so it starts about 6 weeks before rehearsals ,church services , cards and calendars in fact I got my first Christmas card when I returned after October break and I enjoy every moment children carry you along with excitement

Not sure it will start this year, just have to be got through. Nearly always been here but DS and DiL want us to go to them so they can look after us.

When DSs were young I made sure everything was done before the Crib Service at 4 pm on Christmas Eve. That was always a wonderfully magical time with a great story teller reading from an impressive book and all the children taking turns to bring an animal and put it in the crib. Happy memories.

When the shops have finally closed on Christmas Eve and what I've not got will stay not got...
Then delegate other half to get peeling those spuds... we've got the family round tomorrow... early...

Happy Christmas all.......

I believe retailers decide that for us when they start their displays of xmas related goodies at the beginning of October.

Xmas starts for me in early November. I have learnt to buy gifts and tree sweets early or they've all sold out. I hate xmas.

Starts for me when the tree and decs go up and that's this weekend , cos I need my son to extricate tree from attic and bribe him with a roast dinner tmro.Luckily he's unmarried so sometimes I need to use his muscles. Also I believe cos he has no wife/children he secretly enjoys helping us put up the tree and decs as he doesn't bother in his flat.So roll on tmro and we'll get the show on the road. Beer for him...roast pork... glass of plonk for me ...football on tele for his dad and of we go!

Midnight Mass - always ... that sense of excitement in the air, people dropping by the church who we normally won't see - some drunk, some in evening dress, and always welcome. We see those from other churches too, whose own group don't do the midnight thing... For me it is a little taste of 'goodwill on earth and peace to all mankind' ... that time of gathering in candlelight in the middle of the night hopefully waiting ...

Christmas Eve when the family arrive if its our turn to have them so this year no -one is coming (we are going there in between Xmas and New Year) Service of 9 lessons is tomorrow which should get me feeling Christmassy.

It starts for me and h on Christmas Eve, all the shopping and preparation is done and we can relax with a drink and listen to carols.

It starts for me when I leave workone whole weekmoff( nursery nurse) then my son comes home Christmas Eve and that's when I know it's Christmas!!!

Christmas starts when I step off the train at Kings Cross station. There is the bustle and noise, the lights and music of the city. Two days looking after my small granddaughters while parents are still at work, then collecting the goose and making Nutty Bread Sauce, Chutney and other preparations with my daughter. Christmas Day itself then phew............aaaahhhhh...