Somebody asked me today if I was all ready for Christmas?

It seems to start earlier each year.

It's all a bit batty! I went to post a parcel to NZ today. I paid a small fortune for postage and suggested it might even arrive in time for Christmas.
The postmistress replied rather solemnly that yes there was a chance it could.

It’s all so silly, as if we have to be ready for this like it is some kind of life changing event like giving birth or moving house.
A friend of mine once said with great pride that she had all her Christmas presents bought and wrapped and put away in August. I really don’t have the energy or inclination to devote that much planning and time to what is effectively one day in the year. It just makes Christmas one big chore.

But what exactly is there to “be ready for”? That would have been my response and they would need to be more specific in their question anyway.
Do they mean gift buying and wrapping?
Card writing and posting - ha! That’s a joke given the cost of postage stamps!
Placing the order at the butchers perhaps?
Sending invitations to relatives we rarely see to come for dinner knowing full well that they’ll bring nothing as a contribution, stuff their faces, won’t help with the clearing up and then moan about the food on their drive home………but they accept every year and never consider reciprocal invitations.

Christmas is far too commercialised now but that’s just my opinion .

It's getting ridiculous. I start to look out for ideas around the end of September as I have to spread the cost but decorations etc can wait until mid-December. Everything gets put away before New Year too. I like Christmas but I don't want it to last for a couple of months.

Someone asked me that, today. Madness. My niece (40) put her Christmas tree up 2 weeks ago. I can't stand all this, so early.

Arrrrgh!

I’m not being funny but I do wonder how long Christmas will carry on being celebrated here in the UK in the way that it has been. There are so many people moaning about various aspects of it that I think it’s on its last legs.
If we did away with the fuss leading up to the 25th, think how much better it would be for many of us:-
1) No more worrying about the cost of the cards, gifts, food etc.
2) No more worrying about the menu, including people’s dietary requirements, whether medical or just their choice.
3) No more having to think about what to give everyone.
4) No more dreading entertaining that one relative who moans, groans, sniffs or gorges themselves all through the meal
5) No more having to turn out to visit relatives who are too lazy to visit you but insist you go to them so they can ‘give you your presents’.
6) No more having to drag protesting kids out to visit said relatives, when all they want to do, understandably, is stay home and play with what Santa brought them.
7) No more having to invite someone you loathe, just because they are a close relative and it’s expected.

There are many more, but that’ll do for a start.
No wonder I always preferred Boxing Day!

Just 6 pressies (DS, DiL, kids) and cards for other family and long term people I want to keep up with with a catch up sheet of news. I can cope with this, and Christmas Day as I'm on my own (family go to DiL's parents and I prefer this on the whole as I can go up just after if I want).
But I'm old enough now that my parents aren't alive nor aunties and uncles. I might feel different if it wasnt for Zoom and face time on WhatsApp, Ds gives me a guided tour of Kids and pressies and hellos.

I am meeting a friend in a few days time. I usually send her something in the post for Christmas (the only friend I buy for) but this year I suggested that while we're shopping I'll pay for something for her for Christmas instead.
I think it went down like a lead balloon- why? I think she will have had my present bought and wrapped up for weeks.
Now I'm thinking I'd better go and get something to wrap up for her!
It's all bonkers...

I’m not being sarky here, but it has occurred to me that given the amount of moans on here about Christmas, I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t all die a death before long.
Imagine if we decided to stop it:-
No worrying about who to invite and trying to work out how
to avoid asking certain relatives ‘just because we should’.
No worrying about how we can afford it.
No worrying about menus, and the likes, dislikes and food fads of the guests. (Some of these may be health issues, ie diabetes, coeliac disease, IBS and the like, and come with restrictions on certain foods)
No worrying about having to put up with some people we don’t like, for a whole day, or maybe two if Boxing Day is included.
If you are the hosts, no worrying about whether your guests are enjoying themselves, and whether you have provided enough food/drink.

It’s a minefield, but we continue to do it every year, even though it’s just a couple of days! Happy Christmas!

I worry that if you buy too early. All sorted. However if the recipient doesn’t like the present for whatever reason, won’t it be too late to return it?

Next door have had their Christmas wreath on the front door for two weeks now. They wear their festive jumpers when they go out. We can see lights twinkling in their living room, so the tree is up. Both are in their 60s

I love it. We have the hall tree up already. So very pretty.

It really is OK to like Christmas

I have bought three presents for 3 under twos just because I was with one young mum and something was said which suggested an idea to me.
It gave me ideas for the other two so I ordered them online.
That, apart from booking Christmas Day lunch out is the extent of my preparations.
We had to book our meal out in August!! and didn’t get our first choice of venue as it was fully booked.
I’ve suggested that if we want to eat out next year we book it around Easter.

Well, all presents bought and beautifully wrapped ( and I’m talking 25 presents )
My trip to a theater booked ( I always take myself off to a London play the week leading up to Christmas - then have a lovely wander around Covent Garden soaking up the Christmas atmosphere )
We have a real tree every year which we buy about 2 weeks before the big day.
I love Christmas but I’m not one for having the tree and decorations up ridiculously early.
But I like to have all presents bought and wrapped by beginning of December.

Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
If another person asks me if I’m all ready then I think I’ll scream!! Ready for what?
I’m blooming sick of the shops having stuff in them so early. Christmas trees (real) in the shops in November! I’ll get “ready” in mid December when I’m good and “ready”
Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
The only great thing about it is the fact that my youngest son is home for a few days over Christmas.

I like to have purchased, wrapped gifts by 1/12.

Then I can decorate the house and sit back and enjoy the Christmas season.

What’s not to love 🤷‍♀️🎄🎁🎅🏻🤶🏻

Perhaps it just a seasonal change from, 'How are you? Isn't the weather dreadful.'
After Easter it will be, Going anywhere nice?'
Social stroking.

Maremia

Perhaps it just a seasonal change from, 'How are you? Isn't the weather dreadful.'
After Easter it will be, Going anywhere nice?'
Social stroking.

I think you are correct.

A conversation starter , showing an interest in others, better than ignoring them.

I think when Christmas could be a really hard time for those alone, suffering a bereavement, or just a hard time financially, it is perhaps best not to launch into festive Christmas speak with everyone. When it is broadcast sufficiently on the media from a couple of months ago there is really no need to personally broadcast it.
And am not a bah humbug I like a quiet relaxing Christmas but if people go large that’s up to them, but maybe best not to make it the topic of every conversation.

Maybe the person who said it was just looking for something to say. A bit like talking about the weather.

The common question to me now I am a widow is "Do you know what you're doing for Christmas?"

I'm not sure how much information is required in reply so it goes from "no but are you inviting me?" which gets a giggle.
To "I've made a cake for the season and I may enjoy a quiet time on my own, a veggie meal, good TV and a walk and a nap with phone calls to my far flung family".

Today I shall go to DS3 in England for a few days. They will probably be putting up their tree and I shall take them out somewhere nice. I shall leave a family gift.

It is a difficult time of year weatherwise and crowded shops so I don't blame people for wanting to escape.

As a family we love Christmas but it doesn’t really start until December (apart from making a few food items to put in the freezer.
Age group in our family is 4 years to 93. Luckily we all get on well and there really never seems to be too much pressure. On the day and leading up to it we all do our bit .