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

Nowadays I'm surprised people assume that everyone celebrates Christmas. With the worry of offending someone and being "politically correct" it's better not to mention the holidays to strangers.

It makes me a little bit sad when I hear how many people say "it's just a day". The Christmas season lasts at least 12 days and for some more than that. Over that time we have visits from family that have to be planned. Baking and other cooking to be done. Presents must be considered, bought and wrapped in time for posting to distant children and grandchildren. A Christmas tree bought, brought in and decorated. Carol service and sometimes children's nativity plays to attend..... the list is almost endless.

Sometimes I find the Christmas music a bit of a trigger, depending on my mood.It can make me feel so sad and miss times past and loved ones .Other times I can sing along !

Some people do baking in advance. Christmas cake, pudding, mince pies etc. I love the idea of it. But I was never a good baker and can't do any cooking now. I can't have dried fruit or chocolate. So can't even eat most Christmas treats. Boo!
I am keen to simplify down a little each year. But I like the lights etc. they are lovely at the darkest time of the year in the north, in Scotland, where I am. In little can be more, I think. We can take what we each want from Christmas and enjoy it

Booja booja? the most delectable chocolates in lovely boxes, also suitable for vegans.

I have bought a small box of 8 for myself, only one a day

It’s ridiculous and like the budget, it’ll be over before it’s begun! Christmas, realistically, is just a day for most people and then they forget about it. Why so much planning?! It reflects the ludicrous society we have created and sends me spiralling into depression. When will we be able to appreciate the moment instead of always looking forward (and trying to control it?!) . TBH if it wasn’t for my young grandchildren, I’d give it all a miss…and I don’t mind if anyone accuses me of being miserable!

I love Christmas as all my family do.I just don't enjoy the shopping with all the crowds, so I shop online, I have all my presents bought and wrapped, I buy food in from start of november . ordered my turkey 2 weeks ago. This Christmas day, OH and I will sit back while the family dish up the food
( and the drink )

First present was ordered online in June. Physical purchasing started at the end of September. A few bits left to get. Turkey in the freezer. My budget means I have to spread it out. Tree will go up first weekend of December. Cards to write and post next week and presents will be wrapped the following week.

I would love to have everything wrapped and ready before 1st December. And I do for the wider family. But when it comes to my two DSs, one Dd, one DiL and two GC, I start to put requests out for ideas around the end of November and I'm lucky if I've heard back by the middle of December. One GC has a birthday a week before Christmas which doesn't help. I always get a (free) month on Amazon Prime in December and I usually have things still arriving on Christmas Eve. The temptation is there to give them all money (apart from GC), but my parents used to do that and often felt that it was a bit of a copout.

In the words of my DH, on seeing trees up already both in town and some houses nearby, "Oh for goodness sake! - and he loves Christmas.
Our tree will go up on Christmas Eve, as usual. I have presents left over from Grandson's recent birthday (yes, Granny went a bit mad and bought far too much so was instructed to "save some of those things for Christmas" by DIL.
We haven't send posted cards for years.
Other presents I am thinking about, but won't buy until December!

A booja on the lips ……. a lifetime on the hips …. 🤭

You could be right. I hadn't heard of them and I didn't realise it was a brand name. Something I can manage without, phew!

Are they chocolates?
That is what I found when I searched on Google.

karmalady What is a booja booja box? Do I need one? Where do I put it? Something else to worry about

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Would any of us dare say “I’m not bothering this year”.
😂
Just to gauge the reaction …

😂 FGT you’ve reminded me of the year that my husband was moaning about all of it etc. I said rightio we won’t do it then. After a few times of saying it he changed his mind as he realised there was going to be no Christmas meal and all the trimmings which he loved. Funnily enough he never moaned in the years after 😂😂

Some of the TV Xmas adverts are really irritating and repetitious.

Not sure how those 2 smilies before the Christmas 🎄 slipped in, but they weren’t meant to be there 😂

People are free to celebrate Christmas in the way they want but I think what others are saying is that it should be at Christmas, and not in November!

I was in a cafe yesterday and a staff member said she thought she should put some music on.

I just blurted out, 'Please no Christmas music...it's too early!'

No music was played whilst I was in there. We don't need this constant exposure and assault on our senses.

Saving Christmas for Christmas would be a great campaign! We would all enjoy it so much more rather than by Christmas Eve feeling washed out and exhausted by the whole thing...

I remember as a child loving the feeling of those two days of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but on Boxing Day what did we get on TV? Holiday ads with people sunbathing on warm sandy beaches! It just seemed all wrong to me and still does- we can't we just enjoy the seasons when they arrive and not so long in advance?

keepcalmandcavachon

"Some people love to trim up early", that's me Ziplock, though I've never heard that phrase before, I love it. All trimmed up & ready

😂. Yes, indeed, all trimmed up - you)ve put an image in my mind of me trimmed up like a Christmas tree 😂😂😂😂🙃🥰🎄🎄

"Some people love to trim up early", that's me Ziplock, though I've never heard that phrase before, I love it. All trimmed up & ready

I just say ‘ I don’t do a lot really’, but I might add ‘ It’s a busy time of year now for singers’.

Some people like to plan well ahead and be organised, others leave it to much nearer the time.

Some people have to plan ahead because of the expense of it (or potential expense).

Some people choose not to bother with it at all.

Then there are some who have stopped buying Christmas presents because they don’t know what people would like or can’t afford to do it any more.

Some people love to trim up early, others prefer to wait, some don’t trim up at all.

Some follow the religious side of Christmas.

Some people don’t get bogged down with all the commercial pressures to buy expensive gifts, expensive food and to generally over indulge, others seem to like it.

In essence, Christmas is different things to different people, and always will be.

I do think it is very sad for people who dread the season, either because of personal loss, family fall outs, the expense, the expectations which can then fall far short, (so many of the adverts promote a totally unreal version of Christmas, for example), and the overall pressure.

It has become a huge commerce fest in some respects and it is very difficult to step back from it and say “enough”.

I love the religious side of Christmas, it is important to me, and I do like to prepare a special meal for Christmas Day, decorate the house and tree and buy my OH a gift, but I refuse to be blackmailed by the onslaught of over commercialism enticing me to spend, spend, spend, which can cause so much heartache for so many.

Going back to the OP, I think people asking you if you are ready for Christmas is just general chit chat, rather like asking if you have anywhere organised for a holiday in the summer, or any nice plans. It might seem early to be asking, but as the shops have been so full of all things Christmassy for weeks now, it’s hardly surprising to have the question asked at the end of November.

Yes that would be interesting FriedGreenTomatoes2 Some people like to plan ahead and others don't. I plan for Christmas in the same way that I do for holidays, birthdays etc. Definitely not the sort of person that leaves things to chance. Four weeks away is not to soon to plan meals, order food, buy/wrap presents and write cards. For me Tis the Season to be jolly although I appreciate that it is not for everyone.

Would any of us dare say “I’m not bothering this year”.
😂
Just to gauge the reaction …

Two daughters,two different approaches,youngest one has her tree up,looks good and it makes her happy,eldest one while enjoying gifting hates Xmas Day,her dad,my ex husband was always drunk,started early in the morning and carried on through the day, Boxing day was better because he had a hangover so was quieter.
If someone asked me if I was ready for Xmas it would be a no,I've always been a last minute Annie, but each to their own