Already getting Christmas emails

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Depressing isn’t it?

Then they wonder why everyone has mental health issues!

No wonder when it’s stuck in our faces half a year ahead.

It’s one blooming day, for goodness sake!

Bah humbug!

As a singer I have always had to be prepared to rehearse christmas music early ,especially things like Bach which amateur choirs may not have done before etc, but other than that Scrooge has got nothing on me! I studiously avoid all adverts, shop windows etc etc that are too far in advance. The C word may only be spoken or written after Bonfire Night and not before. In particular, I have sympathy for the poor shop staff who have to cope with inferior versions of rubbish christmas music way too long in advance. I can put on a touch of the Maggie Smiths Lady Grantham and if I am in a shop for quite a while, will politely but imperiously ask that the appalling noise pollution should be turned off forthwith, and once had fun when a snotty man in charge of a department, said it was "company policy" to have christmas music on by this time, when I then started to sing the Halleluah

chorus , complete with correct words, trills etc!! He looked somewhat shocked as I continued to sing, and then hurriedly went across and turned the racket very low, when I immediately stopped singing ,thanked him and continued with my shopping, whilst several of the assistants smiled and one lady thanked me and asked if I could come in every afternoon to save her sanity before christmas!! Ah the fun of being a singer and having a weapon to hand at all times!!

Joking aside, I too think it is a great shame and spoils so much, for children especially with this jumping ahead of the years events to ridiculous lengths. I can see it is a competent manage who makes sure that enough stock is available , but that means put in the stockroom not on the shop itself.When we were little we loved how we looked forward to one occasion, and when that had gone was time enough to look forward to the next event. There is always the ludicrous stores where the easter eggs are put out on boxing day, but it is stupid. It is like too much repeated news. Even terrible events such as train crashes that you are saddened and upset to hear about when it has been talked about on 7 news programmes in the day, you can be brought up with a jerk as you realize you were turning over the page of the radio times because the impact had been deadened. So as long as I am alive, I shall stick to the old ways and I dont give a toss if I am seen as the dozy old biddy who is so out of date. Well hurrah I intend to stay the same. Who knows as they keep pushing on and on I may live long enough to find that christmas may return to its proper position .

I absolutely hate Xmas this early. I love the Xmas period but I do wish the shops would let us get into winter before bombarding us with the Xmas tat.

I agree up to a point, and wouldn't dream of decorating or putting up a tree earlier than the week before Christmas, but for me September is when I start picking up stocking fillers and other Christmas things as I see them.

When I was at work I would shop after leaving, then sneak the gifts into the house and hide them from the children. The habit has stuck, although now I order online - it spreads the cost, and gives me a chance to shop around if I have ideas in mind. These days my 'children' tend to choose their own main presents, as they are both home-building and like to get gifts for their houses. I enjoy buying them 'Santa' gifts even though they are grown up.

I am also happy to eat mince pies and stollen at any time of year, so don't mind seeing them in stock. I would prefer not to have to see decorations and hear Christmas songs in October, though - I agree that it dilutes the experience of the real thing.

Halloween and Christmas tat ferociously competing side by side already.

It's always the same mantra parotted by retailers; "you have to do it for the kiddies."

What, demonising innocent women as witches and telling children the Baby Jesus sanctioned this mania in the shops 2000 years ago?

Heavens didn't notice the mince pies, I'm still buying their hot cross buns

Thank you for reminding me to get stuff for Christmas cake.
We always did prepare ahead

Hate it, there’s nothing like wishing your life away than thinking about arranging something 4 months away !
It’s not a time of year I like at all and Iwas thinking only today why don’t I like it, and the answer mainly is I m from such a small spread out family there seems little point in it all. My one delight was receiving cards and pinning them up and seeing them smiling at me across the room but that’s going now with less and less people sending them, so I m more of a bah humbug than ever

I saw a Christmas advert today. Trying to sell a chair! Not my idea of a Christmas present although it looked comfortable and expensive.

Yeah I just think it's so exhausting when it stretches out for a long period beforehand, and then you feel 'Forced' to consider it as it's under your nose all the time.
I also think that this year especially with prices of food and everything so high it's a worry for people.
I understand about getting things week by week to spread the cost but that can be done without all the advertising, hype etc this early !

Some people need to budget in advance for Christmas. I always start picking up gifts, cards, wrapping paper from September, spreads the cost for us to have a good one.

I don’t feel “forced” to consider the Christmas stuff at all, I just ignore it as I do with all the beyond ghastly halloween tat that’s been around for weeks.

Life goes to quick without the retailers hurrying it along for us !

I love it. It seems to come quickly to me 😃

Another singer here, so yes, both Christmas and Easter music had to be rehearsed from October onwards.

Christmas was a big thing in my childhood home, but my mother had a very sensible rule: no Christmas preparations were made until AFTER my birthday at the end of November.

Although I think she may have done some of her shopping for presents before then.

I find that properly plannd most preparations can be fitted into December, although ordering a duck or goose has to be done before December 1st.

Had to book Xmas lunch at our local Garden Centre today as the dates and times we want get filled up very quickly.

I never quite understand why people get worked up about such things. Can’t you just ignore emails and premature displays in the shops?

Thank goodness for a daughter with a birthday at beginning of December. No Christmas celebrations or decorations till after that.

Some weeks ago I was told off by a fellow crafter as I was making christmas decorations! "It's too early" was her cry! I had to explain that I had come up with a new design last year and only had time to make 2 before our autumn craft sale and they sold in minutes so I wanted to have taime to make a decent selection this year. Hopefully they will be as popular again.
A few years ago I made a nativity scene for my grandchildren which had 24 felt characters which attached to the background with velcro. I packaged it in an empty cosmetics advent calendar box so they could add one each day in December. In order to deliver the finished article by October - the last time I would visit before Christmas - I started making it early in the summer which felt pretty strange!
However I agree that seeing such things in the shops is irritating in the extreme, like easter eggs in January! Everything else I do for Christmas is usually at the last minute!

Welshpoppy me too!

I don’t like seeing decorations in shops to early, but as I’m on a limited budget I do like to gradually get presents over a few weeks

I am not looking forward to Christmas, elderly andliving alone,, so no,, please stop it.. surely it is just all about wanting our money off us.

Surely it 3months ahead not half a year ? Personally id rather get the gifts all wrapped early & save them out of the way till nearer christmas.