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How early is too early for Christmas?
claireychn074
Posts: 1,604 Member
in Debate Club
It’s been a hard, odd year, and a lot of people are suffering with country-wide lockdowns, illness or politics. So let’s have a debate which hopefully will not end up getting closed (unlike my last one 😱).
I LOVE Christmas and need the joy and sparkle this year, not to mention helping others is really needed right now. I have broken out my Christmas jumpers, am starting to make Christmas donations, and may have to bake mince pies this weekend whilst playing Michael Buble: is this too early for Christmas joy??
I LOVE Christmas and need the joy and sparkle this year, not to mention helping others is really needed right now. I have broken out my Christmas jumpers, am starting to make Christmas donations, and may have to bake mince pies this weekend whilst playing Michael Buble: is this too early for Christmas joy??
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Replies
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I have a personal guideline that Christmas doesn't "start" for me until after Thanksgiving. All my decoration, shopping, and seasonal observances don't start until that point.
I have no judgment of people who love Christmas and want to start earlier. It's never too early for joy! I personally started doing Halloween stuff in late August and will probably continue for another week or two, so I understand the impulse to fully immerse yourself in your favorite celebrations.
I'll break my usual policy and say "Merry Christmas!"8 -
I'm not a very Christmassy person, for me I'd say December is appropriate. But hey, whatever floats your boat!
That being said, the situation in our country is making it less and less likely we'll have a proper Christmas, we'll be lucky if we're allowed even small Christmas gatherings. So I'm not sure if we'll get much Christmas cheer here
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I'm not a very Christmassy person, for me I'd say December is appropriate. But hey, whatever floats your boat!
That being said, the situation in our country is making it less and less likely we'll have a proper Christmas, we'll be lucky if we're allowed even small Christmas gatherings. So I'm not sure if we'll get much Christmas cheer here
I feel like my entire life I've been watching Christmas movies and specials with the moral of "Christmas is a state of mind and what we make of it, even in hard or unusual circumstances." The media has been prepping me for this!
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For me Christmas doesn't start until after Thanksgiving.3
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If starting Christmas early makes you happy, then you should do it.
For me, in a normal year, it has to be after Thanksgiving...usually I put up the tree the first week of December.
This year, everything Christmas is going to depress me, because I know I won't be able to see all my family and celebrate like we usually do. I'm not doing well with the "everything is normal" crowd.4 -
@SuzySunshine99 I get that - maybe that’s why I’m starting early 🤷♂️ I love buying and wrapping presents and supporting charities, so I guess this is me trying to make myself feel better. I’m sorry it’s making you feel bad x
And I’m in the UK so don’t have Thanksgiving otherwise I guess I’d be going full throttle on that!5 -
Well I live in Canada and our Thanksgiving is in October!! And my Christmas decorations came out this week! After the year we've had, it's nice to see the lights and feel the peace and nostalgia that comes with them! I will start baking this weekend and Christmas prep at my parents' house! In my husband's native Dominican Republic, decorations come out the first of October. Soooo I figure it is entirely at your discretion! Happy decorating!6
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iloveeggnog wrote: »Well I live in Canada and our Thanksgiving is in October!! And my Christmas decorations came out this week! After the year we've had, it's nice to see the lights and feel the peace and nostalgia that comes with them! I will start baking this weekend and Christmas prep at my parents' house! In my husband's native Dominican Republic, decorations come out the first of October. Soooo I figure it is entirely at your discretion! Happy decorating!
Okay, but your user name is PERFECT for this discussion.4 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »If starting Christmas early makes you happy, then you should do it.
For me, in a normal year, it has to be after Thanksgiving...usually I put up the tree the first week of December.
This year, everything Christmas is going to depress me, because I know I won't be able to see all my family and celebrate like we usually do. I'm not doing well with the "everything is normal" crowd.
I'm really sorry for my comments above because I see now how they sounded. I absolutely understand your feelings - I am very sad about not being able to see my family in person this year. One of the ways I manage my anxiety is to adopt a "fake it til you make it" attitude about some things, I know it can be grating. I wasn't being thoughtful when I typed that above.6 -
janejellyroll wrote: »SuzySunshine99 wrote: »If starting Christmas early makes you happy, then you should do it.
For me, in a normal year, it has to be after Thanksgiving...usually I put up the tree the first week of December.
This year, everything Christmas is going to depress me, because I know I won't be able to see all my family and celebrate like we usually do. I'm not doing well with the "everything is normal" crowd.
I'm really sorry for my comments above because I see now how they sounded. I absolutely understand your feelings - I am very sad about not being able to see my family in person this year. One of the ways I manage my anxiety is to adopt a "fake it til you make it" attitude about some things, I know it can be grating. I wasn't being thoughtful when I typed that above.
Please don't feel sorry, I know exactly what you meant. We're all dealing with this in different ways, and I get the mindset of keeping at least the appearance of a positive attitude. I wish it worked for me, and I certainly don't blame you if it works for you. I should probably stop going into these holiday threads.
I'm just more stressed than usual today, for....reasons.6 -
@janejellyroll I didn’t read that into your comments at all: I think a lot of people (me) are a little tense about stuff right now and I thought this discussion might be fun and get some Grinches to come out and grumble at the overly-festive. But I also didn't think that some people are gutted they can’t see family so I also hope I haven’t upset anyone!0
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claireychn074 wrote: »@janejellyroll I didn’t read that into your comments at all: I think a lot of people (me) are a little tense about stuff right now and I thought this discussion might be fun and get some Grinches to come out and grumble at the overly-festive. But I also didn't think that some people are gutted they can’t see family so I also hope I haven’t upset anyone!
2020's "gift," we all get to be on edge about something.
I think this is a good topic, you can't be the only person who wants to dive headfirst into what is often a comforting and cozy time of year.2 -
I don't get Christmasy until after Remembrance day (nov 11) at the earliest1
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I've thought about putting up my (inside) decorations early this year. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving (US), but I may make an exception. There is a very good chance I won't be able to spend Christmas with my family this year, but the lights and decorations make everything so warm and comforting and I need a bit of that right now, ya know?8
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I still have my Halloween decorations up... welcome to 2020 :laugh:3
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »I still have my Halloween decorations up... welcome to 2020 :laugh:
Mine are still up too, but that's just because I hate saying goodbye to Halloween!2 -
I'm a curmudgeon who always complains about Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving, because it just seems wrong to me, but it's not something I mean seriously, and really it's more about stores doing it than people. In fact, I like seeing all my neighbors' decorations. I have a fall-themed wreath that I put up and only replace it with the Christmas one (which I will buy) after Thanksgiving, but if others decorate sooner I will enjoy it. Also, a lot of the decorations are not that holiday specific -- my neighbor has had lights in her backyard since it started getting dark so early, and I love them (they aren't Christmas themed, but even red and green colored lights strike me as more for winter than Christmas alone -- I kept my house lights up into February last year).
These days it seems like more and more the rule is anytime after Halloween, and while I joke about this, I absolutely do think you should do whatever makes you happy, especially this year.
I usually get out some Advent things as soon as Advent starts (Nov 29 this year), and put up lights, but actually get my tree later -- this is partially since I do try to avoid having Christmas completely obliterate Advent, but mostly because I have a December birthday (the 7th) and my parents always waited until after my birthday to decorate when I was living at home, so it's now my habit to do the tree in mid December.
On Halloween, I have a scary black cat I took in immediately after, but have the wreath noted above. I had pumpkins out front (real ones) that I think would work for Thanksgiving too, but it turns out squirrels really like them!1 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »This year, everything Christmas is going to depress me, because I know I won't be able to see all my family and celebrate like we usually do. I'm not doing well with the "everything is normal" crowd.
My mom died a week before Christmas in 2017, and she was always a huge fan of Christmas and went all out decorating, especially after my sister and I moved away (we'd usually visit on Christmas most years). When going through her stuff later, my sister made us keep most of the Christmas stuff (I took a little bit back, my dad has it all in storage), because it is just so sentimental to her (I was on a bit more of a Mari Kondo kick -- thank the items for bringing your loved one such joy, and then let go of it -- but let my sister decide).
Anyway, that year we didn't celebrate Christmas at all, other than a dinner at which we talked about my mom, and then the following year I put up my tree and everything late and didn't really understand why I kept putting it off, and then on Christmas Eve I put on carols and rushed around decorating the tree and wrapping some presents before my sister came over and just had a huge rush of sadness and tears, since everything I was doing reminded me so very strongly of my mom. Now it feels more comforting that I do think of her so strongly then, and I'm looking forward to doing what I can for Christmas this year with lights and decorations.
I totally get why decorating might feel painful and depressing or go along with a feeling of loss, although I actually am looking forward to decorating and so on this year, and seeing what my neighbors do.10 -
claireychn074 wrote: »@janejellyroll I didn’t read that into your comments at all: I think a lot of people (me) are a little tense about stuff right now and I thought this discussion might be fun and get some Grinches to come out and grumble at the overly-festive. But I also didn't think that some people are gutted they can’t see family so I also hope I haven’t upset anyone!
That's how I read it, and I like the thought. And I guess I can't be judgy about pre Thanksgiving (I hope it was clear I'm not really), if you are in the UK!0 -
Weekend after Thanksgiving for me...always been that way. We go get our tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving unless we have been traveling...but either way, shortly after Thanksgiving. I love Christmas, but IMO, there's such a thing as too much of a good thing. I'd be Christmased out before it even got here if I started now...not to mention the weather is way too nice to be thinking about Christmas...it's 75* today so doesn't remotely feel like Christmas.1
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Halloween is my favorite holiday so it does irk me when Christmas starts infringing on "my" holiday. So many stores start putting Christmas stuff out in September now! But once we're past 10/31, I think Christmas is fair game. Most years I put stuff out Thanksgiving weekend.3
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For myself, these days, I'd probably go with December 24 as earliest. I'm only kind of joking.
I understand and respect that many people find great joy in Christmas, and in starting it early. Truly, I'm sincerely happy for my friends who are super excited about Christmas and all that comes with it. I'm pleased that they enjoy their families, and all the little details that make the holidays great. I want my friends to be very happy, in modes that work for them.
What I'd ask is that people give a moment's thought, as they talk to friends/acquaintences or post on social media about it. For some people, the holiday season is difficult. It's a time when certain types of mental health crises increase, and one can assume that others are struggling, but short of those visible extremes.
I'm not suggesting people need to hide their enthusiasm, because it might be "triggering". I think that sort of thing is unreasonable, and kind of dumb. What I'd ask, or suggest, is that the holiday-enthused give a thought to what they say, how they phrase it, and how it may land on differently situated others.
Personal example: Some years back, within a short period of time, I became both a widow and an orphan, and I was already childless, and an only child. That's all OK (gotta be), but there's a lot of nostalgia and longing that wells up at holiday time. My best route through all of that is to kind of ride along on the surface of it as the culture does its jingly-jangly merryMerry thing, not engaging very much. (I do participate in social things, but try to keep it light.)
I'm very even keel these days, happy with my life. But when all that was fresh and raw, one of my friends, a lovely, dear woman, posted holiday photos with her beautiful children, with a comment like "family is what makes life worthwhile!" Much as I care for her, and celebrate her happiness . . . it was a hard kick in my tender gut. I'm not inclined to suicidal ideation . . . but if I were? MMm. A different choice of words by her would've landed very differently on me.
I could go on with other examples, people being weirdly aggressive with me about how I needed to put up a Christmas tree in order to heal, and other things that just don't work for me . . . even in the face of my telling them that that was not a good thing, for me. Their starry-eyed enjoyment of the holiday kind of got the better of them, and they weren't listening, empathizing.
So: Celebrate, love Christmas, starting whenever makes you happy . . . but maybe consider who might be struggling, and how best to be sensitive to that while still living and communicating your best holiday.17 -
I am not a Chrismassy person either, specially after the kids left home. For awhile and when we all lived near by and the grandchildren were young, Christmas made more sense. These year not so much; with COVID still around we are not getting together. Our bubbles are different.
My husband puts the tree up when at least when one of our children and their family are planning to spend it with us. If nobody comes, no Christmas tree, the Christmas decorations are just minimal, and they are up in December. Never before Thanksgiving.
This year, I really feel that all celebrations should stop, and I could crawl under a rock until the beginning of January 2021.
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@AnnPT77 Thank you for your insightful words, and for being so kind and considerate.
I have mixed feelings regarding Christmas; on the one hand, I enjoy the family celebration, the street decorations, and all that; but on the other hand, it is often a stressful period for me, so to be honest I'm kind of relieved when January comes and life gets back to normal.
Nevertheless, I say everyone should celebrate what they want, when they want. So, OP, if it makes you happy, go for it! 3 -
Christmas starts when Advent ends, on Christmas eve.3
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I've been staring out at Christmas since September. I work for a wholesaler in the floral industry. We were late getting Christmas out this year with Covid. So instead of setting up the displays in August, it was September. I'm already a little bored.
For my parents' place, where I do their outdoor lights because they are getting onto the wrong side of old and decrepit, I'll put them up the first nice weekend after Remembrance Day. For my place, where I only do indoors because I do not have an outdoors, I'll put the tree and *kitten* up for Advent.1 -
Well, Advent kinda starts the season. So, 29th November this year.
I refuse to do anything that is related to Christmas before that point.
But, if you like to start earlier, knock yourself out. Have fun, there isn't enough of that around as is.4 -
Ann, Yes, Christmas can be very hard for some people.
I knew a lady once whose son died in a car crash on Christmas day - years before I knew her - and she dreaded and hated Christmas for the rest of her life
Of course most peoples struggles with Christmas are not that extreme - but it is a time that brings out loneliness or feelings of loss for many.
Back to OP - I enjoy Christmas but I refuse to acknowledge it before December 1st - after that I send Christmas cards, wear Christmas tshirts, decorate etc.
But only after that, not before.
1 month is enough4 -
I consider Thanksgiving to be a mini Christmas. So as soon as Halloween is over Christmas can begin.3
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short answer is yes, and this is one of my pet peeves, the commercialization of the Holidays is pushing and pushing things up more, I swear I saw Halloween stuff as early as July this year, took pics to prove it, then it's out with fake Christmas trees in Home Depot in August, wth people, slow down, enjoy life
but I am biased because I do not like Christmas at all, I fake it for my family and kids, but it is a horrible time of year, just go around and hang out the stores around the crazy season, plus for us trying to loose weight, forget about it, my son calls it the Eating Season (Halloween till Super Bowl) ha ha4
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