When do you begin the Christmas season

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Skyline

Emmet Brickowski
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I had just got in the shower this morning. After 30 seconds it started, the song,…


It's Christmas time, there's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time…

My wife found it funny I was shouting at the radio to F off. It’s only the 16th of November. I know they have been adding things to the shops slowly, but now there no getting away from it.
I’m not a great Christmas lover, nor do I hate it. It a nice time to see family.

After I got out the shower and deleted that radio station until December at least.
When do people really start. When do you get in the holiday cheers, start putting the tree up and decorations?

I have always believed Christmas should not be mentioned until December the 1st and after January the 1st. Anytime before or after this is psychopathic behaviour. (Joke).
I know that people do take their decorations down on the 5th for the 12th night, but not sure if there is a start day as such.

So, when do you get in the Christmas joy/grump of things?
 
Seen Christmas trees up in a couple of house round here this last week.
 
At home, weekend before Christmas. At work, it usually starts first week of December & our christmas meal is on the 5th. I'm happy to leave stuff up after Christmas for several weeks.
 
Just dropped my car off at the garage for an MOT tomorrow, walked back and noticed the Christmas lights are on in the village, on the lamposts.

I do like Christmas but I don't get in the mood like I used to. My daughter will want the decorations up on the 1/12 but I like them to go up a week before Christmas, they grind my OCD, untidy, cluttery things. :p

I will get in the mood at some point though.
 
I’ll put our 1ft tree up about the 10-12th dec. or should I say, I’ll go in the loft and bring it down it it’s plastic bag
A few twinkles downstairs normal make a good photographic background
 
I'm flying out to GC on the 14th and back on the 9th that's it for me
 
Normally in the past it's been 1st Dec to 30th Dec, and a rather scrooge-like attitude to the early birds. However I'm finding that here in Northern Ireland, whilst the shops started displaying Xmassy things in early November, and town lights are being switched on either 21st or 28th November, the general attitude is rather more genuinely Christmas - a focus on family and religion. It's a cultural thing. It's very much less commercial than it was in England. Hardly any houses have outside decorations and lights, at least in the countryside and villages hereabouts.

So, ironically, we are starting to get in the Ho Ho Ho spirit more and earlier, having put up two trees in the house this weekend (one in the hall and one in the living room) and I've been buying Mrs Lindsay some presents quite early. I have declined the opportunity of a seasonal Santa job in the farm park next door though. We are dispensing with the idea of a big Xmas dinner, and will instead eat normally through the period - which means we'll eat rather well, roast beef and roast chicken a few times, some nice casseroles, some nice breakfasts etc. And presents will beer exchanged on random days during December.
 
Indeed Toni, I shall be laying in supplies of Irish cider and Guiness shortly, together with some nice wines and possibly other porter and stout type beers.
 
Put the tree up around the second week of December.
Doesn't really start for me until after my birthday on the 22nd
 
Christmas features in our life all year.My wife does Christmas decorations and cards, so she usually starts in June. But we are both involved in fundraising for our villages Christmas Lights, so we are doing fundraising events throughout the year. Our big fundraiser and switch on is at the end of November. We then have our first event for 2026 at the end of January.
 
Our tree goes up on the 24th when the girls are home (with a boyfriend this year) and it's a big family tradition. We also share out whatever cards have arrived and take it in turns to open one at a time and give each other a tree decoration every year.
Shopping for stocking presents (little trinkets etc) started Saturday as me and my wife have limited time to go shopping together and things like pyjamas (another annual tradition) can be hard to find.
Wife (a nurse) has worked either 25th or 26th most years so the actual big dinner thing can be done whenever but stockings (we still use the very same ones the girls first had, so 26 years old) always get laid across their feet after they go to bed and and replaced with full ones very early morning which are then brought down to our bedroom and they sit on the bed opening them. Presents are never big expensive things and cards to each other are usually homemade. Boyfriend came last year and had never had a 'proper' Christmas before and has already asked if he can join in again sitting on the bed as it was such a 'family thing'
I cook breakfast, we go for a walk then play games and open presents and these days the girls do dinner.
It's one of the best times here.
 
For me having lived alone for 22 years Christmas Day is just another day , Nothing special as I am not religious either
Pleased when life goes back to normal, Whatever normal is? .
 
Saw the first external house lights and decorations in my village last Wednesday ... :rolleyes:

... fireworks last night again ...
 
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My tree goes up around a week before Christmas. My neighbours already have their up, "err indoors" is in demand for decorating local trees (dont tell her but she does a good job) Lots of the houses around me have lights up already.
The dreaded Christmas adverts have started, and the music in the supermarkets.
Mind, I cant say much, I made my Christmas card last week....... I'll get my coat...
 
I am going to sound like a right Scroodge here, but I hate Christmas.

My brother has a severe learning disability along with a host of other complicated health issues. It is not his fault at all but Christmas is difficult for him. He gets very excited on the lead up to Christmas and that then leads to him having seizures or becoming very violent. It has always been an issue from he was quite young and he is 41 now. As a family we spend the lead up to Christmas fretting about if he will be coming for dinner or not. Most years he is very aggressive and cross and then refuses to come, other times he is just too ill. We never know what will happen up until dinner is about to be served. Me, my wife and my mum find the lead up to it very difficult. When he doesn't come for dinner we spend the rest of the day feeling bad about him not being there. When he does come for dinner we have to spend the day watching for signs he is about to become violent.

I know this will sound very selfish but I would love just one year were we could have a Christmas like other people and not have all of the worry. For the kids sake I will stick on the fake smile and get through it like every other year. i haven't enjoyed Christmas since i was a kid myself.

My wife knows I find it difficult so she does all the things like decorating the house etc. She is an early bird for all that sort of stuff which i hate because it's just a constant reminder of what is coming.
 
Tigger.ufo said:
Saw the first external house lights and decorations in my village last Wednesday ... :rolleyes:

... fireworks last night again ...
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Being a selfish dog owner, why do they still have to put the bang in them? Silent fireworks are still as pretty or none at all sold to the public even better)
 
Skyline said:
Silent fireworks are still as pretty or none at all sold to the public even better
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I feel that way about dogs too - silent would be better than the present situation, no private dog ownership would be best of all. But we have to put up with neighbours dogs all year round.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I feel that way about dogs too - silent would be better than the present situation, no private dog ownership would be best of all. But we have to put up with neighbours dogs all year round.
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Yup - like a neighbours dog howling through the night, poo on the streets/play areas, dogs coming up to you in a pub or other location, attacking people.
 
I won't say what is usually said but paraphrase it (as a dog owner): there are very few bad dogs but many bad dog owners. We have two collies and they very rarely bark, never leave a poo un-picked-up, and never jump up on people or attack them (except to lick their hands), and we never take them to towns.
 
lindsay said:
there are very few bad dogs but many bad dog owners.
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I like the idea, but numerous dog owners I've known have been cosncientous, and their dogs are still unpleasant for their neighbours. The dogs are not inherently bad, but just like a firework, can be noisy when noise is not great for others. Dogs obviously bring a lot of people pleasure, and so I don't normally grumble about them despite significant dislike.
 
Still under consideration. We don't plan to have a conventional Christmas Day big meal - it's just the two of us. So I think the focus will be on a nice breakfast of poached or scrambled eggs with cold gammon ham; if we have a roast that day, it's more likely to be beef than chicken. Although over the period we will have roast gammon, roast chicken and roast beef. Each provides plenty of cold meat for other meals.
 
I am not a fan of Christmas dinner, we get loads of them at weddings throughout the year although thankfully they are not as popular any more. One year we had 43 Christmas dinners before we got to make our own.

One tradition we do have though is a full Ulster fry on Christmas morning, we have our dinner a bit later than most people at around 6/7, a fry keeps you going until then and soaks up all the Christmas booze.

Soda Bread
Potato Bread
Toasted Pancake
Egg
Grilled Tomato
Veggie Roll
Sausages
Bacon

Beans on the side for me, mushrooms on the side for the missus I can't eat them. A couple of slices of toast to mop up any leftovers. :cool:
 
I normally do roast beef, seldom turkey. A goose is really nice and the fat is fantastic to use afterwards.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I normally do roast beef, seldom turkey. A goose is really nice and the fat is fantastic to use afterwards.
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I don't think we have ever had goose. We have already ordered our turkey from the local butchers, maybe next time I am in will ask about Goose.
 
Christmas what? I just let it pass me by. Our city turned the Christmas lights on Sunday night seemingly, me, I was in the snooker club.
 
As our daughter is due to give birth near Christmas, we are having Christmas dinner this Sunday. A turkey breast wrapped in bacon cooked over a bed of vegetables (which makes a very tasty soup) pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast potatoes and mash, carrots, Roast parsnips. Bread sauce. Brussel sprouts fried with bacon, Turkey Gravy. Followed a traditional Christmas pudding and custard.

Our actual Christmas day dinner is likely to be a chicken and most of what is mentioned above. Our Daughter and SIL will be having pigs in blankets (they both love pigs in blankets)
 
lindsay said:
I won't say what is usually said but paraphrase it (as a dog owner): there are very few bad dogs but many bad dog owners. We have two collies and they very rarely bark, never leave a poo un-picked-up, and never jump up on people or attack them (except to lick their hands), and we never take them to towns.
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We have to teach our Layla (collie x cocker) to bark. She’s such a gentle soul even her own bark startled her lol.

ancient_mariner said:
I like the idea, but numerous dog owners I've known have been cosncientous, and their dogs are still unpleasant for their neighbours. The dogs are not inherently bad, but just like a firework, can be noisy when noise is not great for others. Dogs obviously bring a lot of people pleasure, and so I don't normally grumble about them despite significant dislike.
Click to expand...
If I may blow my own trumpet here. If you met my dog you would say, I wish all dogs were like that. I believe if you get a dog it is your responsibility to train that dog. It makes the dog feel safe having rules. Not over the top rules but total control by the owner. Yesterday Layla was in mid squirrel chase at some woodlands. I used my whistle and she stopped on a sixpence and came straight back. That training doesn’t happen overnight and I’m afraid lots of bad dog owners can’t be bothered.. If I can’t get mine to use the coffee machine and make me a cappuccino I will feel like I’ve succeeded in her training
 
After my granddaughters birthday in a few days, then we might start to make plans on who want a lump of coal and an orange for Christmas. But I still believe Christmas should be advertised until 1st December
 
Skyline said:
Being a selfish dog owner, why do they still have to put the bang in them? Silent fireworks are still as pretty or none at all sold to the public even better)
Click to expand...
I'm lucky, our dogs dont care about the fireworks. I have a neighbour who's poor dog suffers terribly though, it's terrified just going for a walk in the daylight, it wont go outside in the dark, poor thing.
I thought they were supposed to be stopping the noisy fireworks years ago... it's not worked...
 
I have calmed down now. 10 years ago it would be Xmas songs in the car in Oct, watching old episodes of Xmas cooking shows, getting excited. Then Nov would be planning food and shopping, start of Dec a trip to London for the lights and shopping.

Tree and decs would go up 10 -14 days before Xmas, as I always get a real tree. Take ages choosing one. Get super excited and spend hours checking my spreadsheet planners. Do about 5 separate shops. Best meal of the year for me and love cooking it.

But now its a bit toned down as kids only here part of the time and they are not really bothered. Not even listened to Xmas playlist yet!
 
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