General Chat

in my view.

Why oh why do supermarkets have to start Christmas in September?

The magical lead up to Christmas day should start in December. There are no wide-eyed little ones staring with wonder at shop displays (they have walked past shelves and shelves of tat for months).

December used to be the time for Xmas fayres (proper ones) not stalls selling black bin bags and cheap cleaning products.

Practising for plays at school and clubs.

Sewing angel dresses for the girls and adapting rugged looking clothing for the boys as shepherds or sticking coloured foil to crowns for the kings.

Helping your children to draw cards for their friends.

Watching them stick hundreds of strips of paper for chains, hand cutting lanterns etc.,

I'm sad so many young children don't have those wonderful experiences any more.

Sue

agree totally - when I was a child Christmas only started a week or two before the day

We didn't decorate the tree until school broke up, beginning of a special week.

Sues I totally agree, the wonderment and magic is long gone

,,,,,,but by aged 7/8 most know there is no daddy christmas and are just waiting to see what mum and dad have got them or are taken to pick out the latest phone etc or have it days ahead.Also another gripe I have is trees are put put first week of December.....by the day the magic has worn off and all it consists off it getting the presents,,,,,,,,no interest in nothing else but stuffing their chops with goodies.

Ours as children always went up xmas eve which was so exciting putting all the decs on lots we had made.,,,,,,,,come the day as we creeped down in the dark,all the ceiling was done and the tree lights were on ,it was so special s walking in to a wonderland on the morning and sitting in the light of the tree delving into our pillowcases full of nothing you really really prayed for but loved on sight.be it a wooden pencil case with real wooden crayons no less, :-D,,,,,or a reading book to keep you quite for ages.

We didn't decorate the tree until school broke up, beginning of a special week.

Our main tree was always decorated on Xmas eve after the little ones had gone to bed. We loved to see their faces when they came down into the lounge on Xmas day, truly magical. We always had a small one in our hallway which they used to decorate the week before the big day. They would make all the decorations for the hallway too. Paper Chains, lanterns snowflakes and snowmen etc.The custom held until 2 years ago when the youngest grandchildren moved a long way away . Christmas is now too commercialised in my eyes.

The reason is £££££££ ! It similar to when the school summer holidays start, the shops putting up signs 'back to school' to sell clothing, stationary etc. Easter starts on Boxing Day, Halloween (yuck) mid September, Guy Fawkes night.....that has fallen out of favour. They can only sell a few fireworks, so what's the point?

With a family birthday c a week before, much to the children's annoyance our tree only went up the day before that. We made a point of telling the children that Christmas Day was Jesus' birthday, just like X had one the c week before. Not that it made much impression!

I went into our local Wilco last week & one aisle was full of Xmas stuff, the next aisle full of Halloween stuff.
Normally there is a switch over near the end of October, but it's the first time I've noticed both out at the beginning of October.

I may suggest they fill the next aisle with bikini's and buckets and spades. ;-)

and don't forget the Easter eggs :-D

Kay,

I wouldn't mind too much if the trees round here went up the first week of December.

The strange family over the road from us will take down their Halloween decorations late on the 31st October when the kids have stopped knocking, and will immediately start putting up the Christmas decorations and tree. The lights will be on by the end of 1st November.

It drives me mad - especially as everyone in the house is aged between 55 and about 80.

Kath. x

We've got lights and all the trimmings up not far from here since the 1st week Oct,,,,,its full in yer face with flashing lights and animals and fake snow all over the garden :-S :-D :-D,right tacky it looks aswell.......mind they are an odd lot.... ;-) :-D.they havnt done the roof ---yet,!

Aaaw what lovely replies, thank you.

Our children are all in their mid to late 30s but we still have everything they made for the tree when they were little...lolol many items so fragile now but we would never throw them away.

Pine cones with the tips painted red with what's left of the glitter, paper trees made from two tree shapes which slot into each other so they can be stood up, painted cardboard stars, you know what I mean.

Grandchildren are, of course, more aware of everything but our daughter tries to keep it special but at 5 and 2 it's manageable.

We always put stockings at the foot of the childrens' beds. Now I know you'll think we are daft (or the kids were) but they insisted on this until they left home.

That meant hubby and I staying awake until they got home from the pub or parties, waiting for them to fall asleep and then creep in and put the stockings out.

Mad? probably but it's a family memory that makes us laugh when we talk about it.

x

Whitbread pubs put up their tree in July I believe.

:-| :-| :-| me and you are going to fall out :-P


the build up to Christmas should start december 26th :-D :-D :-D :-D


please remember u cant swear at me on here <3 ;-)

Stray, please look at my answer on FB :-P

Lolololol

Everybody races to Strays Facebook page ;-) ;-) ;-)

Know what you means Sues about home and school made decs,,,,,they are important and the g/children now do their bit so have been restocking with keepsakes.......,,,,,my girl (a mum) still squeels like a little piglet opening presents.-----------just like our Stray, :-D :-D :-D

lolol Kay

My youngest still peers down the end of crackers to see what's inside before she shuffles them around the table even though the grand kids get everything :-D

My youngest (aged 32) is all excited about Christmas already :-P

Mind you, it's her first Christmas with the little gnome in my avatar :-D - but youngest has ALWAYS been like it :-\