You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Every other advert on the telly seems to be a buy now pay later Christmas ad, supermarkets are full of Christmas tat and it's dark at 5pm. The retailers appear to be really pushing it hard this year, guess there will be a major hang over for a lot of people in January.The summer feels like a long time ago.
It always starts after Halloween unfortunately
It's ok Easter starts on the 3rd of January
Pfft. Think yourself lucky. All I’ve been looking at for the last two months is the Christmas advertising campaigns I’m designing
I was done with Christmas about a month ago
Bah, humbug!
Ah! The Christmas is here early thread gets earlier every year. Just under 7 weeks to Christmas doesn’t give retailers long.
Cycled past a house today with decs up and an inflatable Santa in the garden already….🙄😕
The summer feels like a long time ago.
I now associate the first signs of Christmas with summer.
This year it was August 17 when I walked into Costco to discover the first Christmas items already on display.
Someone obviously buys Christmas decorations mid-August because I can't imagine that Costco would otherwise waste valuable floor space on stuff that won't shift.
I would like to think that it is business owners planning long term rather than domestic purchases for the home.
I’ve been learning and recording Christmas music since August.
One of my choirs has been rehearsing our Christmas concert programme since September.
From 10th December I’ll have at least two if not three performances a week.
Love it!!
Been on holiday in Scotland for a week "off-grid" - come home tonight and feet up watching Taskmaster therefore adverts and it's Xmas shite galore. Bah!
Channel 5 starts it's Chrimbo films at the end of September.
I'm looking forward to mulled cider and wine.
Saw a couple of trees up this afternoon. Keen.
The retailers appear to be really pushing it hard this year
Always when Halloween is barely out the way, the three month push to convince everybody to spend spend spend.
I have a sneaking suspicion that shops are thinking people might realise they can’t afford so much this year (or at least not all in one pay check) so they need to extract as much money as early as possible.
Will nobody think of the peasants,now more than ever,they need the distraction of baubles,tinsel and a glimmer of joy.
Cycled past a house today with decs up and an inflatable Santa in the garden already….
+1. Drove past a house with the full regalia on Friday within which the owners clearly have no thought or issue of the current energy crisis.
Black Friday now appears to take up the whole of November. For small businesses like mine it means a trickle through the month and then just 3 weeks for Christmas…
Will nobody think of the peasants,now more than ever,they need the distraction of baubles,tinsel and a glimmer of joy.
While I sort of share this attitude, I have to admit all the twinkly lights and shiny Tat do seem to have a positive impact on my missus (and other people's) mental well-being...
I'm sure it's mostly conditioning, but I know it's got to be done now just to keep the peace, but I sort of don't mind anymore...
cookeaa, I think I also had completely the opposite effect on just as many.
If people want to do it, fair enough. I just hate the way it’s constantly rammed down your throat for two months when I couldn’t give a .. ..
Isn't it poppies first - especially gaudy OTT displays of virtue signalling and Lest We Forget - then Black Friday, then Christmas?!
That said I've had several Black Friday emails already so yes, that seems to be most of November now...
Halloween and Bonfire Night both seem to have become commercialised reasons to sell lots of plastic tat as well.
Has Whamageddon started yet?
We moved to present's only for the 'kids' in my family this year. So that's just two we've bought - yey. Even better when Tesco did half price toys, so both nephews have a rather good present.
Just saves all the tat you get, which I never need. Still got to buy for wife's family as they haven't discussed it. Were also doing Christmas day for wife's side as their mum passed this year. That's going to be the only major expense this year. My two kids are young adults so don't need much.
Easter next week ?
I have a sneaking suspicion that shops are thinking people might realise they can’t afford so much this year (or at least not all in one pay check) so they need to extract as much money as early as possible.
This was my first thought, but then I remembered that this is just normal retail behaviour.
I now have the knowledge that I will hate my favourite Christmas film by the time the day actually rolls around. Thanks Asda!
I bought my first Christmas 2022 present in February 2022. Otherwise it's a petrol station lottery on Christmas Eve
All hail "November-mas" as one current advert has it - makes me rather sad that we still do this Christian rubbish even in a virtually secular country like the UK!
makes me rather sad that we still do this Christian rubbish even in a virtually secular country like the UK!
Christmas has long since stopped being about Christianity in favour of the commercial aspect of it!
I refuse to consider Christmas in my household until my birthday has been (21st November, mark your calendars everyone). This is a) because I'm really important so everyone should pay attention to my birthday and b) to avoid having to thinking about it for what feels like half the year.
All that said the first mini-Ninja is now old enough that Christmas excitement is definitely a thing so my bah humbug nature regarding presents and decorations is going to be tested!
What year are you talking about? I was in a meeting on Friday discussing our Christmas 2023 range!
Christian rubbish even in a virtually secular country like the UK!
Christianity stole the pagan midwinter solstice feast. It predates Christianity by millenia. almost all cultures celebrated the midwinter solstice as then you knew you would survive the winter and could afford to use up some of your survival stocks of food as spring and new supplies of food was not far away
makes me rather sad that we still do this Christian rubbish even in a virtually secular country like the UK!
Oh yeah, 'cos what we really need right now is to banish completely any messages or feelings of hope, goodwill or bonhomie, and pour scorn on anyone that might be gearing up to enjoy an age old festival, whatever their motives.
Go you!
Always when Halloween is barely out the way, the three month push to convince everybody to spend spend spend.
I think that the problem with a lot of you is demonstrated here ^^
From Halloween to Xmas Day isn't even two months. For most people it's one single pay packet after Halloween. When do you think it would be best to advertise Xmas products if you wanted to sell them this year? December, when most people have no pay packets left before Xmas?
I say it on this thread every single year - people complained about Xmas getting more and more commercialised (and earlier every year) when I was growing up, and I'm now mid 50s. I was employed as a Xmas Saturday boy in 1984. In September. The Xmas decs went up in shops back then well before November because Halloween wasn't celebrated at all.
Some of you have really short memories.
Some of you have really short memories.
I may not be able to remember the old days, but I know they were better and that's all I need.
Some of you have really short memories.
Yup. Was in retail at the start of the 90s... Halfords and then a record shop in a shopping centre surrounded by dull vanilla retail... xmas promos and point of sale went up in September for most.
I've just been across our local Co-Op and a bloke came in wearing full on christmas suit and reindeer hat!!
Bit like this idiot...but with a green top hat with antlers sticking out the sides.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/mDnxFyVD/1.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/mDnxFyVD/1.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Christmas snacks and mince pies have been available in M&S since mid September. Not had any yet though 😋
Up until November 1st I can freely browse in Lidl or Aldi, relaxed and worry-free.
But now the nights have drawn in, the clouds have gathered and I know the mini stollen will be back. I can lower my eyes but I know they're sitting there.
GET BACK FROM ME, SATAN.
Always when Halloween is barely out the way, the three month push to convince everybody to spend spend spend.
If you want 3 months after Halloween you’ll miss Christmas by a month.
Oh yeah, ‘cos what we really need right now is to banish completely any messages or feelings of hope, goodwill or bonhomie, and pour scorn on anyone that might be gearing up to enjoy an age old festival, whatever their motives.
No, I just think that the exploitation of such for commercial purposes, nothing more, is what increasing numbers of people are finding really offensive. I'm all for some bright coloured displays during a dull, dark, grey time of year. But doing so just to sell shit we don't need, has nothing to do with 'any messages or feelings of hope, goodwill or bonhomie'. Blue Peter teaching us how to make a pretty festive display out of some old coat hangers is wonderful; shops full of 'BUY STUFF IT'S XMAS!' really isn't.
Enjoy your cheap Iceland xmas goodies.
I haven't celebrated christmas for 25 years. I won't again this year
Enjoy your cheap Iceland xmas goodies.
Yeah, cos it's only the proles who spend loads at Xmas, isn't it!
I'm just back from Aldi, with a copy of the Christmas food catalogue. It all looks yummy but they don't really cater for the solo carnivore so I won't be buying much of it.
cross reference this with the green thread. The amount of useless tat bought and sold for xmas is astonishing
In an age of plenty the midwinter feast has no meaning
I really enjoy the festiveness of Christmas. In December.
Decs can go up first weekend in December, I'll maybe watch the odd Christmas film through the month because Mrs STR watches THEM ALL and then relax and enjoy it the day I finish work (usually the 23rd)
I'd keep the decs up until new year, but Mrs STR wants them down the day after boxing Day because she's od'd in December 🤣
The whole start it in November nonsense spoils it for me though
It has been like this for 15+ years
We usually go on holiday in early September and when we get home the Xmas products are in the supermarket. It's annoying but you can walk past the tat and do normal grocery shopping
Having said that I now want a mince pie
If people want to do it, fair enough. I just hate the way it’s constantly rammed down your throat for two months
the only place I’ve seen anything Christmas related is here in this thread. When do I get it rammed down my throat?
The amount of useless tat bought and sold for xmas is astonishing
Halloween is even worse. I know I started the thread, wasn't so much a moan about it being early, just seems to have gone full on rather quickly. I think it's all the Very and other over indulge now regret later retailers trying to hook people in early.
Personally Christmas starts around the 14th of December which is the earliest the outside decorations go up and finishes on the 2nd of Jan. 3 weeks of enjoyable different, quite enjoy the festive side of it, just don't get people putting decorations up before December.
Out and about at the moment and seen two houses in local area already with Christmas trees and outside lights already on. This early in November, that's deserving of a special punishment.
Mrs Egf is very organised. All the presents are bought AND wrapped, the cards (20 in total) are written out & one was delivered by hand yesterday. The tree is out of the loft (I was up yesterday for something else) but It won't be going up in the front room till the 2nd week of December at the earliest.
In reality neither of us can be arsed with Xmas & would rather be somewhere warmer, out the way.
Well I am taking the ife and 3 kids to Alexander this year to meet 'ACTUAL' santa for 4 days so by the time I get back I expect to actually shit mini santas
Alexander = lapland
In reality neither of us can be arsed with Xmas & would rather be somewhere warmer, out the way.
Why get involved then? If you have young kids I sort of get it but otherwise/
It to me is quite abhorrent the orgy of consumption and consumerism and the antithesis of what I believe in
Stop buy ungrateful folk shite they don't want. Put that money to charity instead
the only place I’ve seen anything Christmas related is here in this thread. When do I get it rammed down my throat?
Turn on any commercial tv channel and wait for the ad break.
Why get involved then? I
Token gesture.
Went to the Wonston Arms on Friday night. It was closed for a private party all of whom were Father Christmas's!
The only pub i know that you have to check on Twitter whether it is open or not!
Turn on any commercial tv channel and wait for the ad break.
what year is this? Commercial TV? Ad breaks? I’ll stick to streaming for sound and vision. That way I get to avoid being a grumpy bastard on here 😀
Haven't heard THAT song that must never be named yet thou "Las....."
Yeah, cos it’s only the proles who spend loads at Xmas, isn’t it!
Ok; enjoy your expensive Balenciaga tat then.
The whole start it in November nonsense spoils it for me though
I quite like the pretty lights and that. The West End can look amazing at this time of year. I do like some of the traditional shop displays too. Nothing wrong with a bit of creativity. It's the rampant consumerism that I can't stand.
'Happy Non-Denominational Winterfest' sounds ok to me. We can have Xmas, Channukah, Eid and Diwali all rolled into one! Much better range of food as well.
In reality neither of us can be arsed with Xmas & would rather be somewhere warmer, out the way.
I actually don't mind it, but I always try and get myself a nice little present.
(last year Hammerhead did an upgrade offer on the bike computer so did that).
I didn't really celebrate it and my birthday when we were full covid but now its a bit different,I'm actually somewhere warm and they do it twice, Chrissy and in January for 3 Kings and I don't think its uncommon for the young-uns to pop a Chrissy tree up on the beach on Christmas Day.
I’m just back from Aldi, with a copy of the Christmas food catalogue. It all looks yummy but they don’t really cater for the solo carnivore so I won’t be buying much of it.
Iceland used to do a nice big Yorkshire pudding with gravy and beef and carrots inside 🙂
The amount of tat that ends up in landfill from celebrating Halloween and Christmas is staggering.
As a member of our local wildlife trust, I was seriously considering sending gifts out of 'adopting a beaver' to all family members. It's a thoughtful, useful gift and most people nowadays just have too much stuff.
Know someone on my FB who's tree went up last week, he's not the full shilling though. Xmas for me starts about a week before the big day, which is plenty enough, Decs up about a week before, down just after NYD.
Greggs festive bake is available soon though, the only premature xmas shiz I'm on board with!
As a member of our local wildlife trust, I was seriously considering sending gifts out of ‘adopting a beaver’ to all family members. It’s a thoughtful, useful gift and most people nowadays just have too much stuff.
A friend of my wife's did that for her birthday once. Only it was an Otter. We went to look at it, at a nature reserve down in Barnes. It was a nice day out. The next year, she did the same with a rabbit. We went to see it (Vauxhall City Farm) but it wasn't there. Probably had died. The yea rafter that was some other creature in Norfolk. We never got around to taking a trip there. She didn't bother the following year...
Hmm I used to love the Cornish bakeHouse Christmas sausage rolls 🙂
I do keep a supply of Greggs self bakes in the freezer thou, haven't found an El Greggs yet.
Configuration - that made me giggle. There were indeed many choices of 'wild animal' , but who doesn't love a beaver?
Most of our decorations are decades old. They never get thrown away unless broken and beyond repair. Although I do like to support independent makers and sometimes buy a little handmade bauble for the tree. Also its a great time of the year for children to make their own decorations.
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without an STW moanfest of outrage 😆 😄
As said in many,many previous threads,it's not compulsory.. ho ho ho
Heartwarming to see the usual torn faced misanthropes frothing themselves into a rage over Christmas
And who would those be Bob? - projecting much?