Bah Humbug

stickywicket
stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
edited 2. Dec 2013, 05:39 in Community Chit-chat archive
This is the time of year when my inner Scrooge leaps to the fore. Don't get me wrong. I love Christmas. I just like Christmas to be at...er....Christmas?

It happened again today as it does every year – the first Christmas Card of Not-Yet-Advent-Even landed on the doorstep. Mr SW's cousin. I know because it always is and I recognise the hand-writing and, no, they will not be going away as they never are. They just believe in sending out Christmas cards mid-November.

It's sitting there waiting to be opened. I refuse to open Christmas cards before at least 1st December. Sometimes the ultra-early arrivals disappear before opening, probably chucked out with the old newspapers. I don't care. For me they actually detract from Christmas rather than adding to it. I guess I'm just a grumpy old woman :mrgreen:
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Steven Wright

Comments

  • villier
    villier Member Posts: 4,426
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sticky, I got three cards last Friday and people over the back from me have had there Christmas lights up in their window for about two weeks now, no you are not a grumpy old woman, either that I am one too :lol: xx
    Smile a while and while you smile
    smile another smile and soon there
    will be miles and miles of smiles
    just because you smiled I wish your
    day is full of Smiles
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    At the earliest Christmas should begin on 01 December. I was in a supermarket yesterday and spotted large bags of those lovely pastel-coloured sugared eggs. Come Boxing Day I have no doubt that the large eggs will appear on the shelves.

    The timetable of the world is speeding up. There were adverts for the 'going back to school kit' before the children had even broken up, mince pies in August, book your 2015 holiday before we've even had 2014, it's exasperating. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Susiesoo
    Susiesoo Member Posts: 358
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It brings out the grumpy old woman in a lot of us. I love Christmas and the build-up, but not before 1 December. For me the worst thing is the dreadful music in shops. So glad I don't work in one.

    Susie
  • Airwave!
    Airwave! Member Posts: 2,458
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Wouldn't mind the turkey sandwiches a bit more often........... :lol:
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    They want your custom and they want it now.

    I also got my first Christmas card yesterday! I think anything before 5th Dec is too early. Nowadays I get asked what I want in November and I really don't know. I haven't had time to get into the spirit of things in November.


    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I hate it when the Christmas adverts start in the middle of October! And then my neighbours always put up their decorations mid to end of December! And don't take them down till mid-January! I know I'm a big Scrooge but Christmas should start early December and finish 1st week of January! Bah-Humbug!! :|
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Airwave – :? why not have turkey sandwiches all year round? You don't have to roast an entire turkey every time :)

    Bubbadog - Strictly speaking the Christmas season starts after sunset on Christmas Eve and continues until Jan 6th (Twelfth Night) though, in some traditions, it carries on until the Sunday after that or even 1st February. So those who put up their decorations mid-December and take them down on 6th January might well be christians who are keeping to the spirit of their original feast.

    Before Christmas come the four weeks of Advent and that, in my book, is surely sufficient time to prepare, send cards and get decorations up. The rest is just commercial hype driving sales figures.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh Dear :?

    You alright Stickywicket?

    I LOVE Christmas lots and lots, but we don't do anything until after my youngest's birthday, 9th Dec. She is entitled to have her cards up like the others do I think :)

    (apart from chocolate filled advent calendars of course ;) )

    I used to enjoy making paper chains with my girls.......

    ah well - you ARE right it is just retailers cashing in on the season.

    Love

    Toni xxx
  • numptynora
    numptynora Member Posts: 782
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I must admit I hate christmas, it's just another day to me, people behaving like lemmings, panic buying as if the world is just about to end, pushing and shoving and awful kids running around not caring who they bump into or what they knock off the shelves :x
    Numps x
    Pets come into our lives, and then leave paw-prints on our hearts.
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sorry if I touched a nerve Sticky, Christmas is supposed to be a Christian celebration but it has become so commercialised now a days it has moved away from what it should be the youth of today just think it's a time to get presents! I'm glad channel 5 has done the series called 'the Bible' which starts on Saturday so it can make the youth of today understand the true meaning of Christmas.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    frogmorton wrote:
    Oh Dear :?

    You alright Stickywicket?

    I LOVE Christmas lots and lots, but we don't do anything until after my youngest's birthday, 9th Dec. She is entitled to have her cards up like the others do I think :)

    (apart from chocolate filled advent calendars of course ;) )

    I used to enjoy making paper chains with my girls.......

    ah well - you ARE right it is just retailers cashing in on the season.

    Love

    Toni xxx

    That is why I wait until the 5th December Toni. My Daughter gets her card and present(s) sent separately from her Christmas card and present(s)even though I could save on the postage and send it all in one envelope. The following day I go into Christmas mode.

    Elizabeth x
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Frog and bubbadog - I do apologise if I came over as tetchy :oops: I didn't mean to. I thought I was just stating facts in a neutral way.

    In the spirit of Christmas, I do hope everyone enjoys it in their own way. I know I'm going to have an absolute ball this year, if I can stand the pace. My 7 yr old grandson has already told me we're 'going to play 1,000 games together. while we're up there :shock: If anyone wants to know what to buy me, an oxygen cylinder wouldn't go amiss :lol:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I sometimes wonder if the baby Jesus was a store owner as its sooooo commercialised these days, we distressed years ago we only buy for the nippers now we don't send many cards either we make a donation to a charity and leave it at that, what use to get my goat the most was you'd rack your brains and wear ya shoes out wandering around trying to find things people might like then boxing day would role round and hey presto there's the kit you spent a fortune on being sold off for half the price you paid to some idiot who's camped out on the street for a week to get, and people call me mad!?. :mrgreen:


    Flip rant mode kicked in again, thats twice in half an hour maybe my spleen is fuller than I thought?.
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    In the local newsagent getting ohs sports paper they have a stand up with the well known brand of chocolate eggs on. :shock: :| :!: Mig
  • As5567
    As5567 Member Posts: 665
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This year Christmas does seem to be very early, I personally love Christmas and so does most of my family but we don't even think about putting up the decorations until at least the 2nd Sunday in December, it's just like easter come Jan 1st Cadbury creme eggs will be on the shelfs and towards the end of Jan/early Feb easter eggs will begin to appear.......why......because people will buy them and the retailers know that.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    As5567 wrote:
    This year Christmas does seem to be very early.

    :? Nope. December 25th, same as usual :lol:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • villier
    villier Member Posts: 4,426
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    trust you sticky :lol::lol: xx
    Smile a while and while you smile
    smile another smile and soon there
    will be miles and miles of smiles
    just because you smiled I wish your
    day is full of Smiles
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    This Christmas I'm spoiling spoiling my ever growing babies!! It's Arnie & Willows 1st Christmas and they have even got there own stockings! I know they are only cats but they had such a bad start in life they deserve to be spoiled! It's their 1st Birthday 6th December and we have got them a present and I've got them a birthday card! Yes I've gone slightly mad!! :lol:
  • applerose
    applerose Member Posts: 3,621
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I was told of a couple of friends of family who go to a fireworks display each year and put the Xmas decorations up when they get home that night so they'll be up for around two months. I couldn't stand looking at them for that long. I put mine up around a week before Xmas and take them down a few days after New Year. That's quite enough for me.

    I know people like to start shopping early so they pace themselves financially. The shops know this and they also know that the earlier people start, the more they buy because they keep buying right up until the shops close on Xmas Eve.

    I had to laugh Sticky. It's surprising how many people do say Xmas comes earlier every year. Of course, we all know what As5567 meant but it does sound funny. Last year, my niece, now 18, asked, "What date is Xmas on this year?" :lol: My sister always says she wishes it could be a bit later so she has more time to prepare. :roll:
    Christine
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Bubbadog, and others, you're going to hate me but I do find this funny and the cat clearly wasn't in a mood to just walk away.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm3dm5J5r0A
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • applerose
    applerose Member Posts: 3,621
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    :lol::lol::lol: I'm not sending anyone a cat this year but, if I ever do, I now know how to wrap one. (Take 2 Sticky. :lol: )
    Christine
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Its cyber Monday today where the laptops go into meltdown as everybody pays over the top for gifts. I'm adamant that the tree is going to go up a lot later this year and the presents will be smaller just to make it more special.

    I've told the OH I'm not buying for the adults anymore and that I might stay at home instead of the usual trudge over to his parents where he abandons me for the pub within 5 minutes of walking through the door. I'm not very popular at the moment.

    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I love the cat wrapping . Mig
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I wish my pair would sit still for more than 5 minutes! Yesterday I nearly had nervous breakdown trying to wrap Christmas presents with Arnie & Willow about! As soon as a parcel is delivered to the house the minute I take the item out one of them is in the box!
    That Utube clip of the cat being wrapped up was funny, that cat was so chilled out, and to have let the guy wrap him/her up in christmas paper the cat must have been on something!! Very funny though!