Xmas

[BigAl]

Scrawling through UK commercial radio stations earlier this morning (don't know why I bothered as they are all pretty much shite) and Heart Radio were playing Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas. Well I've got news for them, of course they don't know because it's not fucking Xmas, its the 12th of fucking November and SIX weeks until Xmas.

Don't know if it is just me, but this habit of getting earlier and earlier in celebrating Xmas boils my piss, and I have plenty of that at my age.

We have houses close by where lights are up outside the house, Xmas trees up inside and decorated. 

Supermarkets have had boxes of sweets on display for weeks, Xmas card displays and playing Xmas music.

Get a fucking grip folks, I know I'll be coming across as Bah Humbug and Scrooge like to some but surely the calendar should at least be showing the month of December before we are subjected to this.

P.S For the avoidance of doubt, I actually like Xmas Day and love seeing my grandkids with their presents before they head home and I can set about the alcohol everyone knows to buy me as a present 

[Jute2]

The Sainsbury’s round the corner from me started selling mince pies and Christmas cakes in July. Christmas stuff was up in most of shops in retail park on 1st November. At least two houses round us have had trees up since 5th November. Does seem to start earlier and earlier.

[CurlsLikeTattie]

I have a very strict code about this

• Supermarkets can start selling non-perishables on 1st November to allow people to gradually stock up and spread the cost.
• Nobody needs a mince pie before December (like nobody needs a hot cross bun - delicious thought they are - before Good Friday), so they can go on sale on December 1st.
• Christmas shopping can happen all year - it's good to be prepared. But you don't need to tell everyone. Christmas advertising (grudgingly) can start mid November.
• A Christmas tune cannot be played until December 1st.
• Christmas decorations cannot go up before December 1st (although in my house it is generally the weekend before Christmas so we aren't bored of them by the day)
• A work Christmas party cannot happen until after somewhere around 2nd Monday of December (this year 8th onwards is acceptable)
• Take the decorations down on Hogmanay. Start the new year fresh without the shit of last year hanging around.

If people can't adhere to this, at least get halloween out the way before the Christmas onslaught begins.

Think that covers it!

[swaddon]

A lot of people nowadays take down their Halloween decorations on the 1st November and put their Christmas decorations up at the same time.

I think there should be at least a two-week gap between the two, although I suppose it saves on making trips to the shed/loft/garage.

Edited November 12, 2025 by swaddon

[TheDonbytheDee]

I don't mind Xmas as such, but hate the adverts on the TV and songs being played so early.

No idea why you would want decoration's up in November either.

Each to their own and all that though.

[CurlsLikeTattie]

3 minutes ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

I don't mind Xmas as such, but hate the adverts on the TV and songs being played so early.

No idea why you would want decoration's up in November either.

Each to their own and all that though.

I probably sound a proper Grinch above. I do actually like Christmas, but 2 weeks of it is plenty or the novelty wears off......for me.

[swaddon]

I do wonder if some people get bored of having a tree up and scoffing mince pies while listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album for almost two months.

And don't get me started on Christmas adverts. That one for the jewellers (I want the Moon for my mum) has me projectile vomiting every time I see it. 

[Jupiter]

Why are they called mince pies when they don't have any mince in them?

[RicoS321]

41 minutes ago, Jupiter said:

Why are they called mince pies when they don't have any mince in them?

Because they were invented in 1746 by Sir Barry Mince. Ironically, he died on Christmas day a year later, after choking on a bone in his beef mince pie. Back then, Christmas Eve was the time for drinking, and Barry had had a skinful. Hungover on Christmas morning, he sneaked down to the kitchen before everyone woke and stole a pie reserved for the servants. The beef mince pie was their treat, not being allowed to share in the eight bird roast of their masters. The staff found him dead when they arrived for work. The local press went with the headline "Barry Mince-meat pies dies!". Many believed he would have gone on to be Prime Minister, had he not been taken to soon at the age of 74. He was knighted posthumously for his services to Christmas culinary tradition.

[tom_widdows]

3 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

Because they were invented in 1746 by Sir Barry Mince. Ironically, he died on Christmas day a year later, after choking on a bone in his beef mince pie. Back then, Christmas Eve was the time for drinking, and Barry had had a skinful. Hungover on Christmas morning, he sneaked down to the kitchen before everyone woke and stole a pie reserved for the servants. The beef mince pie was their treat, not being allowed to share in the eight bird roast of their masters. The staff found him dead when they arrived for work. The local press went with the headline "Barry Mince-meat pies dies!". Many believed he would have gone on to be Prime Minister, had he not been taken to soon at the age of 74. He was knighted posthumously for his services to Christmas culinary tradition.

And the fact some of you didnt know this shows how far education standards have fallen

[manc_don]

My wife bought a pack of mince pies the other day. I've refused to eat any until December. Also, having mince pies in a warmer climate is weird.

[BigAl]

17 hours ago, Jupiter said:

Why are they called mince pies when they don't have any mince in them?

The funny thing about mince pies appearing in the shops before we are properly into autumn is that often the best before date is several weeks before Xmas.

Anyway give it seven weeks or so and the Easter Egg displays will be up and running.

[manc_don]

7 hours ago, OneBrianIrvine. said:

But do you wait until after eight to eat an AfterEight?

Rules are rules

[tom_widdows]

15 hours ago, manc_don said:

My wife bought a pack of mince pies the other day. I've refused to eat any until December. Also, having mince pies in a warmer climate is weird.

The word warmer is doing some power lifting there unless something drastic has happened in the last 20 years.

[manc_don]

12 hours ago, tom_widdows said:

The word warmer is doing some power lifting there unless something drastic has happened in the last 20 years.

Haha it’s not med weather by any stretch, or even Auckland , but I’m sat here in T-shirt and shorts. So it’s definitely not autumn / winter weather.

[Mason89]

Christmas* officially starts after the poppy rage subsides

 

* if you can even call it that any more**

 

** you can 

[TheDonbytheDee]

30 minutes ago, Mason89 said:

Christmas* officially starts after the poppy rage subsides

 

* if you can even call it that any more**

 

** you can 

Be respectful min.

Their grandfathers died to allow us to put up Xmas decorations in November.

 

[Mason89]

1 hour ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Be respectful min.

Their grandfathers died to allow us to put up Xmas decorations in November.

 

Spot on. When my tree goes up this week, I'll be thinking back to Hearts victory against the Central Powers in WWI. If it wasn't for the Jam boys getting a rare European away win, we'd all be speaking German. 

[Kowalski]

8 hours ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Be respectful min.

Their grandfathers died to allow us to put up Xmas decorations in November.

 

Not only that but BigAl was actually there at the time. 

[TheDonbytheDee]

2 hours ago, Kowalski said:

Not only that but BigAl was actually there at the time. 

Fuck, don't tell him I don't buy a poppy now.

[BigAl]

2 hours ago, Kowalski said:

Not only that but BigAl was actually there at the time. 

That's just ridiculous, I didn't start my national service until six years after the end of WW 11

 

15 minutes ago, TheDonbytheDee said:

Fuck, don't tell him I don't buy a poppy now.

Shocked  

Thought better of you 

[Reekie_Red]

On 12/11/2025 at 23:56, CurlsLikeTattie said:

I have a very strict code about this

• Supermarkets can start selling non-perishables on 1st November to allow people to gradually stock up and spread the cost.
• Nobody needs a mince pie before December (like nobody needs a hot cross bun - delicious thought they are - before Good Friday), so they can go on sale on December 1st.
• Christmas shopping can happen all year - it's good to be prepared. But you don't need to tell everyone. Christmas advertising (grudgingly) can start mid November.
• A Christmas tune cannot be played until December 1st.
• Christmas decorations cannot go up before December 1st (although in my house it is generally the weekend before Christmas so we aren't bored of them by the day)
• A work Christmas party cannot happen until after somewhere around 2nd Monday of December (this year 8th onwards is acceptable)
• Take the decorations down on Hogmanay. Start the new year fresh without the shit of last year hanging around.

If people can't adhere to this, at least get halloween out the way before the Christmas onslaught begins.

Think that covers it!

Sounds fair enough rules. Send these out to the world and tell those rule breaking fuckers to pull their decorations down for the next 2 weeks 

[swaddon]

And another thing, why is snow associated with Christmas? It very rarely snows at Christmas (at least not where I live), but it's all over Christmas songs, cards, films, etc.

[RicoS321]

35 minutes ago, swaddon said:

And another thing, why is snow associated with Christmas? It very rarely snows at Christmas (at least not where I live), but it's all over Christmas songs, cards, films, etc.

Jesus loved snow, which you'd know if you'd paid attention at school.

[tom_widdows]

9 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

Jesus loved snow, which you'd know if you'd paid attention at school.

Was also passionate about 'hilarious' woolly clothing, Bruce Willis & Macauley Culkin films, and Halfords' Bike sales

He was some man!