It gets earlier every year - and I've given in.

[PyreneesPlot]

As anti-consumerist atheists it is a good job we are both gourmands or Christmas really would be a damp squib!!

My mum is coming over as usual so the house will be decorated the day before she arrives with a tree, a homemade wreath and some mistletoe from the garden. We don't do cards or gifts (no kids), so other than ordering the goose (done) and making and feeding the cake, there's no reason to be tempted.

It probably all sounds very worthy and dull, but because we don't have two beans to rub together, the Christmas feasting really is a high spot of the year, when we get to eat stuff like sweets and chocolates and even wine out of a bottle rather than tetrapak .

We'll see neighbours and friends for drinks, go to the church in town for carols in French and English, and go to some night food markets.

What is important is that families do what they want to do, and not what they feel they ought to do.

[Martin H]

I quite like Christmas films but to quote someone else "There are 12 days of Christmas and not one of them is in November"

In fact only 7 of them are in December!

[seasprout]

I'm still waiting for over half the house to be carpeted, when that's done I might think about Christmas.... Or not.

[skeggijon]

It is only November but I've noticed lots of Christmas crap in the shops already and Channel 5 seems to be running continual festive films which I've been studiously avoiding.

I do like to be organised though so on Monday I did make a Christmas cake (half eaten now would you believe).I'll make another this week.

Yesterday I made the Christmas Puds, a big one for Christmas dinner, next size down to give to my sister and a couple of little ones to use up the mix.

I actually put them all away in a cupboard this morning.

This afternoon I went into the lounge to find my hubby watching "White Christmas" on some obscure TV channel.

I gave in and we had one of the little Christmas puds with brandy cream to finish our dinner (just to make sure they were okay of course)

So yes much as I moan I am guilty of letting Christmas creep into November.

Am I alone in this??

Isn't it a bit late for making xmas cake and puds?
I made ours in september and been giving them a weekly drink of brandy to ensure their just right for the day.

[Verinda]

Actually today is the traditional day for baking Stir-Up Sunday I only found out today or I would've been ready with my ingredients

I really can't stand the way Christmas has crept into November, two months of Christmas is just too much! My boys are quite grown up now but surely for younger children the magic of Christmas can't last for weeks on end?

[bramble]

I quite agree with you Verinda.
I was invited to an event this afternoon in a village not far from us.
They were lighting up the Tree in the centre of the village today.
They had a brass band playing carols, dressed-up Santa, fairy lights and stalls selling all the usual Christmas bits and bobs.
I went because friends of mine were involved and because they were raising funds for the hospice but its all gone out of hand.

[Verinda]

A Christmas market in November is too soon, we'll be worn out with Christmas by the time it actually arrives.

I hope they made lots of money for the hospice though.

[greenishfing]

It is only November but I've noticed lots of Christmas crap in the shops already and Channel 5 seems to be running continual festive films which I've been studiously avoiding.

I do like to be organised though so on Monday I did make a Christmas cake (half eaten now would you believe).I'll make another this week.

Yesterday I made the Christmas Puds, a big one for Christmas dinner, next size down to give to my sister and a couple of little ones to use up the mix.

I actually put them all away in a cupboard this morning.

This afternoon I went into the lounge to find my hubby watching "White Christmas" on some obscure TV channel.

I gave in and we had one of the little Christmas puds with brandy cream to finish our dinner (just to make sure they were okay of course)

So yes much as I moan I am guilty of letting Christmas creep into November.

Am I alone in this??

Actually realising today is Stir-up Sunday makes me feel less guilty. I only stole a few days on tradition. The rest of the Puddings are safely stashed away now.
The cake is now down to a quarter left and I have decided to make 2 more tomorrow evening, one to follow on from the one we are eating and the other to be designated "The Christmas cake" and be stored away. To be honest the recipes I use don't seem to improve with age (or deteriorate). They were the recipes my mother used and after I made the original cake last week I remembered that last year I changed the recipe slightly replacing some of the fruit with extra cherries so the next ones will be the new improved version.
Hopefully I can now forget about Christmas for about 3 weeks (unless National Lampoons Christmas vacation is on TV of course)

[KevinM67]

We've had our christmas decorations up since the last week in September. The presents have been under the tree since the end of last year, and my kids have been munching on out of date selection boxes we got cheap from a shady market staller.

I've downloaded every brutal remake of decent songs that our main shops think are trendy, recorded every sentimental video that oozes commercialism and have renewed my subscription to sky movies purely for the Christmas channel.

As a nation we've continually voted for parties that believe in neoliberalism economics - the 'big guy does best' and the fortunes of their wealth will trickle down to us peasents.

Let the big companies start early with their advertising - our pensions are dependent on them being successful over the festive period.

We should feel humble that John Lewis, Marks & Spencers, et al spend such vast amounts on adverts for our enjoyment and make Christmas what it is - if it wasn't for them, we'd be left with the boring religious cr@p.

[Bill HH]

I ignore Christmas until the 23rd Dec. Apart from a few simple reminders to my wife. We must have thyme and parsley stuffing (without lemon) for the turkey. We must have satsumas NOT clementines. On the 23rd I shall go shopping.

Actually this year we intended to completely break with tradition and have ordered a huge rib of beef, it costs more than I would expect to pay for second hand car! but when our children found out there was a riot and now we have to do turkey as well.