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Why does the buildup to Christmas start earlier every year?

24

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    meeeeh wrote: »
    I suppose excessive Christmas decorations on houses serve purpose though. They are very good indicator for prospective house buyers which estates to avoid.

    Brown Thoms wouldn't really be catering for the outdoor market!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    What about all those seasonal jobs that you'd take away from people. Shame on you!

    The natural progression being that retailers should start stocking, selling, and promoting Easter goods in shops in the lead up to Christmas.


  • Site Banned Posts: 2 brosewood


    People are wishing their lives away.


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,500 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    There's two threads you can bet your life on appearing on AHs every year.

    Good Friday alcohol ban and buildup to Xmas beginning earlier each year.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,441 ✭✭✭✭jesus_thats_gre


    There's two threads you can bet your life on appearing on AHs every year.

    Good Friday alcohol ban and buildup to Xmas beginning earlier each year.

    Ironically, those old threads could be used to prove or disprove the theory quite easily ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    The main why it starts at this time of the year is there's a demand for it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    We'll be wrapping tinsel around our Easter eggs next - Victor Meldrew


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 386 ✭✭Spider Web


    It's not getting earlier each YEAR, August is the usual starting month.
    How did you reach that conclusion?!

    Anyway, I simply love Christmas, and part of the enjoyment for me is the anticipation of when it starts to get Christmassy, so I personally really don't like any sight of it before Halloween. It's not because I'm a "Bah humbug" at all - it's the opposite!

    Early November onwards is loads imo.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    Spider Web wrote: »
    How did you reach that conclusion?!

    If your into following things about Christmas Brown Thomas decided about five or six years ago to open the Christmas shop in mid August and they've being doing it ever since. (They basically copy selfridges who open it in July.)


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  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,902 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    When I was in New York for the first time when I was 15 I couldn't believe seeing Christmas shops open and selling their wares in July. This was 27 years ago.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    There are Christmas shops in New England open all the year round


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,544 ✭✭✭Samaris


    Funny this thread should come up. My fiance was spluttering last night that one of the shops he was in was playing Christmas music in August. Christmas had started to take over the Americans' Thanksgiving, but now it's skipped Halloween/Harvest festival and is right into mid-harvest season?

    Stand firm against the Christmas invasion! No Christmasing until at -least- start of Advent/start of December (I'll grumble but allow for whichever is earlier). Punishable by being forced to sit in a cell with a twelve-hour loop of Slade's Merry X-Mas Everyone.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,994 ✭✭✭sullivlo


    I love Christmas. The entire thing is incredible. The food. The drinks. The time off work. Being able to spend the day eating chocolate in your jammies and not be judged. The joy on the kids faces when Santa comes... I love Christmas.

    Unfortunately it's not fun in August, September or October. I begrudgingly accept it in November. On the 1st December I break out the Christmas wardrobe.

    But this year, with everything in the world in ****, part of me is enjoying seeing Christmas early. It's giving me something to look forward to.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,633 ✭✭✭✭Widdershins


    I don't mind it but it's too early to sustain any sense of wodner or continually look forward to it. It will be an everyday thing by the time it's actually here.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭r93kaey5p2izun


    I don't think it is getting earlier every year - I think there was a shift to starting earlier some time around 2000 and it's been like that ever since. This thread is the only sign of Christmas I've seen.

    I love Christmas but I also love other parts of the year so I would prefer if the build up didn't start until at least Halloween, preferably December. I don't mind seeing the odd tin of sweets in shops, or a Christmas catalogue, but full on Christmas decorations in the shops is sad to see before November. However, I do think there's a gap in the market for a proper Christmas shop in Dublin. I find them in every city I visit to buy souvenir decorations and Lisbon is the only other place I've come across with no Christmas shop.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Doesn't want to hear about Christmas early.

    Starts thread about Christmas in August.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,311 ✭✭✭patrickbrophy18


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I hadn't thought of Xmas until you started this thread.

    To be fair, the following article may have prompted the poster to start the thread:

    http://www.thejournal.ie/christmas-shop-brown-thomas-3550553-Aug2017/

    It was quite a prominent article a couple of days ago.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    seamus wrote: »
    It doesn't. It's all in your head.

    What actually happens is that as you get older, you are less aware of the passage of time; you're busy, you're better able to disengage your brain and shut down instead of getting bored.

    As a result, every year the Xmas rush sneaks up on you just a little bit faster than you expected. As a child, it felt like Xmas would never come. As an old fogey, it feels like Xmas starts earlier every year.

    It doesn't.

    No, it does.

    Of course Christmas feels like it will never come for a child because they are looking forward to it so much. It doesn't mean that the hype always started as early as it does now. The advertising only started in earnest from late November onwards when I was a kid. The wait for Christmas must be utterly torturous for children these days because the hype does start much earlier now. Now, the advertising starts in earnest the very day after Hallowe'en. That most definitely didn't happen when I was a child in the late 80s and early-to-mid 90s.
    Early Christmas buildup at least also provides an invaluable opportunity for the usual bores to wheel out their hoary student union chestnuts about 'consumerism' , 'forced jollity' and capitalism.

    If it comes up a lot, it's probably because there is a lot of truth in it. I love the food, family and decorative aspects of Christmas, love them, but I genuinely hate how much pressure the season puts on people financially and the stress that goes with that. And I'm well past my student days. If that makes me a bore, so be it.


  • Posts: 6,025 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]



    At this point only March,April,May,June,July are relatively Christmas-free but those months are also slowly being eaten into and a thicker level of "background Christmas" persists year round.

    'A thicker level of background CHristmas' :)

    Had to think on that a minute, but i get ye


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    I must hold my hand up here and admit that I like to watch Christmas song songs on Youtube during the summer now and again.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    Now, the advertising starts in earnest the very day after Hallowe'en. That most definitely didn't happen when I was a child in the late 80s and early-to-mid 90s.
    I too was a child in the 80s to 90s and I remember seeing Xmas ads just after Hallowe'en and hearing the lamenting that Xmas never used to start being advertised until December.

    I'm sure that was true at one point; remembering that this country was dirt poor a few decades ago; but the race to Xmas began after Halloween for as long as I can remember.

    It's not full-on. There are certain iconic ads and brands that deliberately hold off, if you watch. Guinness, Coke, Budweiser, etc all hold their ads off until late November. But the ads in general start trickling out at the start of November and always have in my experience.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    I live in Edinburgh and there's a shop on the Royal Mile open all year round. Must be good money to be made, otherwise it would be a Starbucks by now!

    The likes of BT only open their depts. in August for the fanfare and grumbles they generate on social media, I'm convinced of it. Folk will still go in for a wander so the footfall count will justify it.
    Personally I try and block it all out until the middle of November at the earliest.
    Quite hard to do this year with Boots "re-imagining" an Xmas song for their summer advert. Incredibly lazy marketing to say the least.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,633 ✭✭✭✭Widdershins


    So I got my live Christmas tree!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    seamus wrote: »
    I too was a child in the 80s to 90s and I remember seeing Xmas ads just after Hallowe'en and hearing the lamenting that Xmas never used to start being advertised until December.

    I'm sure that was true at one point; remembering that this country was dirt poor a few decades ago; but the race to Xmas began after Halloween for as long as I can remember.

    It's not full-on. There are certain iconic ads and brands that deliberately hold off, if you watch. Guinness, Coke, Budweiser, etc all hold their ads off until late November. But the ads in general start trickling out at the start of November and always have in my experience.

    Well, we'll have to disagree because it didn't happen in my 1980s and 1990s corner of Ireland.

    It is very much full on now. The department store and big retailer television Christmas ads, apart from maybe John Lewis, start in earnest on the 1st of November. And countless other companies too. That a few companies hold back doesn't change that. It's not a trickle, it's an opening of the dam. It is most certainly more intense than 20 to 30 years ago. The change from one day to the next is staggering, at least to me. Such noise.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    Well, we'll have to disagree because it didn't happen in my 1980s and 1990s corner of Ireland.

    I was born in Early November 1992. My parents kept a few papers from a few days before and after. One day I found them and they were full of ads about Christmas toys/appliances gifts for Christmas.
    I was always l was always lead to believe that these ads didn't begin until December until I saw the papers!


  • Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 77,653 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    I recall in the 70's we used to wait the Autumn/Winter mail order catalogue coming out around July, as it would have a all the kids toys and other XMas stuff filling up the backend and we could start planning our pleas to Santa.

    Of course if it does continue to start earlier each year at some stage everything will overlap and we'll be getting ready for the next but one XMas (or back to square 1).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    I was born in Early November 1992. My parents kept a few papers from a few days before and after. One day I found them and they were full of ads about Christmas toys/appliances gifts for Christmas.
    I was always l was always lead to believe that these ads didn't begin until December until I saw the papers!
    Beasty wrote: »
    I recall in the 70's we used to wait the Autumn/Winter mail order catalogue coming out around July, as it would have a all the kids toys and other XMas stuff filling up the backend and we could start planning our pleas to Santa.

    Of course if it does continue to start earlier each year at some stage everything will overlap and we'll be getting ready for the next but one XMas (or back to square 1).

    Yes, we'd get the Toymaster catalogue in maybe early Autumn but that makes some sense to me. We'd say what we wanted and forget about it for a while then until the start of Advent and when the Christmas concert prep would begin at school.

    Last year, my husband and I watched the telly on November 1st, completely in horror at the aggressive onslaught for Christmas ads on all channels. We're talking every ad, pretty much, was a Christmas ad. Seriously. It absolutely was not like that until the last few years really. Not even ten years ago.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    I blame Wizzard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    The late Gerry Ryan did a week dedicated to Christmas in July once


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Planning on going Easter shopping in October to get some bargain chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies etc, ready for Easter (which will only be five months away) at that point in the year :eek:


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 386 ✭✭Spider Web


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    Well, we'll have to disagree because it didn't happen in my 1980s and 1990s corner of Ireland.

    It is very much full on now. The department store and big retailer television Christmas ads, apart from maybe John Lewis, start in earnest on the 1st of November. And countless other companies too. That a few companies hold back doesn't change that. It's not a trickle, it's an opening of the dam. It is most certainly more intense than 20 to 30 years ago. The change from one day to the next is staggering, at least to me. Such noise.

    September is when Tesco deck out their Christmas section and when that Christmas Movies TV channel starts airing. When we were kids in the 80s and 90s, mere murmurs of Christmas would commence after Halloween, but that was it. Murmurs only. Ads and decorations only started two or three weeks after.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,483 ✭✭✭✭blade1


    valoren wrote: »
    Only 130 sleeps to go!!!!

    Even better news for insomniacs.
    Only 2 sleeps 'til Christmas for them!!:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    Spider Web wrote: »
    September is when Tesco deck out their Christmas section and when that Christmas Movies TV channel starts airing. When we were kids in the 80s and 90s, mere murmurs of Christmas would commence after Halloween, but that was it. Murmurs only. Ads and decorations only started two or three weeks after.

    +1. You'd hear faint rumblings post-Hallowe'en but that was it. Now it's a full blown storm.

    People coming out in a jaded, knowing way with "Oh it was exactly the same twenty years ago, you just didn't notice. People just like to grumble." are talking through their hoops. It simply wasn't.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    According to some sources, Jesus was born in September, so that could be Christmas coming early.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    I'm going to start doing my Christmas shopping for Christmas 2018, sixteen months from now, before the rush ....

    I don't want to miss any bargains!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭erica74


    I heard an ad on the radio today for one of those santa experience thingies, I haven't even thought about Halloween yet!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    erica74 wrote: »
    I heard an ad on the radio today for one of those santa experience thingies, I haven't even thought about Halloween yet!

    Those things generally start in about mid November tough and they can book out fast. There a little like Christmas parties.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 386 ✭✭Spider Web


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    +1. You'd hear faint rumblings post-Hallowe'en but that was it. Now it's a full blown storm.

    People coming out in a jaded, knowing way with "Oh it was exactly the same twenty years ago, you just didn't notice. People just like to grumble." are talking through their hoops. It simply wasn't.
    Aye, it sometimes feels like "Things haven't changed - you're just getting old/looking at life with rose-tinted specs" has become the new "In my day, things were better!" :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    Spider Web wrote: »
    Aye, it sometimes feels like "Things haven't changed - you're just getting old/looking at life with rose-tinted specs" has become the new "In my day, things were better!" :)

    Oh, totally. There's an air of "You're such a sheep/conformist/unimaginative sod to be coming out with that "in my day" stuff, maaaan, things have always been this way." Some things have feckin' changed, FFS!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,546 ✭✭✭✭Poor Uncle Tom


    FFS it's August! why am I hearing ads for the 'greatest santa experience' on the radio? It just makes me want to never visit that place......


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭erica74


    If you don't have kids you probably shouldn't visit that place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    These ads should be broadcast at the start of December.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,844 ✭✭✭✭somesoldiers


    branie2 wrote: »
    These ads should be broadcast at the start of December.

    and threads about same should be started then too- tis is he first mention of Christmas for me this year- Cheers, only 4 bleedin months left


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    and threads about same should be started then too- tis is he first mention of Christmas for me this year- Cheers, only 4 bleedin months left

    There used to be a thing here were Christmas related threads weren't done until a month before Christmas.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 18,693 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kimbot


    MOD Threads merged, we only need one thread for the ould christmas rant.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    Ads for Christmas parties usually come out around this time as well


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,849 ✭✭✭✭freshpopcorn


    FFS it's August! why am I hearing ads for the 'greatest santa experience' on the radio? It just makes me want to never visit that place......
    branie2 wrote: »
    These ads should be broadcast at the start of December.

    These experiences take a lot of planning and preparation in the coming weeks. They generally get booked out fairly fast. Business need to know what to order/staff/etc.
    I saw a good few articles regarding taking on seasonal workers from late September and nobody was complaining.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,091 ✭✭✭backspin.


    Merry Christmas folks


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,005 ✭✭✭pilly


    Why did OP start this thread, it's just got me thinking about Christmas. Bah humbug, hate it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    pilly wrote: »
    Why did OP start this thread, it's just got me thinking about Christmas. Bah humbug, hate it!

    You will be visited by three ghosts tonight!


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