It's begun again!

Cunning Stunt

Brown Thomas are ready!

http://breakingnews.ie/discover/spotted-in-brown-thomas-today-639786.html

orchidsrpretty

Brilliant! Due twins in November and I have always dreamed of being able to dress cute little babies in Santa outfits. I can't wait for Christmas this year!!

homersimpson

http://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/whats-on-news/warning-brown-thomas-christmas-shop-4075581

ComputerKing

Was in BT in Limerick today and they had a sign up saying the Christmas shop was open.

SarahLil

I've actually never been to the BT Christmas shop as much as I love christmas, must pay a visit this year

Loughc

SarahLil wrote: »

I've actually never been to the BT Christmas shop as much as I love christmas, must pay a visit this year

Me too! Been living in Dublin for 2 years now and I've never been! I need to get my act together haha!

SarahLil

Loughc wrote: »

Me too! Been living in Dublin for 2 years now and I've never been! I need to get my act together haha!

Lived here all my life Lol every other shops I visit I make a bee line for the Christmas shop as soon as the stock is in, have to accomplish visiting there this year

Cunning Stunt

Didn't penneys in city centre used to have a Christmas shop upstairs that ran all year round?

ComputerKing

I'd highly recommend that ye go its really worth it and you can find some great deals there. I haven't been to the Dublin one in years but its probably still better than our one in Limerick. I'll probably give it a check out next week as I didn't have time to get to see it last time as I was looking for a sports coat and only had 30mins.

SarahLil

ComputerKing wrote: »

I'd highly recommend that ye go its really worth it and you can find some great deals there. I haven't been to the Dublin one in years but its probably still better than our one in Limerick. I'll probably give it a check out next week as I didn't have time to get to see it last time as I was looking for a sports coat and only had 30mins.

Thanks will defiantly make a trip, believe it or not know one in my circle as ever said you have to head to BT, friends&family know I love christmas that much they would bring me back decorations from all over the world, my other half actually got me decoration "saying I believe" from Sanfrancisco, he likes to tease that I'm so into christmas I actually do believe

ComputerKing

SarahLil wrote: »

Thanks will defiantly make a trip, believe it or not know one in my circle as ever said you have to head to BT, friends&family know I love christmas that much they would bring me back decorations from all over the world, my other half actually got me decoration "saying I believe" from Sanfrancisco, he likes to tease that I'm so into christmas I actually do believe

I've got a few decorations from all over the world too. However sometimes I find it hard to incorporate them into out decorating and look. However one of my favourite decorations are 15 hand blown glass icicles from Germany I even had a video of them being blown somewhere.

EarnestH

To early for Christmas. It isn't even September.

Why is there an entire forum on Christmas/

Loughc

EarnestH wrote: »

To early for Christmas. It isn't even September.

Why is there an entire forum on Christmas/

You're in the wrong forum buddy. No nah humbugs are allowed here :-)

EarnestH

but surely you can express opinion

there is probably no mod until december

Posy

There's always a mod.

Don't post here again please.

snowgal

Annnnd, the roses and quality street are here! Were €12.99 in Dunnes last week now €6..and.so.it.begins!!:D the roses tin is new btw...

Loughc

snowgal wrote: »

Annnnd, the roses and quality street are here! Were €12.99 in Dunnes last week now €6..and.so.it.begins!!:D the roses tin is new btw...

If it's smaller again, I will cry!

EunanMac

Its very hard on families with low incomes and young kids, being put under "Christmas" pressure already. 4 months away ? I can't believe its starting already.

snowgal

I was trying to find out but couldnt remember what the tin weight was last year?? It lloked a little more compact but could be just the design, hopefully..

Loughc

EunanMac wrote: »

Its very hard on families with low incomes and young kids, being put under "Christmas" pressure already. 4 months away ? I can't believe its starting already.

Not really if anything selling Christmas stock now, gives low income families time to put down deposits, pay off week by week, save and plan better. If the stock only gets rolled out in shops in December how would that help low income families?

Loughc

snowgal wrote: »

I was trying to find out but couldnt remember what the tin weight was last year?? It lloked a little more compact but could be just the design, hopefully..

Last year's tin was 850g down from 975g

If it's less than 850g I give up, I remember the good old days of 1kg tins!

EunanMac

Loughc wrote: »

Not really if anything selling Christmas stock now, gives low income families time to put down deposits, pay off week by week, save and plan better. If the stock only gets rolled out in shops in December how would that help low income families?

There is only so much you can save up for when you're under a lot of pressure already and have many other big bills coming up. Water charges are also here in September, back to school loans have to paid off.
For 4 months now children and parents who can ill afford it, are going to have it in their faces day in day out. And advertising these days ensures nothing is ever enough.

Loughc

EunanMac wrote: »

There is only so much you can save up for when you're under a lot of pressure already and have many other big bills coming up. Water charges are also here in September, back to school loans have to paid off.
For 4 months now children and parents who can ill afford it, are going to have it in their faces day in day out. And advertising these days ensures nothing is ever enough.

But what I don't understand is, if the stock "isn't in their faces" until December, how will that make it more financially viable for them to afford it?

I'm from a large family myself and we had little to no money growing up, but my parents used to save on the build up to Christmas. And paying off items like toys and food week by week in advance, so they wouldn't be hit with a large bill at Christmas.

EunanMac

Loughc wrote: »

But what I don't understand is, if the stock "isn't in their faces" until December, how will that make it more financially viable for them to afford it?

I'm from a large family myself and we had little to no money growing up, but my parents used to save on the build up to Christmas. And paying off items like toys and food week by week in advance, so they wouldn't be hit with a large bill at Christmas.

As I have already tried to explain to you, families under pressure are already trying to say for many other bills coming up, while still paying off back to school bills. Christmas might be great for some people, but for many out there it is a time of incredible pressure.

Loughc

Well to be low income families are under pressure all year round, not just at Christmas!

They simplest way to but it, you can't spend what you can't afford. Sweets in tesco in September and all the advertisers in the world won't change that. I see an ad for a Ferrari every day to work, I can't afford one or want the pressure of a loan that size hanging over my head, I don't buy it.

It's the same concept with Christmas, yes advertising is rampant at Christmas but low income families don't buy into it. Christmas isnt about the commerical element at all, it's the sense of togetherness and love. My favourite Christmases were the ones when all my family were around, and not sitting around with expensive presents.

Toto Wolfcastle

Whether the build up starts in September or December, Christmas is always going to be hard for some people, financially or emotionally. There could be no advertising until Christmas Eve and it would still be tough for some people.

I'm loving seeing all the Christmas things arriving into the shops. It's so exciting. I wont buy any of it for a good while though!

EunanMac

Loughc wrote: »

Well to be low income families are under pressure all year round, not just at Christmas!

They simplest way to but it, you can't spend what you can't afford. Sweets in tesco in September and all the advertisers in the world won't change that. I see an ad for a Ferrari every day to work, I can't afford one or want the pressure of a loan that size hanging over my head, I don't buy it.

It's the same concept with Christmas, yes advertising is rampant at Christmas but low income families don't buy into it. Christmas isnt about the commerical element at all, it's the sense of togetherness and love. My favourite Christmases were the ones when all my family were around, and not sitting around with expensive presents.

You can surely appreciate that children, and peer pressure for children is very different.
I can't see how a four month build up and advertising pressure for "Christmas" is in any way beneficial for Children. It totally spoils it.

Loughc

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

I'm loving seeing all the Christmas things arriving into the shops. It's so exciting. I wont buy any of it for a good while though!

Usually from November I pick up some extra bits and pieces each week in the weekly shop. Makes the Christmas shop much easier to manage, financially and list wise!

Toto Wolfcastle

Loughc wrote: »

Usually from November I pick up some extra bits and pieces each week in the weekly shop. Makes the Christmas shop much easier to manage, financially and list wise!

Me too. I'd hate to leave everything until the last minute. November is the perfect time to start for me. I still love looking at the Christmas stock until then though. And if I get a craving for a chocolate reindeer in October I know I can pick one up easily.

Loughc

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Me too. I'd hate to leave everything until the last minute. November is the perfect time to start for me. I still love looking at the Christmas stock until then though. And if I get a craving for a chocolate reindeer in October I know I can pick one up easily.

THIS. This is my downfall haha! I must have consumed 10 bags of Snow Bites and mini Yule Logs BEFORE December even came around. The Christmas Chocolates are so nice and the limited availablity only makes them even more needed!

Toto Wolfcastle

Loughc wrote: »

THIS. This is my downfall haha! I must have consumed 10 bags of Snow Bites and mini Yule Logs BEFORE December even came around. The Christmas Chocolates are so nice and the limited availablity only makes them even more needed!

M&S had lovely chocolate orange Christmas trees last year. So good. It would be wrong not to eat them all while they're around.

Loughc

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

M&S had lovely chocolate orange Christmas trees last year. So good. It would be wrong not to eat them all while they're around.

M'obesity here I come, ho ho ho!

delw

Tesco clarehall started loading their shelves yesterday with biscuits & chocolate santas

Loughc

delw wrote: »

Tesco clarehall started loading their shelves yesterday with biscuits & chocolate santas

Haha that's my local Tesco's too. The weekly shop this week might be interesting haha!

freshpopcorn

Last Christmas we had nearly all our time of sweats, biscuits, chocolates, etc bought for ourselves and friends/family. We really stock up on them we even buy extra tins for Easter. We had all of these stocked up by the middle of November and we saved a lot because they had them in stock early and we were able to buy something if there was money left or we made an effort to buy them. My cousins uset have the problem of the kids getting excited in the supermarket before with Christmas/Halloween stuff so she used avoid those isles if she brought the kids shopping.
The minute Christmas is over you begin to see ads for Summer holidays/sun screen and summer clothes in the shops and nobody writes comments such as its bl##dy December on social media/boards.

Littlehorny

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

Didn't penneys in city centre used to have a Christmas shop upstairs that ran all year round?

They certainly did, remember it well. I rarely venture into town with the wife much, but when we went in a couple of years ago it was gone. I was sorry to see that little bit of year round Christmas cheer gone.
Was the shop not downstairs in the shop though?

Posy

The one on O'Connell Street used to be downstairs anyway, if I recall correctly.

Toto Wolfcastle

Loughc wrote: »

M'obesity here I come, ho ho ho!

I've started early this year. Terry's Chocolate Orange minis with snow on the front of the pack!

Loughc

Yea I had a packet of cadburys snow bites on the weekend watching xfactor!

snowgal

Loughc wrote: »

Last year's tin was 850g down from 975g

If it's less than 850g I give up, I remember the good old days of 1kg tins!

well Im afraid you may give up so. The roses tins (well plastic now, not tins!) are 753g this year, smaller and smaller they get....:(

Loughc

snowgal wrote: »

well Im afraid you may give up so. The roses tins (well plastic now, not tins!) are 753g this year, smaller and smaller they get....:(

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057280576/2/#post92113973

Yea I spotted that too

Toto Wolfcastle

The 'order your sofa now and get it in time for Christmas' ads have started. \o/

Scarinae

snowgal wrote: »

The roses tins (well plastic now, not tins!)

The plastic ones really annoy me! I usually keep tins because they're handy for giving people baked goods in, but I pretty much never get the tins back

Littlehorny

ONLY A HUNDRED DAYS TO GO FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!

Posy

Penneys have Christmas jumpers in!

Donald73

snowgal wrote: »

well Im afraid you may give up so. The roses tins (well plastic now, not tins!) are 753g this year, smaller and smaller they get....:(

Just buy 2 tins, problem solved lol.

I have started buying presents already, as a single mum I find it makes Christmas so much easier todo this so I start straight after my son's birthday in August. I have one of his main presents and some of the smaller ones already.

The sweets etc though last year when I bought early we kept opening them and having to replace which cost more in the long run so this year my sister is going to stash them all in her room as we buy them. She isn't the weak 'give in to temptation' type lol.

I saw the jumpers in Penneys they're quite nice.

SarahLil

Posy wrote: »

Penneys have Christmas jumpers in!

Pennys have jumpers in no way!! anything else?

Scarinae

I must go in and have a nose at this year's Christmas jumpers! They usually sell out before Christmas, don't they? I don't know about last year, but the year before they definitely did

Loughc

Scarinae wrote: »

I must go in and have a nose at this year's Christmas jumpers! They usually sell out before Christmas, don't they? I don't know about last year, but the year before they definitely did

They tend to sell out very early. I remember some friends leaving it late to get some a week before Christmas and the only ones they could get were for €60. Every other one was long gone.

Loughc

I just got an e-mail from Living Social today they are selling Christmas Jumpers for €15 RRP is €50.

shelly22

I was in pennys today, so excited to see all the christmas jumpers. They were putting some of there christmas stock out.
I just love when all the Christmas things are in the shops (even if it is September)