What Christmas Trend you wish would go away?

Loughc

What is a Christmas trend you're glad is gone? What's one you wish would go away?

For me I wish the shops would stop opening on Stephens Day. Christmas should be spent with loved ones not in the shops.

And as for shops opening on Christmas Day... no. It’s really not fair on the staff either they are put under so much pressure to work those days.

Glitzgirl

Acting like Christmas just up and died after Christmas day. Weeks of build up then it's Christmas day then over , and you blink and the summer stuff in practically on the shelves

Loughc

Good point. The Lack of Christmas music on tv and radio after Dec 25th is shocking too.

Mam of 4

Loughc wrote: »

What is a Christmas trend you're glad is gone? What's one you wish would go away?

For me I wish the shops would stop opening on Stephens Day. Christmas should be spent with loved ones not in the shops.

And as for shops opening on Christmas Day... no. It’s really not fair on the staff either they are put under so much pressure to work those days.

But but , where would people buy all the batteries they forgot for the toys ??

I agree with you , I don't understand the need for anywhere to be open Christmas Day , when you think of all the trolley loads of shopping people seem to buy in the days beforehand .
It's Christmas Day , not a Famine .

honeybear

I’ll probably be slated here, but I’m not mad on the more recent Christmas jumpers

.red.

Michael Bublé!

Loughc

honeybear wrote: »

I’ll probably be slated here, but I’m not mad on the more recent Christmas jumpers

No slating here. It’s a fair point. I don’t hate them purely cause I see that as a trend that will die out quick enough.

Glitzgirl

I know I'm going against the grain here but I don't mind some shops been open on Christmas day. I know an older person who may want to pretend the day isn't anything bar a usual week day if they have no family around. Quiet sad to think about but I do know of cases where this happens:(

Personally I woudlnt be budging on Christmas day!

Milly33

I was just going to say the same. i wish the shop would close early on Christmas eve and stay closed for the day after Stephens Day.. Really horrible seeing people scrambling around and forgetting what Christmas is about

gmisk

12 pubs of Christmas... Drunken idiots taking over pubs in stupid jumpers eugh.

freshpopcorn

The shop one wouldn't really bother me to be honest. I even know of places and the staff have to be entered into a draw or take turns to work Stephen's day.
I don't like how Christmas ends very fast for some people.

Glitzgirl

honeybear wrote: »

I’ll probably be slated here, but I’m not mad on the more recent Christmas jumpers

I quiet like them It's like keeping the tacky Christmas jumper competition going all year:D plus I love watching me glitz squirm when I try ahem... convince him .... to wear one... priceless:D

freshpopcorn

I'd also like to see the quality of sweets/biscuits improving I wouldn't mind paying extra for it.
The packaging should be more Christmasy as well.
It being in a tub or tin wouldn't bother me.

wally1990

I love Christmas and everything that goes with it

However if I could change one thing it would the 12 pub drink trend

Whilst I love to have a drink myself a few nights out with friends at Christmas

I’m not fond of others getting absolutely locked over a silly trend and the annoyance it can be for others and emergency services

Toots

honeybear wrote: »

I’ll probably be slated here, but I’m not mad on the more recent Christmas jumpers

Yeah, I much prefer the more traditional jumpers. I had a really hard time finding one for my son this year that didn't have some awful slogan or hashtags on it.

Stores having the Christmas decorations in August (cough Newbridge cough)

Elf on the shelf. It's creepy as all get out and I'm under serious pressure from the little dude to get one.

Spanish Eyes

<Snip>

Yer Da sells Avon

F**king blue Christmas lights.

Purple Mountain

Toots wrote: »

Elf on the shelf. It's creepy as all get out and I'm under serious pressure from the little dude to get one.

You'll change your mind when you see the wonder and excitement on his fave every morning after the elf has moved!
Also. .and people please don't judge..they are good bribing tools..the elf knows if you don't brush your teeth etc!

Mountainsandh

I really wish the high end "visit to Santa" business would stop.
I'm pretty much finished with this myself, thankfully, but I think it places great pressure on people for an experience that is just overkill for most little ones.

At work there is a bunch of Mums panicking about booking this or that Santa visit in a posh place or other, miles away from where they live, and for a hefty price, weeks away from the event.
When you're the broke Mum who really can't afford the trip and that expense, it can feel like a lot of pressure.

I don't like that it raises the children's expectations of the whole Christmas celebration too, it's hard to explain, but I just feel it's like it's turning Christmas into a big Disney experience, when really a nice local Santa with a token gift arriving on a tractor or pony and trap is just as magical to the little ones, imo.

Glitzgirl

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I'd also like to see the quality if sweats/biscuits improving I wouldn't mind paying extra for it.
The packaging should be more Christmasy as well.
It being in a tub or tin wouldn't bother me.

Amen!!!

freshpopcorn

I also feel The Late Late Toy Show should be a bit more Christmassy. It looks more like a musical than a show associated with Christmas.

Glitzgirl

Toots wrote: »

Elf on the shelf. It's creepy as all get out and I'm under serious pressure from the little dude to get one.

Oh toots give in and get one!! We have more fun here than the little ones lol plus as the risk of ending up on the naughty list Google elf on the shelf adults for ideas ... you can 're use the little bugger with your OH when the kids are gone haha

Colser

I'd love if Santa didn't arrive in any shop etc until around the middle of December,it would just make it a bit more magical for young children imo..it just seems to take the good out of it going so early these days and then they've to wait weeks for the actual event...ideally I'd shorten the big lead up to Christmas thuese days and try to carry it on a few days longer after Christmas day..

Long story short I'd like it more as it was when I was young years and years ago.😳

Mountainsandh

Our elf didn't turn up last year, as he had moved on since the young fellow was 10...

(found it afterwards well hidden at the back of a press in the parents bedroom, ah well ! it ain't coming back now anyway)

DEFTLEFTHAND

Glitzgirl wrote: »

Acting like Christmas just up and died after Christmas day. Weeks of build up then it's Christmas day then over , and you blink and the summer stuff in practically on the shelves

Part of the over commercialisation of Christmas. It builds up from too early out and then cuts off abrupty after xmas day.

You can't flog xmas presents after the 25th so retailers swiftly move on into 'Sale Season'.


It would be cool to go back to the traditional 12 days, but money rules .

freshpopcorn

Colser wrote: »

I'd love if Santa didn't arrive in any shop etc until around the middle of December,it would just make it a bit more magical for young children imo..it just seems to take the good out of it going so early these days and then they've to wait weeks for the actual event...ideally I'd shorten the big lead up to Christmas thuese days and try to carry it on a few days longer after Christmas day..

Long story short I'd like it more as it was when I was young years and years ago.😳

A massive reason for this was in the past the Santa's grotto was in the corner of the shop. Now it's an experience and it takes ages. It's a big reason why it takes starts early.

Glitzgirl

Oh sorry clearly on a rant tonight! I wish wish wish people would get over this sudden aversion they have developed to sending actual Christmas cards by post ! People texting merry Christmas or not replying to a Christmas card just boils my blood

Loughc

Glitzgirl wrote: »

Oh sorry clearly on a rant tonight! I wish wish wish people would get over this sudden aversion they have developed to sending actual Christmas cards by post ! People texting merry Christmas or not replying to a Christmas card just boils my blood

I miss Christmas Cards too. Posting on social media or a WhatsApp message just isn’t the same.

ParkRunner

Fairytale of New York. Good song but time to move on!!

Caranica

Glitzgirl wrote: »

Oh sorry clearly on a rant tonight! I wish wish wish people would get over this sudden aversion they have developed to sending actual Christmas cards by post ! People texting merry Christmas or not replying to a Christmas card just boils my blood

You can thank An Post for that, stamps are €1 each, add in the price of cards means it's a pricey tradition. It killed me to stop last year but I felt much better making a donation to the SSF on here rather than send my usual cards.

I agree, 12 pubs needs to go. Hate it

baby and crumble

I agree re the new Christmas jumpers, the ones with the cheesy slogans. Give me a good fair isle any day, way more festive - and tbh more versatile you can actually wear them through November into January of February easily!

People changing their tree decorations every year or coordinating it with their decor. No. It's meant to look like the ghost of Christmas past threw up on your tree!!!

I also wish the trend of people MOANING about Christmas would f*ck off.

"it gets earlier every year!" No, Brenda, it doesn't. You're just a miserable bint. :P

(Ps 'Brenda' does not refer to anyone, 'Brenda' is my generic annoying biddy in my head, apologies for anyone called Brenda!)

Loughc

Yeah f*ck Brenda.

Also miserable bint is quite possibly my new most favourite thing ever.

Posy

One trend I could do without is the inevitable weight gain. :pac:

tickingclock

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I also feel The Late Late Toy Show should be a bit more Christmassy. It looks more like a musical than a show associated with Christmas.

Completely agree. Instead of a Disney theme they could just sing lots of Christmas songs instead of the token one song.

chuckles30

Definitely fed up of Christmas ending on Dec 25th.  In my world, Christmas doesn't end until midnight on Jan 6th. 
Shops should be closed on St Stephens Day in general.  I know one of the local small garage shops opened last couple of years on Christmas Day for the batteries etc, but they are not Christians, so they don't celebrate Christmas - fine if individuals make that decision.  But the big dept stores/supermarkets etc should remain closed and not expect staff who are dead on their feet from the mad rush up to Christmas to be in work at stupid o'clock on Stephens Day.  Personally, it would be the 28th/29th before I even want to leave the house, never mind go shopping.  In fact maybe move the January sales back to January altogether and let Christmas extend to what it should be!!

DvB

This thread may as well be written just for me....

I am incredibly old fashioned/old school/whatever about Christmas and the modern day evolution of christmas is in the vast majority of instances not good... most of the follwoing items I'll have mentioned on here previously as little things that bug me, generally I accept them as simply being thats the way it is nowadays & get over yourself but I still bemoan the fact they're not what they used to be.... hope that makes sense & I dont sound too grinchy!!

Anyway, my gripes...

1. Christmas music stopping at midnight on the 25th.... why? When I were a kid it was christmas tunes & jolly stuff right up until Jan 2nd... why has this stopped? Why have such a build up to chuck it all the bin the minute the clock hits midnight!?

2. Shops opening on Christmas day... no, no, no, no, no!!! People have 364/365 days to prepare for one day without the luxury of havuing somewhere spending more money... One of the greatest things in my memories of christmas growing up was the fact the whole country came to stop & allowed families spend time together, in todays world were we rush around constantly its never been more important to acknowledge family & friends IMO & not just 'head to the shops'

3. 12 pubs.... no! I'm at an age where I want to find one nice pub, cosy corner & chat with my mates. Partaking in such an event involving the chugging of large quantities of alcohol in a rammed sweltering hot pub whilst wearing an outrageous wooly jumper and then moving to another 11 just like it... no, just no! Having my quiet chat & pint ruined by an endless stream of these people is also less than enjoyable.... and fighting my way to the bar through them & their 'its all bants innit' is just, well, no!

4. New age christmas jumpers... no. Either retro or not at all IMO, the link between the newer outrageous (& tacky) ones worn as outlined in 3. above is no.

5. Christmas being 'earlier every year' ... eh, no! Its the same every year for as long as I can remember & I'll start talking about it when I want to. I listen to you talk cr*p about all sorts all year so I'll talk about crimbo from September if i want to. And maybe if you planned for it better you wouldnt be whinging about the having to go to the shops on christmas day to pick up batteries or suchlike (I'll refer you back to 2. above for that one)

6. The reference to christmas as 'the holidays' & 'happy holidays' & suchlike & the removal of the use of the word christmas...NO!!! Its christmas in this part of the world, always was & always will be, its not some heathen, muslim or jewish festival, & thats fine, but the country you live in (ireland) is predominantly christian and likes to refer to the festival at that time of year as christmas... so we'll actually use the name christmas if thats okay with you, so deal with it!

7... I'll need to continue this in another post, have to do some work!!:D

washiskin

The now annual social media moaners who have to post about BT's Christmas Shop :mad:

1. Some people love it.
2. BT is a big shop with several other departments.
3. No-one is forcing you to look at the decorations and trees, so kindly..
4. Bore Off!

Purple Mountain

This will make me sound like the Grinch but I wish that Christmas only happened every second year.
The years roll round so fast now that it only feels like six months between each Christmas.
There's too much expense and effort for it to happen every year.
I vote for a Christmas on even years only.

Jude13

I think its all been said, shops closed, silly Christmas jumpers, blue lights.

I didnt think anyone over about 28 did the 12 pubs thing? I agree with DvB, cosy corner and not having to move constantly.

I live in a muslim country and wish people a happy eid or ramadan in their native tongue so we should still to Merry Christmas not water it down to holidays.

Whispered

Elf on the shelf and the whole "santa is watching" crap annoys me. To us it's all a bit of fun but some kids get genuinely anxious over it and it's just not fair. Using something joyous and loving and turning it into a tool to manipulate kids.
(I know some of you do the elf but it seems to be all fun and mischief which is cute, I mean the elf who reports back and spies on the kids)

SANTA CAM is another example.

Milly33

Ohh that is a good one, hate that stupid ELF and his friends. I just think they take all the imagination out of Christmas and the wonder. Before you just saw the main man in the shopping centre and that was it, now you can watch him everywhere or his stupid Elf is watching you.

forgodssake

Milly33 wrote:

Ohh that is a good one, hate that stupid ELF and his friends. I just think they take all the imagination out of Christmas and the wonder. Before you just saw the main man in the shopping centre and that was it, now you can watch him everywhere or his stupid Elf is watching you.

In a way I agree with you , no elf in my time , but ... My three love it . Seriously they live for the elf arriving and then every morning running downstairs to see where he is . Kinda makes me wish I had one but in another one glad I didn't, if you know what I mean !!!!

Milly33

I get you, still though he annoys the crap out of me what happened to the good old robin

forgodssake

Milly33 wrote:

I get you, still though he annoys the crap out of me what happened to the good old robin

ya I get you too . there's too much for kids nowadays it's kind of overwhelming, but a bit of me still wishes I was young enough to revel in it ! just to see it all through their eyes .

freshpopcorn

Somebody got me an elf on the shelf when I was about 24 so when they were at work I plagued them with pictures.

forgodssake

freshpopcorn wrote:

Somebody got me an elf on the shelf when I was about 24 so when they were at work I plagued them with pictures.

Love it ! I love doing mad things with elf for when they come downstairs in the morning . Ah feck it it's our kids generation's nostalgia isn't it ?? it's gonna be different to ours whatever way we look at it .

freshpopcorn

I like the Christmas RTE Guide but I prefer when the cover is an actually photo shoot and everybody is dressed Christmassy in a Christmas environment than this drawing the last years.(l know some love it)
You can look at where it is and everything is bought/etc.

DvB

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I like the Christmas RTE Guide but I prefer when the cover is an actually photo shoot and everybody is dressed Christmassy in a Christmas environment than this drawing the last years.(l know some love it)
You can look at where it is and everything is bought/etc.

The cheesey looking 80's style Christmas RTE guides were the best...

honeybear

Purple Mountain wrote: »

This will make me sound like the Grinch but I wish that Christmas only happened every second year.
The years roll round so fast now that it only feels like six months between each Christmas.
There's too much expense and effort for it to happen every year.
I vote for a Christmas on even years only.

Think you’re posting in the wrong forum😀

r3nu4l

Toots wrote: »

Elf on the shelf. It's creepy as all get out and I'm under serious pressure from the little dude to get one.

Totally with you on this one. A massive marketing ploy that just adds more pressure to parents. Made worse by people sticking their noses in about how naughty their elf is and the mischief he gets up to...
Isn't the elf supposed to be good? Just like Santa would want?

Toots

r3nu4l wrote: »

Totally with you on this one. A massive marketing ploy that just adds more pressure to parents. Made worse by people sticking their noses in about how naughty their elf is and the mischief he gets up to...
Isn't the elf supposed to be good? Just like Santa would want?

The elf is posessed by the divil! God, everything about it just creeps me out and I know for sure that at some stage my husband would think it was absolutely hilarious to stick it on my pillow in the middle of the night, and I'd wake to see it's creepy dead eyes staring at me and scream the place down. My SIL does daily facebook posts about where their elf ended up every morning. I nearly unfriended her for the duration!

I agree the "santa is watching" thing can be a bit much, however last year it was like someone flipped a switch on December 1st and turned my normally-well-behaved 6 year old into the antichrist. I got an app on my phone where Santa rings the child and talks to them using their real name. You can pick why he's calling so say I could get him to call to warn my little dude about the naughty list because he wouldn't eat his dinner. Conversely, he also called to say well done to him for being brave at the doctor and getting his flu jab, so it worked both ways.

Another "trend" I wish would go away is the utter un-preparedness of the likes of Parcel Motel for the Christmas shopping season. It's not like they don't know it's coming - it's the same date every year! Yet every year it's utter mayhem if you order anything online after mid november.