Christmas Out of Season 2020

Loughc

Cheap Christmas Treats in January?
Someone with their tree still up in February?
A Christmas film on TV in the middle of March?
Fairy lights for sale in April?


If so, this is the thread for you! Come in and let us know if you've seen something magical and festive at any random time of the year.
And photos of anything festive are always very welcome.

Loughc

Is anyone else disappointed by the discounted chocolate in the supermarkets? Dunnes didn’t have anything really. If anything it’s now I need the chocolate more than Christmas

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

Is anyone else disappointed by the discounted chocolate in the supermarkets? Dunnes didn’t have anything really. If anything it’s now I need the chocolate more than Christmas

More than happy to stay away from all things chocolate until Easter myself... ate way too much of it over Christmas.

gidget

Still have an unopened tin of biscuits, Celebrations sweets & a box of Dairy Milk as well as various leftover Heroes, Milk Tray & Lindt so i’m going to be engulfed in chocolate heaven for a little while longer though I’m being good & I’ve been increasing my fruit intake since returning to work on Monday & it will be my first day back in the gym on Saturday (God help me)

Jude13

The silver lining here (where there is a 100% sin tax on pork) is that pork products are massively discounted, though their use by date is in the next day or two. I plan on hitting the one shop near me that sells pork this weekend and stocking up.

DvB

Driving around to the train station this morning & one house in our estate still had their full regalia of external lights up blinking away... having seen that I had a look out for the one apartment that for the last few years has kept their external lights on until near the end of January (I'd normally see it in the evenings when out running) but the entire block was in darkness & decoration free this morning, must check it tonight when I'm out for a run.

Loughc

DvB wrote: »

Driving around to the train station this morning & one house in our estate still had their full regalia of external lights up blinking away... having seen that I had a look out for the one apartment that for the last few years has kept their external lights on until near the end of January (I'd normally see it in the evenings when out running) but the entire block was in darkness & decoration free this morning, must check it tonight when I'm out for a run.

I noticed a good few last night in my estate when out walking the dog all with the external lights still on and shining, I think a few places will leave them up until this weekend. I know I wouldn't have the energy or time to take them down after work during the week.

TRS30

DvB wrote: »

Driving around to the train station this morning & one house in our estate still had their full regalia of external lights up blinking away... having seen that I had a look out for the one apartment that for the last few years has kept their external lights on until near the end of January (I'd normally see it in the evenings when out running) but the entire block was in darkness & decoration free this morning, must check it tonight when I'm out for a run.

Only saw one house with full compliment of lights blazing away on way home last night. A few with one outside decoration still up but not light. Estate looks so dark now

Scarinae

Jude13 wrote: »

The silver lining here (where there is a 100% sin tax on pork) is that pork products are massively discounted, though their use by date is in the next day or two. I plan on hitting the one shop near me that sells pork this weekend and stocking up.

Fill your freezer with all the pork!

We still have all our decorations up, we'll probably take most of them down this weekend but I'm tempted to leave the outdoor lights up. They look very pretty in the snow and nobody else around here seems to have taken down their outdoor lights yet.

Posy

Next year, the first day of 'Not Christmas', the 7th January, is on a Thursday. I'm definitely leaving everything up until the Saturday 9th then!

I have all my decorations down now, garlands, wreath, crib etc... the main sitting room tree is turned off (haven't the time or energy to put it away after work) but my hall tree and kitchen trees are still shining brightly, and will do so until the weekend.

I seen a few wreaths still on doors when walking the dog yesterday evening, which was cheery.

Loughc

I counted 11 houses with decorations still up tonight when out for my walk. Very festive.

Loughc

Posy wrote: »

Next year, the first day of 'Not Christmas', the 7th January, is on a Thursday. I'm definitely leaving everything up until the Saturday 9th

I seen a few wreaths still on doors when walking the dog yesterday evening, which was cheery.

Also fantastic idea. I’ll be doing the same myself!!

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

I counted 11 houses with decorations still up tonight when out for my walk. Very festive.

Not one left out our way. Driving home from my inlaws at 8.30 and didnt see a single house decorated on the way and that was from D13 to D15.

harr

Two houses near me still have everthing up and lights turned on ...a number of years ago one particular house had everything still in place and lights on till beginning of February. Maybe the occupants had a good reason or maybe they just love Christmas but mid November till February is a bit much.
One thing I will be doing this year is saving a regular amount each week from this week to off set the cost. Kids are getting older now and we found this year particularly expensive.

jogdish

picked up a set of 300 net fairy lights in Woodies for €21, meh 'deal'

Loughc

Just seen ads for Christmas2u on virgin media.

TRS30

Loughc wrote: »

Just seen ads for Christmas2u on virgin media.

Will be paying for the Christmas just gone for another couple of months

Loughc

Donaghmede shopping centre still has it’s Christmas decorations up inside. Like all of them

Graces7

Observing Orthodox here; Christmas was January 7th and New Year is January 14th.

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

Donaghmede shopping centre still has it’s Christmas decorations up inside. Like all of them

To be fair that shopping centre is still in the 1970's

Loughc

DvB wrote: »

To be fair that shopping centre is still in the 1970's

Oldest shopping centre n Dublin... or so I'm led to believe :pac:

DvB

Loughc wrote: »

Oldest shopping centre n Dublin... or so I'm led to believe :pac:

I'd well believe it.
I know it was the site of the first Kays kitchen too!

TRS30

Loughc wrote: »

Oldest shopping centre n Dublin... or so I'm led to believe :pac:

Showing my age however when I was in short pants, this and Northside where the only shopping centres going. Getting to go upstairs to the toyshop was a rare treat.

DvB

TRS30 wrote: »

Showing my age however when I was in short pants, this and Northside where the only shopping centres going. Getting to go upstairs to the toyshop was a rare treat.

Remember it well. We had relatives living in Baldoyle & we used to pop in there occasionally, remember getting some die cast metal battleships in that upstairs toy shop (convinced its moved unit though, always remember it being were the upper floor of Dunnes is now) when i was about 7 or 8... its one of my earliest memories now. Amazing how much you forget as you get older.

Never liked Northside SC.

TRS30

DvB wrote: »

Remember it well. We had relatives living in Baldoyle & we used to pop in there occasionally, remember getting some die cast metal battleships in that upstairs toy shop (convinced its moved unit though, always remember it being were the upper floor of Dunnes is now) when i was about 7 or 8... its one of my earliest memories now. Amazing how much you forget as you get older.

Never liked Northside SC.

Haven't been inside in years. I have a vague memory of it being in front of the steps when you went upstairs.

Have reconnected with a couple of friends from school who haven't seen in 20+ years. When we chat about 'the old days' its amazing how we all remember different things!

Posy

The Northside has had a refurbishment and makeover in the last couple of years.

It's caught up to 1992 now.

Loughc

Posy wrote: »

The Northside has had a refurbishment and makeover in the last couple of years.

It's caught up to 1992 now.

This is true :P

Caranica

So, I decided to plug the tree back in tonight. It's been a mental week so was planning to take it down tomorrow but had plugged it out.

Had a crap day in work today, was supposed to be off as it's my birthday but had to go in. So I'm being nice to me tonight and I wanted to plug the tree in, so I did

Caranica

Loughc wrote: »

Is anyone else disappointed by the discounted chocolate in the supermarkets? Dunnes didn’t have anything really. If anything it’s now I need the chocolate more than Christmas

Tesco in Cabra tonight:

Celebrations tub €1.50 (dated February)
Elite teacakes tin €3
Tubes sweets (jelly tots, buttons etc) 57c
225g Butler's chocolates €2.12 (dated September so great presents)

Had other stuff too but didn't purchase those so not sure of the prices

kitten_k

Happy birthday Caranica

fundi

Only 349 days or so to go until next Christmas.

Mam of 4

Happy Birthday Caranica , hope the lights on the tree brightened your day

Caranica

Thanks kitten_k and Mam of 4! Putting the lights on definitely brightened my birthday. I will try to take it down today, success not guaranteed

Loughc

Counted 13 trees still lit from clarehall to Donaghmede tonight.

Loughc

Also got the large Christmas smarties tubes in Tesco clarehall tonight for 57cent. Needed after a long ass week. The diet can wait until Monday :P

DvB

Sitting down with herself to watch 'Last Christmas'

We both said we're over Christmas but kinda want to not wait a whole year to watch it.

Caranica

DvB wrote: »

Sitting down with herself to watch 'Last Christmas'

We both said we're over Christmas but kinda want to not wait a whole year to watch it.

I wish I'd never seen it. Was so disappointed!

DvB

Caranica wrote: »

I wish I'd never seen it. Was so disappointed!

Ah it was okay, just. The start was really poor though, we were tempted to turn it off but said we'd give it a chance and ended up watching it all. The 'twist' was terrible, even the mrs copped it and she never sees twists coming and freely admits it.

As pretty as she is Emilia Clarke is not a great actor, even in something as vanilla as this.

Would have expected alot more from any project with George Michael associated with it, doubt if he was still alive it would have been this!

4.5/10

Loughc

Loughc wrote: »

Counted 13 trees still lit from clarehall to Donaghmede tonight.

Down to 3 now.

Noticed the mystic/magic in the air when out for a walk is gone. Even on a full moon night

Roll on September.

Littlehorny

Loughc wrote: »

Down to 3 now.

Noticed the mystic/magic in the air when out for a walk is gone. Even on a full moon night

Roll on September.

There is two or three houses still lit up here as well (Ashbourne). Do some of the Eastern Europeans celebrate a form of little Christmas around the 12th of January or something?
Must look it up

Loughc

Littlehorny wrote: »

There is two or three houses still lit up here as well (Ashbourne). Do some of the Eastern Europeans celebrate a form of little Christmas around the 12th of January or something?
Must look it up

I think you’re right!!

TRS30

Mam of 4 wrote: »

Happy Birthday Caranica , hope the lights on the tree brightened your day

Belated happy returns. I'm a believer in doing whatever makes you happy so if you want to light your tree, go for it

DvB

Littlehorny wrote: »

There is two or three houses still lit up here as well (Ashbourne). Do some of the Eastern Europeans celebrate a form of little Christmas around the 12th of January or something?
Must look it up

One of the Polish mums at our teams Hurling tournament yesterday said they still had all their decorations still up internally, had taken down the external ones because everyone else had but said traditionally they leave them up until Jan 12th. So that makes more sense now.

It seems we were part of a trend to take them down on NYD as pretty much everyone else said they did the same & had them down before going back to work on the Thursday. & there was me thinking I'd be explaining that one over & over.

CheerLouth

I couldn't take my decorations down on New Years Day. It's actually Christmas Day Mark 3 in our house (2 being St. Stephen's Day). We have a big dinner and chill out. I find taking decorations down very stressful so I have to wait, I like leaving it until as close as possible to the 6th.

jr86

CheerLouth wrote: »

I couldn't take my decorations down on New Years Day. It's actually Christmas Day Mark 3 in our house (2 being St. Stephen's Day). We have a big dinner and chill out. I find taking decorations down very stressful so I have to wait, I like leaving it until as close as possible to the 6th.

Speaking of which - NYD is a Friday this year! So two full days off after

I much prefer how the Christmas schedule falls in 2020 myself

Sure won't feel it coming around again :pac:

Loughc

jr86 wrote: »

Speaking of which - NYD is a Friday this year! So two full days off after

I much prefer how the Christmas schedule falls in 2020 myself

Sure won't feel it coming around again :pac:

Same!! The 2020 schedule falls very sweetly this year.

DvB

I reckon the break will be shorter for me for Christmas 2020. The last 2 I've taken 2 full weeks off, but with our office likely to close on Weds 23rd and come back on Monday 4th I'll probably just go with that & have the little over a week off, unlss the school holidays throw a spanner into the works which they probably will. It'll mean I've more leave to take during the year though if I can.

I loved having 2 full weeks off for Christmas 2018 but for 2019 it felt a little dragged out, so having a shorter break may not be a bad thing, especially as we're planning a lower key one this time around.

jr86

DvB wrote: »

I reckon the break will be shorter for me for Christmas 2020. The last 2 I've taken 2 full weeks off, but with our office likely to close on Weds 23rd and come back on Monday 4th I'll probably just go with that & have the little over a week off, unlss the school holidays throw a spanner into the works which they probably will. It'll mean I've more leave to take during the year though if I can.

I loved having 2 full weeks off for Christmas 2018 but for 2019 it felt a little dragged out, so having a shorter break may not be a bad thing, especially as we're planning a lower key one this time around.

It will be interesting to see how the school holidays work this year.

I assume it'll be Wednesday 23rd December to Wednesday January 6th?

Loughc

jr86 wrote: »

It will be interesting to see how the school holidays work this year.

I assume it'll be Wednesday 23rd December to Wednesday January 6th?

I think it could be 21st Dec to Jan 4th

Littlehorny

jr86 wrote: »

Speaking of which - NYD is a Friday this year! So two full days off after

I much prefer how the Christmas schedule falls in 2020 myself

Sure won't feel it coming around again :pac:

Love the positivity of your post jr86!

Getting back to a post I made earlier, some European countries celebrate Christmas Day on the 7th of January so I can only assume they leave the decorations up for about a week after.

Also while doing research I learned that The Philippines celebrate Christmas the longest in the world, they start in September and go through till January so it's on for 3 months over there

Loughc

Heatons have reduced prices on all their Christmas trees across all stores. The trees look decent too.

Also Lidl have tubs of celebrations for €3 at the moment. €3.