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When did Christmas become 1 day


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Old 26-12-2016, 20:00
WhatJoeThinks
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On what part do you think I am exaggerating?
The UK being a country?
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Old 26-12-2016, 20:21
shackfan
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When I was younger I remember Christmas lasting for a week, Now it seems as soon as Christmas day is over, Christmas is finished. Music channels which think it's fine to play Christmas songs none stop from the start of November vanish as soon as the clock strikes 12 on Boxing day, Just went to the local shop, all the decorations are down and the staff informed me head office have told them to pack Christmas away and get the Easter eggs out !! Who on earth wakes up on Boxing day and thinks "oooo I must buy my Easter eggs today"


Well after tidying the dining room a few decorative items have been bagged up. And as for Christmas songs, I don't want to hear any till at least mid November next year. It's like watching porn AFTER sex.
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:16
1manonthebog
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I get what the op means, when I was a kid in the 80s Christmas did seem to last much longer. It's like it never happened. Everything's back to normal, as to the music channels come Boxing Day yes they are still there but they play best of 2016, the xmas songs have gone
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:17
Veeb1
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I'd reverse the question and ask when did Christmas begin in November and last for over a month? In the 50s and 60s when I was young most people finished work at dinnertime on Christmas Eve and went to work the day after Boxing Day. Then it was over.
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:20
mattkt
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I must admit I was surprised to see the bins getting collected today in my area.
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:53
Mark.
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I guess the problem is that Christmas Day is the culmination of everything that's come before. So it's always going to seem like it's over very quickly given all the build-up before.

There isn't really a solution to that. Because even if we were somehow able to extend the full Christmas celebration to a week, the end of that week would seem deflating. Or two weeks. Or...

What I find helps is including New Year as part of the proper celebrations. It's lower-key than Christmas, and helps wind things down towards normality instead of the sudden shock of January.
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:56
WhatJoeThinks
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"The sudden shock of January"! That's a doozy!
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Old 26-12-2016, 21:58
sodavlac
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As a bare minimum it's Christmas until the darts is over.
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:01
paulsh1
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I get what the op means, when I was a kid in the 80s Christmas did seem to last much longer. It's like it never happened. Everything's back to normal, as to the music channels come Boxing Day yes they are still there but they play best of 2016, the xmas songs have gone
I agree.Back in the 70s/80s it did seem that the world came to a virtual standstill from Christmas Eve afternoon through to January 2nd.
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:06
1manonthebog
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I agree.Back in the 70s/80s it did seem that the world came to a virtual standstill from Christmas Eve afternoon through to January 2nd.
Exactly. I remember my parents always did a massive shop as the supermarkets did close for a extended period. Now they close for 1 day and I'm surprised they actually do. But I also think back then more people had holidays at Christmas, these days folk prefer keeping their holidays to summer etc.

Tomorrow it will be just like a regular Tuesday, like nothing happened.
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:21
paulsh1
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Exactly. I remember my parents always did a massive shop as the supermarkets did close for a extended period. Now they close for 1 day and I'm surprised they actually do. But I also think back then more people had holidays at Christmas, these days folk prefer keeping their holidays to summer etc.

Tomorrow it will be just like a regular Tuesday, like nothing happened.
Indeed.The panic food shop.If it wasn't bought by Christmas Eve than you would just have to go without or borrow off friends and neighbours!

I think a lot more businesses shut down for the week back then.No chance of a doctor or dental appointment.No bin collections etc.

I remember our rented TV broke down one Christmas Eve and Radio Rentals were shut until January! Our next door neighbours lent us a 14 inch black and white portable for the week!
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:38
Jimmy Connors
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It lasts too long already. A few places had their decs up in late October.

No, for me Christmas ended last night. Not a minute too bloody soon either.
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:42
lemoncurd
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Its not like that in our house, we've still got tons of xmas food to eat and xmas programmes to watch
And that should run through to the final day of celebrations on the 5th of Jan.

I do know what the OP means though. People start celebrating it weeks in advance of the actual 12 days, then seem to give up on it part way through. Just a lack of patience, I think.
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Old 26-12-2016, 22:56
bluesdiamond
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Went to Sainsburys Corner Shop, they couldn't get Christmas signage down quick enough.
But what a society. I recall local Indian Corner Shop used to sell Boxing Day papers. Shut at 2pm. Sainsburys closed at 9pm!

I know many don't celebrate, but think 75% to 80% of British do celebrate. We actually have a holiday tomorrow, what will those shoppers do then?

I worry within my working life we will see shops open on Christmas Day.
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Old 26-12-2016, 23:00
Andrew1954
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it's definitely still christmas, I still have a bowl of peanuts and after eights on the sideboard
Can you still get after eights? How poshe!
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Old 26-12-2016, 23:12
Mark.
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I worry within my working life we will see shops open on Christmas Day.
It won't happen.

It's currently illegal for shops over a certain size to open on Christmas Day. The punishment is a fine of up to £50,000 per shop and I would expect any such fine to be at the higher end of the scale (not to mention the negative PR that would ensue).
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Old 26-12-2016, 23:57
blueisthecolour
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No one can decide when your Christmas ends - they can't come round your house and take down your decorations, or stop you watching christmas tv, playing christmas music or eating christmas food. The shops make their decisions purely on a commercial basis (people don't buy Christmas stuff after December 25) but no one else has to.
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Old 27-12-2016, 00:14
MTUK1
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Christmas finishes on January 6th.
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Old 27-12-2016, 00:16
MTUK1
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It won't happen.

It's currently illegal for shops over a certain size to open on Christmas Day. The punishment is a fine of up to £50,000 per shop and I would expect any such fine to be at the higher end of the scale (not to mention the negative PR that would ensue).
Currently is the operative word. It doesn't mean it will stay that way forever. In the USA some shops are open. Cinemas are open, restaurants are open. Yes, it's not great, but it proves it will probably happen here at some point.
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Old 27-12-2016, 00:25
Mark.
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Currently is the operative word. It doesn't mean it will stay that way forever. In the USA some shops are open. Cinemas are open, restaurants are open. Yes, it's not great, but it proves it will probably happen here at some point.
It doesn't "prove" anything. The USA has pretty lax gun controls - does that "prove" we will have the same in the future?

There is zero political will for shops to be allowed to open on Christmas Day. The right don't want it because it goes against traditional, conservative values; the left don't want it because they want to be seen as standing up for workers.
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Old 27-12-2016, 00:55
ThugAngel
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the odeon cinemas were open on Xmas day in the UK, there was a daily mail article about it on their websit
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Old 27-12-2016, 01:01
MTUK1
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It doesn't "prove" anything. The USA has pretty lax gun controls - does that "prove" we will have the same in the future?

There is zero political will for shops to be allowed to open on Christmas Day. The right don't want it because it goes against traditional, conservative values; the left don't want it because they want to be seen as standing up for workers.
Right then, that's sorted. If you say so, it'll never happen. Read the post. Above this. That shows it's starting.
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Old 27-12-2016, 01:24
Mark.
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Right then, that's sorted. If you say so, it'll never happen. Read the post. Above this. That shows it's starting.
Cinemas are not covered by the legislation. Shops are. And there is zero political will among any of the major parties to change it.
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Old 27-12-2016, 01:29
MTUK1
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Cinemas are not covered by the legislation. Shops are. And there is zero political will among any of the major parties to change it.
At the moment, yes, but you can never say never. Fifty years ago, there would have been uproar at shops opening on a Sunday, now, most do. Geez, I thought I was stubborn. Merry Christmas.
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Old 27-12-2016, 01:43
Mark.
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At the moment, yes, but you can never say never. Fifty years ago, there would have been uproar at shops opening on a Sunday, now, most do. Geez, I thought I was stubborn. Merry Christmas.
Trying to compare an ordinary Sunday with Christmas Day is ridiculous.

In any case, the legislation to make Christmas Day opening illegal was only enacted in 2004 (2007 in Scotland). So if anything, the trend is towards keeping shops closed on Christmas Day rather than the other way round.
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