You will always raise a smile from a stranger if you utter the phrase “It gets earlier every year” as you head into November. If it were never not true, then the festive season would begin in March these days. Although for some it a case of t’was ever thus… I have memories of my father having to order the December stock for his high street pharmacy in early spring. But this year, not only is there is continued anecdotal evidence that tinsel can be spied in early November, there is also hard fact to back it up.
The modern line in the sand of the kick of the Christmas starting gun is no longer the first door being opened on the advent calendar, but the release of the John Lewis advert. And this year it launched on November 4th. They have never gone for an earlier date. Asda launched their Grinch inspired campaign only a few hours after trick or treating finished. (Does Guy Fawkes failing to blow up Parliament register any more?!)
Another modern trend that has me shouting at my furniture is the back-to-back festive movies on dedicated Christmas movie channels that pop up from August onwards. Here, in the TBHM office we are also really noticing a trend towards jump starting the magical season, and I have been wondering why.
If you are lucky enough to work for a company that can afford a Christmas party, the influence of Covid and lock down continues to cause ripples. With a culture of online work and flexible hours and home working, December diaries get fractured. Getting an entire workforce together is not a given. The exciting venues where you can celebrate are more adept at nudging event planners to think about booking earlier and earlier. Back in the 2010s I would have said that peak Christmas party season was December 5th to 20th. This decade, I would estimate it to be between November 20th and December 10th.
I am trying not to be a curmudgeon about such changes (apart from the Christmas movies!), because I do not believe it is ever productive to rail against inevitable change. At some point in the future the tide may turn; Christmas fatigue may be recognised and we will drift back towards shunning stores that stock Christmas cards before the leaves turn brown. Although at present they must make a profit doing it otherwise they wouldn’t display them. However, I am determined to look on the bright side and have been looking at the new landscape, and exploring fresh opportunities.
I am not quite sure how I feel about the recently coined word 'Twixtmas'. Those gently-boozy-sofa-heavy-left-over-turkey days that stretch between Christmas and New Year. It now seems to be a moment where you can actually relax into a party rather than having to anxiously vie for premium entertainment. Particularly house parties around a table with a mix of families and neighbours have become a lovely way to find a little magic in the mayhem.
Beyond the New Year blow out, some clients are now looking to treat January with a flourish rather than grasp at straws in the seasonal scrum. I do not mean to suggest that you want to stretch the already thin spirit of Christmas out even longer, but for some people it is obviously making sense to trumpet the new rather than finish off the old. If the culmination of the year is too fraught, then I can understand why finding some space in the more relaxed environs of a traditionally quieter month would be more conducive to a pleasant get together and focus on the magic ahead of them.
December will be my busiest month. It always is. But magic can be found and celebrated at all times. Christmas should not have a monopoly on finding the best in ourselves.
However, being a man for tradition, I do hope to find time to put together my annual acapella Christmas card for my December Newsletter. For the moment, as it’s mid November, I don’t want to wish you greetings of the season, but I hope you have a good party month.