How soon is too soon to start spreading the Christmas cheer?

Already started putting up your Christmas tree, drinking mulled wine with your fairy lights on while gift wrapping presents? Has our excitement and commercialisation of Christmas gotten out of hand?

Toby Deakin, third year, English Literature and Drama

“Any time, for me, before Halloween. I don’t like Halloween, but I love Christmas. I’ll probably get abuse for this, but if I’m telling the truth, the first Christmas film I watched this year was midway through October. It was Nativity.  Maybe I’m a little enthusiastic?

“I see myself as an aficionado when it comes to Christmas films, I am the boss. My favourite Christmas film ever, for replay value and pure Christmas joy has to be Miracle on 34th Street, the Richard Attenborough one. I haven’t watched that one yet though, it’s always saved until December because that’s like, the Christmas film. Films like Nativity, they’re quite good, they’re funny, but I like to get them out of the way and done with before December, November is like ‘proto-December’. I watched a really shitty Arnold Shchwarzenegger one the other day, it’s hilarious but awful.”

So what would be your definitive list of Xmas films to get you excited?

“Well, Miracle on 34th Street, obviously. Home Alone 2, Elf, White Christmas with Bing Crosby, The Grinch. Save em’ all for December though, I always do and these films always put me in a Christmassy mood.”

Lauren ‘Pond’ Barnes, third year, Film Studies

“John Lewis. As soon as the John Lewis advert is out, Christmas has started. It’s official, even the TV is saying it: Christmas is happening now. Also, the Coca Cola van do a tour don’t they?”

What did you think of the John Lewis Advert?

“I loved it. It’s very sweet and it’s about reaching out to old people but I must say, Moon Hitler has kind of changed it for me. There have been so many good parodies.”

Abi Lawrence, third year, Techie and English Lit student

“I’m not a scrooge. I love Christmas but I just, and it’s probably because my birthday is at the end of the month, I have a very firm belief Christmas decorating and film watching and stuff shouldn’t start before the 1st December because otherwise it’s just ridiculous. In London there are people who put Christmas decorations up in, like, August – what planet are you on?! It’s not even Winter yet. Don’t do it. At least, not before my birthday…”

Kristi Langli, third year, Drama and English Lit

“I think it’s too soon to start decorating before December 1st, but it’s never too soon to start getting excited. I have a calendar I count down on, and an app on my phone which tells me how many days until Christmas. I don’t like mince pies, but I like marzipan and Christmas tea. I usually just buy a big tin box from Whittards – I love it.

“I don’t tend to wear Christmas jumpers before the 1st either, but I’ve got them all ready, and I bought myself an elf outfit the other day. I haven’t tried that on yet, I’m afraid if I do I’ll just start wearing it all the time, it has bells. It’s very cute. I can’t wait for the light parade in Oxford, on November 20th too. I also have a list of films I’m going to watch after December 1st.”

Harry Pryke , second year, Motorsport Engineering

“I like Christmas and despite what the picture may lead you to think, I do like mince pies. However, I don’t like how the shops roll out their Christmas straight after Halloween. Christmas is for December. Christmas jumpers and other apparel are for December. Christmas decorations are certainly for December, especially trees. Someone with an erected tree in November can not be trusted. But, come 1st December which I think is a Tuesday this year, I’ll be wearing my Christmas jumper, eating my 89p Tesco mince pies and blasting Greg Lake’s ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ –  the finest Christmas song.”