I know it's too early, but walking into stores and seeing all the Christmas decorations has me thinking about decorating. I'm going away for Thanksgiving, so must think of these things now. Plus, it's the first time hubby and I will have a tree in years. There were reasons we never put one up — a terminally ill cat, a new kitten, spending every Christmas with my parents, going away over the holidays, etc — but this year there is NO excuse. My parents live 17 miles away, and I'm sure we'll get together, but this year I'm decorating.
I've already hauled the hubby to the store and pointed out decorations. He didn't frown or grumble too much. I want to put lights on the house too (make that I want him to put lights on the house), but I'm not sure we'll get to that part. But oh yes, my tree is going up, cats be darned. And I have a mantle for the first time in years, so that's getting decorated too.
Once we return from our Thanksgiving trip, the fun begins. I plan to buy some things in the next couple of weeks so I don't have to worry about it. But come December 1, decorations are going up. And the Christmas music will be playing too. It's odd to walk into stores and hear it now, but after Thanksgiving, I'm going to enjoy tuning my radio to the local station that plays Christmas music 24/7.
Do you like to decorate for the holidays? When do you start your Christmas decorating? What's your favorite holiday tradition at your home? Does it annoy you to see all the stuff in the stores now? Would you prefer they wait until after Thanksgiving? Real tree or faux?
On one level, the Christmas decorations that appeared the day after Halloween annoy me. On another level, it’s kinda fun to sing along to Christmas carols playing over the PA system.
In Germany we went to a state forest and roamed through the woods til we found the right tree. No rows, no cleared paths, nobody to help you tie it to the top of your car. It was a FOREST. But the trees were cheap and fresh and big. And it was such fun to go there with a group of friends and hunt down the perfect Christmas tree.
We went to a local tree farm and chopped a tree when the boys were little. But once they were in high school, the joy went out of that adventure and we got an artificial tree. It was about 7 feet and skinny. When we moved into this house, that tree looked like the Charlie Brown tree in our great room with 12-foot ceilings. So the next year we got a 9-foot tree and of course because it was taller and fatter, the old decorations didn’t work. So we managed to hit Michael’s the day they had ornaments at half price and bought new stuff. The old tree and ornaments, including all the ones that grandparents had given #1 son, are with him and his wife and daughter.
I don’t decorate to nearly the extent I did years ago. Mainly it’s the tree and mantle, a wreath on the front door plus a large one over the arched front porch entrance. I put out a red-and-green basket to hold Christmas cards and replace the floral arrangement in the foyer with a red-berry topiary. I’ll have to figure out what to do in the dining room since we got new furniture in there since last Christmas. I put some Christmas hand towels in the guest bathroom and Christmasy towels in the kitchen. And I pull down the set of Christmas dishes someone gave us about two dozen years ago. Even hot dogs are more festive on a plate decorated with a Christmas tree.
When? Probably when #2 son is home for Thanksgiving and can help the DH put up that tree. It is pre-lit, and in sections, and it’s a real bear sometimes to get it together correctly and get all the plugs done right. It’s way too tall for me to decorate the top, so I have to have help there.
Of course I’m already thinking about January when I have to un-deck the halls. I really don’t enjoy that at all.
Marilyn
I do some things for Christmas decorating, but not a lot. The big rule around here is no Christmas until after my birthday. It’s arbitrary, but it keeps anyone from getting the idea of putting the decorations up on Thanksgiving 🙂 Of course, my d-day is on Thanksgiving this year…
Real tree. Definitely. I love the smell and it’s one of the best parts of Christmas
I think the only places that should jump the gun are craft stores where people need to make things months in advance and places that specialize in Christmas stuff like Hallmark. I think most other places should wait until closer to Thanksgiving, if not the day after.
Myself, I can listen to Christmas carols all year. Annoyed a co-worker one year and she put her foot down that I couldn’t listen to them until December first. I had a wait a week or so. 🙂
I love to decorate. I just get too lazy. Now that I have a 2 story house, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I sure as heck ain’t climbing up there.
Marilyn, that’s so cool about the tree in Germany! We have always had an artificial tree, but right now we don’t have anything. So I’m not sure whether to get a real one this year, or get one that already has all those lights perfectly placed. 🙂 I hate putting the lights on. It’s so time consuming to get all the spots filled in. OTOH, I would have to store the faux tree.
I think your decorating plan is good! I’m probably going to concentrate on the mantle, the tree, and maybe the dining room. Yeah, I don’t like un-decking the halls either. 🙁
PC, Yankee Candle has a solution for the real tree smell if you have a faux tree. *g* In fact, I think I have that very candle somewhere around here. 😉
SP,I agree about the craft stores! Everyone else should wait! My favorite Christmas CD to drag out and listen to first (so I really know it’s the season) is Andre Rieu’s The Christmas I Love. After that, I’m good for all the carols and etc. Though I can do without the hippo song more than once a day…
I love to decorate,period. I sparsely decorate for other holidays except July 4 and Christmas and then I go overboard. I’ve already decorated my basement. I’ve an Old West theme downstairs with lots of antiques and family heirlooms. It’s fun because I’ve got a mantel. Upstairs I do after Thanksgiving, but it seems a shame to only have the decorations up for such a short time.
PS I’m writing a novella about Christmas entitled Visconti’s Christmas Agenda. Can you just say stop!!!
Hi Lynn!
I’m torn between going to the trouble of decorating and not this year, simply because the tree gets to see a whole lot more of January and sometimes February than it should… oops.
I’ve ALWAYS ALWAYS wanted to see all the window displays in the U.S. stores. I watched a program on it last year (yes I am a boring person) and I think my eyes popped out of my head. I’ve never seen anything like it!
I also want to see the NY tree.
One day I will get there lol. Until then could someone look for me?
Nikki
Patricia, wow, you like Christmas! 🙂 I agree it seems a shame to have the decorations up for so short a time. It seems like you get them up and it’s time to take them down. No wonder the stores start early. 🙂 Congrats on your novella!
Nikki, we do have some awesome store displays. The malls go kind of nutty with their decorations. It’s pretty.
Hey, in Europe, they leave the trees up until Jan 6. 🙂 The 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas Eve. So leave the tree up and enjoy! 🙂
I’ve never seen the NY tree, though I have seen the DC trees.