When do you all start decorating.

[caseydbell]

When do You all start decorating? :P

[HolyNight7]

Usually the day of or the day after Thanksgiving.

[sheepsnot]

When I was a kid it was unheard of (at least by me) to decorate as early as Thanksgiving. No one I knew decorated before Dec. 15th or even later. Sometimes we would decorate when we got home from our last day of school for the year. It's tough for some people to maintain the spirit for a whole month or more, so for them it's best to wait. I bought a book of all the Garfield Christmas cartoon strips one year and noticed that when the cartoon first started, sometime in the late 70s, the Christmas subject didn't come up until a week before Christmas but as the years went by, it started earlier and earlier. I think that was a reflection of society. When stores start early, however, they are just trying to cash in.

[HolyNight7]

The point of Christmas is to maintain the spirit throughout the year not the commercialism. I guess it's all what's in your heart.

[caseydbell]

sheepsnot, so when do you start decorating. I start a few days after thanksgiving.

[Mr. Christmas]

We put the tree up Thanksgiving night and the rest of the decorations go up the next day.

[digbugsgirl]

We put up the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but the rest of the decorations go up the day after Thanksgiving.

Brandy

[Stargazer]

We usually start shopping in early November, and decorate at the beginning of December (or earlier, if possible :lol:).

[sheepsnot]

My wife wants to have a tradition for nearly everything, so she wants to decorate on the day after Thanksgiving. That is, until the day arrives. Then she wants to go watch movies or shop. I think we have decorated just one time on that Friday. There is no set day for us. I still have a Christmas bell hanging on my warehouse door at work and a Christmas wallpaper on my PC.

[lpstong]

Traditionally since my childhood has been the day after Thanksgiving. It is still a tradition at my mothers house to help her decorate the entire 3 story victorian house. It takes rougly 1 week to fully do the job just right.

[sheepsnot]

Man, I bet a 3-story Victorian house is beautiful anytime, but especially when decorated for Christmas. Just think, Elfworks, how many tubs of decorations it would take for that? Let's see, 31 tubs for a one bedroom apt, so at least 186 tubs for this house.

[elfworks]

i keep thinkin that i have already answered stuff when i see my personal avie sitting there.....

i like to turn the lights on the day after t-day. it takes anywhere from a week to 3 weeks to get the outside and inside lights up. once i flip the switch on the twinkling, i fire up the nog factory, turn on the tunes, and do the rest of the decorating.


xo

[sheepsnot]

I may wear glasses, but I spotted the word "nog" in there. And "factory." Now there's a place I wouldn't mind working. 8)

[elfworks]

nog factory = my kitchen!

for big parties i will buy the borden's and doctor it up, but for just me and family and friends that drop in, i keep a batch of homemade in the fridge. usually make some every other day or so til it starts to get warm here. dont usually like to drink nog in warm weather, tho all this talk is starting to make me think a trip to the store for some cream might be a good idea!

youre welcome to stop by anytime and lend a hand! :D
xo

[sheepsnot]

Do you really have cold weather much at all?

[elfworks]

well, i have only lived in dallas for two months, so i have no firsthand experience on this subject. however.... i consider "cool" to be anything below 70* and cold to be anything below 60*. tho my preference is for 30's and 40's. i do know that dallas is definitely cooler than austin, so i am looking forward to something akin to fall.....

xo

[sheepsnot]

Everything I know about Texas I learned watching "King of the Hill." It snowed on that show a few times, so I assume it could happen.

[elfworks]

it most assuredly snows in texas. it even snows in austin about once a year. it snows in dallas a couple times at least.

king of the hill is set in a town that somehow manages to be near san antonio, dallas and houston all at the same time... i am always amused by that!

i always thought hank hill should be infinitely more INTO decorating than he seems to be. kwim?



xo

[ReineV]

traditionally, we don't put up a tree until the 15-19th of December because my mom's family couldn't afford to put it up early when she was little, so she and her six brothers and sisters would go down to the tree lot christmas eve and the tree salesman would either give them a tiny tree for free or let them buy a leftover one for cheap. But since I've gained a "voice" in my family, we've been putting it up earlier and earlier. The outside and inside decorations come out of the attic and go up the day I get home for Christmas break, which is usually the 6-10th of December. I get home after driving from 7-10am then start decorating the outside of the house. I usually finish the outside by 2pm, then I go in and layout the figurines and hang the stockings and such.

[mrshfromjersey]

We don't hang our stockings until Christmas Eve. It's part of the ritual at my parents house. When it's time for bed, we get in our jammies, get a Christmas story read to us, hang our stockings and then say a prayer in front of the nativity. Very cute.

[dvdguy]

I think we'll put the tree up after thanksgiving or the first week in december

[caseydbell]

actually last yaer we we decorated a week before thanksgiving or 3-4 days before.

[candycanemartini]

Now I feel really silly, lol! We usually decorate a few days after Halloween. Around the 3-5th of November. I also pull out the holiday tunes around then as well 8)

[sheepsnot]

Don't you wish you could decorate your home to look like the set of The Santa Clause, elves and all? That would be awesome! :grin:

[ReineV]

Don't you wish you could decorate your home to look like the set of The Santa Clause, elves and all? That would be awesome! :grin:

yea it would!!! I'd love to live in a place like that!

[caseydbell]

Now I feel really silly, lol! We usually decorate a few days after Halloween. Around the 3-5th of November. I also pull out the holiday tunes around then as well 8) I wish I could get away with decorating that early :-D

[Misfit Toy]

I start pulling stuff out the week after Halloween, takes me a couple weeks to finish and I try to have it all done by the Santa Claus Parade/Xmas music day which is Nov 19th this year. Its always that weekend. It goes so fast too, I can never loose the spirit. Between decorating, going to see lights, parades, listening to music, decorations, stores, snowfalls, movies, tv specials...it’s the greatest!!!! I put so much work into it too, I want to enjoy my winter wonderland as much as I can, all season long!

:merry:

[Christmas Cheers]

I have always gone for the morning after Thanksgiving. I usually can't wait however, so I set up a "staging-area" of sorts in my basement so I can feel involved in the season without jumping the gun.



:merry:

[MarthaK]

I've already started.
My outdoor display will be ready to light Thanksgiving night.
Most of the indoor decorations, save the live tree and the nativity, will also be up by that time. Those come out on Black Friday.

I spent most of the weekend organizing the indoor area that will feature my villiage and animated figures, and prepping the outdoor disaply. The prep work involves checking bulbs, restringing some items, creating new displays, and gathering the things needed to set up and secure the display.

[joyful]

When I was growing up, we could not decorate until my mother had washed the windows and curtains, being a working mom that usually did not happen until Christmas eve. That is also when the tree was put up and decorated and sometimes was not bought until Christmas eve.

I purposed in my heart that my children would never have to wait that long and I refused to be so rushed and worn out like my mother during the Christmas season, so I started putting my tree and decorations up the first day of Buck season (the Monday after Thanksgiving and yes, I'm in a hunting family). It gave me something to do and keep my mind off my hubby and other relatives hunting. Also the kids were off from school so they could help.

:-D

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

Most of the indoor decorations, save the live tree and the nativity, will also be up by that time. Those come out on Black Friday.


Forgive my stupidity, what is black friday? :-o
Thanks, Lori

[dvdguy]

black friday is the day after thanksgiving. One of, if not THE biggest shopping day of the year. STores open early, like crack of dawn early & usually offer super deals for a limited time

[sheepsnot]

Do not venture out of the house without some concealed weapons, as things get ugly. Folks start lining up in the middle of the night to get half price electronics and such, and they will fight to the finish to get the last item available.

[Ervserver]

and that Wal Mart usually has a great deal on toilet paper

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

Thanks for explaining it. I have been out of the states going on 5 years now. At that time they hadn't given it an official name. I remember going at those times and it was awful. Even in the parking lot, people will do everything to get a spot.

and that Wal Mart usually has a great deal on toilet paper

LoL!!! :???:

[sheepsnot]

Are you planning to live there forever or do you have a set time to return? I found that after living overseas for any length of time I got really homesick. It felt so far from my family. Now, even though I am hundreds of miles from home, I can still get there even if the car breaks down. I couldn't swim the Atlantic!

[dvdguy]

doggie paddle

[sheepsnot]

Is there another way?

[dvdguy]

strap a motor to your back? I would imagine it would push your head under though

[sheepsnot]

Not if you tied a flotation ring around your neck. (Are we going anywhere with this?)

[dvdguy]

it paints a funny picture

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

Are you planning to live there forever or do you have a set time to return?

I'm just waiting on the Lord, when he wants me to return then I will return. I am homesick though. Alot of people here don't like an american living in their village. My girls are fully integrated though and are adjesting better than I am, this is all they know and I imagine it would be hard on them to uproot them, especially the littlest one, the oldest keeps talking about how she misses taco bell and burger king. Seems it's just the fast food she misses.

[sheepsnot]

You have a tremendous attitude. I tried the American fast food joints in Britain, but the taste was different. The prices were much higher, too. "I'd like a mad cow combo, please."

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

You have a tremendous attitude

:-o

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. It was a difficult question for me to answer. It would not be appriate for this board. It really would take an act of God to bring me back to the states. I would feel better explaining in a private message, are there inboxes on this board? Just know I didn't mean to offend. ok?

8)

[sheepsnot]

Oh no, you didn't offend me at all. I was sincerely saying that you had a wonderful attitude. I guess the word "attitude" has changed meaning over the years, but believe me when I say that I was praising you for your faith. Sure, lots of people don't believe, but they surely don't mind if those who do express it.

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

Thank you for explaining it better. I just misunderstood. I'm sorry. Yes it is God who really is training me to only depend on him and I dare not even try to leave without his ok. I could write a book.. God Bless you and your family.

:wiggy:

[Christy Carol]

My decorating will start the day of Turkey Day by helping my folks get their stuff out. Which I figure will be me putting their tree together because my mom just bought a new one and bless her heart, couldn't put this tree together if she had a personal instructor standing over her pointing where to put the pieces!! I am sure the BF and father will be in the yard either stringing lights or trying to stay away from us!

If I don't have to work the day after (the firm I work for never closes, the scrooges) then I will start that day. If I wait until Saturday I will do the majority of it by myself as the BF will be in the woods playing great white hunter but he will come out to help me get a tree home that afternoon unless I can convince him to stay home that day. Then he can hang the house lights late Sunday afternoon.

[HoHoHoHeeHeeHee]

With all this crafting I have been doing lately, I feel like decorating now. :)

[Ervserver]

I've already started sneaking some stuff out

[dominick]

I've had a handful of things hiding amongst everything else for a couple months now. My new take out box snowman sits proudly above my mini-fridge covered in magnetic ornaments right now. :???:

[Misfit Toy]

Darkness has fallen right now :frankenstein:

But as soon as the "nightmare" before is over, I'll take the Halloween stuff down the day after the 31st and start bringing the Xmas down the first week of November and really start getting into the decorating probably around the second week of November!!!!

:cool:



Then off to the Santa Claus Parade :???:

[Ervserver]

Won't be long now....

[Jazzy Jeff]

Christmas is coming you can feel it!!

The TV ads are out and all the kids r getting excited...the decorations best be coming out me thinks!

[HollyJells]

Hides head...... I did most of mine the 28th of OCtober...... LOL sad but true.
:eek: :???: :wiggy: :cool:

[HollyJells]

can we say I was done by november 1st. LOL I hate waiting especially when I am stuck for the next month and a half with college stuff and studyin for finals. WHAT FUN.

[gilbert7912]

Agreed. November is a very good time. Gives ample time for me to get into full swing for Christmas.

:???:

[xmaslilly]

started about nov 21st then with work and things i finished today! now its just touch up here and there or if i find something at the store to add.