Christmas decorations

Haha, maybe they were from last year and have never been taken down?

DD never takes down the icicles decorating the outside of the bay window of her house. Just stops switching them on.

Many years ago we lived next to someone who left their decorations up all year round - I couldn't tell if it was just because they loved Christmas or were just too lazy to take them down!

I do love lights though and have some up wrapped round plants on the landing. I'd have them all over if I could!

I do keep a couple of small wreaths and a string of red lights up all year - nothing with Santa or reindeer though!

I'm waiting for the houses up the road to switch their lights on; usually mid November. They have so many Santa's, reindeer, snowmen, elves and other crap figures that their electricity bills must be horrendous. The whole of their road must look like a landing strip from space!

Ha ha, I know the family in one house with Santa's so I will ask them if they do leave them up all year, the window fill looked a bit dusty

I don't have a problem with it. I love Christmas and would be quite happy to have my tree up all year. I don't agree that there is "something wrong with society " if people like Christmas . What's not to like ?

Grinch here! Christmas is a 12 day festival for me not a 12 week one! This year it will be 14 days ..decs up on 21st Dec and down on 3rd Jan in time for DHs birthday on 4th! Actually I really enjoy the specialness of the festive season but it would spoil it for me to extend for a longer time... dilute it!

I'm an absolute misery and hate it all.
I wouldn't bother at all if I could get away with it.

Have to admit that I feel the same way MissA. I only make an effort to put a Christmas tree up now for the GC. I know they love to come and "help" put it up but it's all such a faff taking the wretched thing back down. grumble grumble grumble

I take mine down with everything still on it, and wheel it back out the next year..

Bah humbug here. Will try and get in the festive spirit a week out. Eldest isn't in a relationship this year and will make us pay for it. Youngest plus DGC has already said he can't avoid going to DIL's folks for lunch.

On OP, tree goes up 10 days before and is down by or before 12th night.

MissA food for thought for this year then!

my lights go up on December 1st so I'm counting the days.I hate the dark nights so some christmas lights makes them a bit more bearable.We have these new street lights here and they are so dim and only light the bit of the road/pavement they hit so the rest of the street is like the black hole of Calcutta.Roll on December I say

I have a predecorated tree from B & Q that lives in a small box, just have to put in the central pole and up it pops sounds awful but it’s actually very pretty. Put mine up Christmas Eve and they go back in the loft as soon as I can get away with it.

I'm sure all the hype contributes to people feeling their Christmas isn't wonderful enough and all the fallouts and upsets that can follow. Let alone folk overspending who can't afford to. I much prefer simple celebrations.

I always loved Christmas and I used to decorate most of the ground floor (including the kitchen), now I am on my own it doesn't seem worth it so I put up the tree and a few decorations the weekend before and take them down just before 12th night.

Tanith I have the same sort of tree bought owing to limited space as very slim,its a nod to the season.

I agree mumofmadboys media hype gives us such unrealistic expectations of Christmas
Let's remember the real meaning for the celebration and enjoy our own version of the period. I love all the decorations ( tasteful of course) and giving and receiving of small personal gifts. It's a much more low key time here in France with people back to work on 26th.

regarding " What's not to like?" sorry but " What's to like?"

I no longer bother with decorations , just glad to get the two days over, decorations would drag it out to two weeks.

One of the many delights of going cruising with Galen over Christmas is that I don’t have to bother putting up any decorations at all. Bah! Humbug!

I suppose it depends on your circumstances, oldbatty. We’re having a quiet Christmas this year (we have all the family on alternate years and they’re off to the in-laws this time). But I’m still looking forward to lots of things. The lights, Christmas Fairs, the DGS’s excitement, reading them Christmas stories, Midnight Mass and the Christingle, the smell of the tree, putting up the same old decorations with all the memories they bring back, watching the same old sentimental films while wrapping presents and writing cards, making the cake and pudding and the heavenly aroma of spices filling the house, re-reading A Christmas Carol, shopping for special presents and checking out the window displays and maybe carol singers or the Salvation Army band at the corner, oh, and the food and drink. I’ll stop there, but I could think of more. Can you tell I’m a fan?

We enjoy Christmas and are lucky enough to have family and friends around us and have a lot of fun. Decorations go up about one week before the day and come down around the 2nd/3rd Jan.