It is I believe on.y the 18/11 but I have just seen my first Christmas tree in a house.?

We shan't put our tree up in the house until about a week before Christmas Day but last year when Christmas was cancelled we did buy a tree in a pot and had it in the porch with battery lights. It has survived outside and so it will go in the porch again about 2 weeks before the day and also I love to have a holly wreath on the door so will have to buy that before they disappear from the market. Last year (remember how dismal it was in January?} there was a move locally to leave up lights to cheer everyone up, so I had solar lights up in the front bedroom window for quite a while. DH has today been down in the big church in town helping to set up the Christmas Tree Festival which is a bit earlier than usual because the Council decided to move the Christmas tree lighting up in the Square to this week. Much too early, but there you are! There are usually about 100 trees, but fewer this year. Nevertheless it makes a wonderful show and also some money for the Church in admission charges. They are sorely in need of that.

Or 'Stir up sunday' as its called, mostly by older generation i think.

You can't dust a Christmas tree - so I wouldn't want one on display for weeks on end!

I was always told when growing up we shouldn't sing carols or put up decs before advent (4 sundays before christmas) as it was bad luck, probably started as a religious thing, but as my mum was also superstitious we adhered to that, (but now the christmas movies start in august i keep wanting to burst into song)?But personally i put up tree & decs anytime ive got spare between december 1st - around 14th- but i know if i call to my 2 eldest DD's in next week or so i should expect either or both of them to have 'trimmed up' as we call it! Too early i think, but up to them i guess.I think advent sunday is 28th november this year.??

I saw my first Xmas decorations on 17th October driving home from visit to ds and family. Far too early- hadn’t even had Halloween! When the children were small we didn’t decorate until after 18/12 as that was dd2’s birthday. We just felt it was unfair for her birthday to get lost in Xmas celebrations. However, when her brother arrived on 29/12 we abandoned efforts to keep their birthdays separate from Xmas. Could have planned that better, couldn’t I?

We used to host foreign students. One year we had 2 young Japanese girls. They were Christian so understood what Christmas meant. We let them decorate the tree. They were overjoyed. At home they had a tree but were not allowed to decorate it. Their parents did that.

A house a few roads from us is all lit up inside and outside already. Also about 3 people on my FB have had theirs up nearly a week know

We went Xmas shopping yesterday and picked up a tree growing in a pot. It will stay in the garden until 23rd December, come in for Xmas, then out of the house on 27th and in the garden until next year. Can't stand decorations in the house until just before Xmas.
As a child all decorations went up Xmas Eve after I was asleep. Was a lovely surprise Xmas morning.

We have had our first Xmas dinner with crackers, Father Christmas chocolates and everything to go with it. It was lovely and much enjoyed by all 63 members. There will be lots more to come with other Clubs but in December.

I stick with the tradition, 12 days before, 12 days after. That’s plenty enough for me.

I don’t have any decorations or tree up yet that happens 2nd week in December. I have got all my Christmas gifts for family, grandchildren and friends all done and wrapped. This is because I have broken my ankle and while I have been unable to go out for the last 8 weeks I found I had become a bit too keen on the internet shopping.

EAch to their own, I wouldnt put my tree and decorations up just yet probably first week of December oops is that too early?

IF I put any decorations up, it won't be before the 1st of December. To me, any earlier just means you get used to them, so they don't feel as special, in the run-up.

Also, my lights are almost exclusively battery-operated, with some being on built-in 6-hour timers, so I don't have to recharge/change them every few days.

I have a niece, who proudly showed off hers being up a week or two back, on Facebook. It makes her happy, so I'm fine with it.

It's the shops admonishing us to 'think about Christmas' before Halloween and Bonfire Night are out of the way that gets me.

I have received 2 Christmas cards already. Have written mine but, other than the overseas ones, won't post them until December.
It was always the handed down family tradition that the Christmas tree was put up and decorated after the children went to bed on Christmas Eve. It was part of the magic of our Christmas, together with Santa's mince pie and sherry and a carrot for Rudolph. Santa, with big white beard and red robe, always appeared while parcels being opened so not too much notice it was Grandad!!
As I live alone now I don't decorate but love to remember those happy days, especially as my late husband was the biggest kid of all!!
Wishing everyone an early Happy Christmas.???

I saw potted Christmas trees for sale in Sainsbury's yesterday. My youngest daughter puts her tree up on 1st December. I don't think about trees etc until week before Christmas.

Normally my tree, if I bother to put one up, is not set up until a week or so before Christmas. But I’ve bought a new pre lit one this year and it was delivered last week and I had to open the box to check it was intact and working. As I basically very lazy, after taking hours to put it together and “fluff” up the branches, I can’t be bothered putting it back in the box so it is in situ in my conservatory but not decorated or switched on!

I have a friend who’s had hers up since Christmas last year, that would drive me mad but it does make everyone smile. First time in about 8 years I’m having one this year, as we will have a two year old in residence

Dismal weather,dismal year why not add bit of glitz and glitter to life. I put tree up early last year my mum loved it so glad I did she died not long after and did not see Christmas.

If it makes them happy then why not, people like to make their own choices and their own traditions, if you don't like them, then don't look! My decs will go up when I can find time to get them out of the loft which will be sometime in December, no specific date and not to please anyone but us.

That's true Germanshepherdsmum.
But I honestly don't believe anyone on here would complain about an exceptional situation like that.

It's the many many who just can't wait to start Christmas and are putting up their decorations earlier and earlier every year that some take issue with. There are many who have had tragic or sad losses during any given year and are absolutely dreading Christmas. It can't help their mood to have the whole thing prominently on display from mid Oct on,and trees and lights beginning to appear in many houses from early November.

Obviously people are entitled to do what they like, but others may find it uncomfortable for various reasons.

grannypiper

Christmas in our house starts 15 December and not a day before. If cards arrive before that they sit in a pile. The only exception is the Christmas cake, we start that the last weekend in September.

Same here 15th December is my eldest son's birthday and we have always put up the decorations for his birthday it has become a family tradition.We celebrate two DGS's birthdays on 27th December & 31st December so the house always looks cheerful for their birthdays.

I saw one on Wednesday 17th too. On the way home last night I saw a number of houses with outside Christmas lights and trees in the gardens.
Our little town centre lights up on the first Friday and we will probably do the same. We have a single strand of white lights along the garden wall which is o the street and white lights over the porch, Christmas Tree in the window and we are done.
I never had them growing up as my mother was happy being miserable at Christmas.
Incidentally I take them all down on January 1st to start a free New Year.

My little tradition has always been to put the tree and decorations up around the 10th December. 3 of our neighbours have had their christmas stuff up since the beginning of November! What the hell is going on? The shops practically start off once the children go back to school in september. I am in the christmas decos up in December club. And if anyone mentions a shortage of turkeys then I will tell them to get stuffed. Bah humbug!!!

I was going to carp about decorations going up in November before reading some tragic reasons behind this. We just don’t know if there’s a very poignant reason for those early illuminations do we? Our (artificial) trees and the decorations (fewer each year) always go up close to 1 December, plus a wreath on the door.

Even before Covid I had cut down on all the meals out, after work drinks etc that seem to go hand in hand with Christmas nowadays. I found I was just tired and cranky by the time Christmas day arrived and had lost sight of its meaning.
I just concentrated on Carol Services, the children's nativity plays and local stuff like my am dram Group's get together in the village pub.
So much nicer.