Is it too early to put the Christmas tree up?

YES! (but each to their own - if you want to - go for it)

I loved Sri Lanka MissChateline when I visited twenty years ago. Would love to go back.

Enjoy your version of Christmas. To each, his/her own.

It is too early for me, but I’m old and a traditionalist😄.

So you do your own thing and sod everyone else. We have a neighbour who always leads the way. Her tree has been up for a week or two now. Everyone gradually follows suit as Christmas approaches.

I’m sure some people get sniffy, but that neighbour has a heart of absolute gold and people criticising says more about their miserableness than her delight in life.

We always put ours up on the first weekend in December. However if you want to put yours up do it and enjoy it!

Well said Norah.

It’s entirely personal preference. For me, I like to wait until mid-ish December for putting up the trees, then take them down on 12th night. However, the Advent wreath will come out next Sunday, 1st Dec.

If it will cheer you up to put yours up now, then do so - there’s no rule about when you should or shouldn’t. 😁

keepingquiet

Are you also buying Easter eggs? Making pancakes? Letting off fireworks and dressing up as a vampire?

If so then go ahead- have Christmas now as it clearly doesn't mean much but I wonder what you will do when January comes, maybe send Valentine's cards?

In fact why bother even having birthdays or anniversaries on the actual dates?

It seems we can do what we want in this crazy world so yes, go ahead.

I'm going to have Christmas at Christmas though, call me old-fashioned!

The OP only wanted to brighten up a dull, wet few days with a tree...

Was it necessary to be so facetious?

I can understand why one can be critical about those letting off fireworks almost every weekend between 5th November and the New Year - because it's an irritant to others, their pets, farm animals, birds and wildlife...

... but a tree in someone's living-room ???

Just driven past a pair of semis on my estate with outside lights up and on.

I agree, Dickens. Sadly, the world seems rife with unpleasantness and harsh words. Surely, it’s better to agree to disagree without being unpleasant about it?

Ziplok

It’s entirely personal preference. For me, I like to wait until mid-ish December for putting up the trees, then take them down on 12th night. However, the Advent wreath will come out next Sunday, 1st Dec.

If it will cheer you up to put yours up now, then do so - there’s no rule about when you should or shouldn’t. 😁

This describes almost exactly what we do Ziplock but each to their own, no need for some of the sarcastic comments on here.

Are unusual? Our family sticks to the old-fashioned way of decorating the tree on Christmas Eve and keeping it indoors until Twelfth Night on 6th January.

Well, the OP did ask so I guess she expected a mixed response.

I don't bother with lights, trees or decorations until a few days before the event - but that's what suits me and I wouldn't expect anyone else to abide by my choice.

Unless you are going to be putting-up masses of lights outside your house - especially those with an inbuilt flashing function or which are so bright they light up other people's bedrooms and disturb their sleep, then do you really need anyone else's 'permission' to decorate your living-room, or put up a tree?

I think it would have been Christmas Eve when our little tree went up when I was a child Romola - but that was all that went up apart from a few paper streamers hung across the ceiling. I’m too busy on Christmas Eve doing other things, so the trees go up earlier than that as they take quite a long time to set up and decorate. I’d feel a bit too rushed trying to do them on the 24th, but that’s just me. 😊

MissAdventure

Your choice, yout tree, your home.
No need to worry what anyone else does.

Absolutely agree! 🎄🎄🎄

I don't normally like a tree up too soon, I've been known to put it up Xmas Eve. This year however it is going up next weekend 1st December. I never know when my littlest GC are coming to see me, I usually get an hour's notice, so I intend to be Xmas ready for them.

The problem we have found in recent years is that everyone is buying their tree earlier and earlier and now your chances of getting a decent real tree if you leave buying it after the beginning of December is more and more difficult.

We have moved forward the date we buy our tree, just to ensure we get the tree we want.

I used to do all the decortaing with a big bang the weekend before Christmas, this, as with most, being the family tradition, but, last year. I was mildly post-COVID and didn't have much energy so spread putting the decorations up over a week doing a little bit each day. I have decided to continue doing that, even though I have no health problems this year.

I put mine up Christmas Eve as tradition always was, then leave up for the 12 days of Christmas. It seems everyone now is in such a hurry they put it up before Christmas and take down before it’s over. I heard someone say that the 12 days started 12days before. Christmas Eve then enjoy until the 12th night.

Oh, for goodness sake do you really need to ask? Do as you wish.

Being on my own I dont bother with decorations now Grandchildren are older. They nagged their Mum to put their decorations up though she usually waits till end of November as the Elves arrive on 1st December. So decorations are up & look good. Now usual problem from 1st December is where to hide the Elves as Elf hunt has to happen first thing in the morning. My poor DS ran out of ideas last year & resorted to an online site with lots of others trying to find ideas. Would have loved all this when my DS was young.

Does it get easier ?
My DH died nearly 4years ago, and I still could weep for him
Is it because Christmas is near, he died in January- or will I be able to cope with the loss in the future.
Advice on how to please !

I'm planning to get my artificial tree set up this week but won't be doing more than that decorations wise until after advent Sunday, next Sunday. I'll add the decorations gradually and not switch the twinkly lights on for a bit. I'll also be making a bit of a start on a Christmas letter and thinking about who to send cards to, so I can print out the addresses, and begin writing them.
Little by little this hoping to avoid stress leaving things until later. Also I don't put down until 12 th night so don't want to be sick of them before then
Next door have a tree up, doesn't affect me, the Christmas lights are on in town, I like twinkly lights :-)

I’m not having a tree or any decs this year. I shall be 14000 miles away but if I were here, I’d put the tree up the weekend before the 25th. Quite early enough for me. It would come down on the Twelfth Night. Last year I was in hospital until Boxing Day and returned home to find my daughter had decorated my sitting room with a few bits and bobs, which was lovely.

I never put mine up until Christmas week. As a child, my mother would not allow any greenery to be brought into the house before Christmas Eve, it was considered by her generation to be unlucky. The winter solstice on 21 December has been celebrated as the main festival of the year, brightening the long nights but also celebrating the beginning of the earth’s reawakening with longer days. This was in ancient times before Christianity and decking the house with greenery has always been part of the celebration along with food and drink and I suspect my mother’s superstition is a throwback from this.

As a child to come down on Christmas morning to see the newly installed tree and smell the pine, the oils being released by a roaring log fire, is one of the reasons that Christmas was so magical. Up on Christmas Eve, down on twelfth night and the tree remained fresh and a wonder to us children. I think a lot of the magic has vanished but that may be caused by my advanced years!

I've just put the Xmas "bits" up... Tree is another day.

I am a year behind you, Livey, and know Christmas will never matter as much to me now. Over almost sixty years we had many memorable times, people staying and mass catering part of the fun. This year I will probably be on my own treasuring memories and accepting that times have to change.