Tree is up and glittering ... I'm feeling choked

Rosina, or pack the things away in a box and seal it, maybe a future great grandchild will be thrilled to see all the old things when they are grown up and of course won't have the downside of all the emotions as the items will be less close to them.

Yes - that is a good idea Readymeals but too late for me, as I made the irrevocable decision and ditched them about three years ago! Your excellent suggestion will probably help others.

I do indulge in expensive glass Xmas tree ? decorations but my three most precious ones were made by my 3 dc when small. A bell made out of bit of egg box covered in foil. A for one painted in gold with blob of cotton wool on and reindeer made of lollypop sticks. My dc all grown up now and laugh when they see them on my tree. I would never throw those out.

Fir cone not for one!

My tree up and decorated - love it and anyway couldn't not as having family here Christmas dinner. But neighbours, who I get on really well with, have demonic flashing lights on outside holly tree and frantic flashing lights on inside tree - bit scary, wonder if they realise there are controls. So my tree gently twinkling in my front window somewhat overwhelmed. Dont want to upset them but should I ask neighbours to tone things down?

Janeainsworth LOVE your Angel ??

Don't they just hold so many memories Riverwalk! Our tree is not elegant and there is no colour theme - it is simply a riot of assorted oddments, all of which have to be put up or I get into trouble!

I bought some lovely wicker ornaments when the children were little, one of which is somewhat amorphous and weird. When they were teenagers they labelled it "the wicker turd" and if I do not put it on the tree, they start ferreting around in the box to find it! Happy memories!

Thank you Solitaire
I like to have occasional reminders of those days when the DC were little, even if there’s a tendency to view them through rose tinted specs ?

EllenVannin - Thanks for the response but sadly no-one will be visiting. I will be visiting my daughter on Christmas day and my son on Boxing day but the grandchildren are grown up and spread far and wide and won't be around. I'm not looking for sympathy because I know that many people are on their own and some far worse off than me but just a little understanding as to why some of us find Christmas preparations, particularly decorating the Christmas tree, a little painful.
On the big day itself, everything will be fine!

I have a tree my Nanna bought me for my first Christmas when I was 10 months old. It comes out every year and although it has lost lots of its greenery, once decorated it looks beautiful again. This year my 10 year old DGS decorated it by himself and it is a sparkling silvery delight with loads of tinsel and little wooden baubles. Maybe my tree is the oldest one still in use - it’s 75 years old.

I’ve finally put my tree up! It took most of one day to put five lots of lights on then I couldn’t face it until yesterday when I put the hundreds of baubles, old and new on. Some of the really old ones my poor mum had are just too tatty to go on now but I look at them and keep them in a special box. There are lots that I bought my mum and got back when she died and they’re treasured, of course. It’s equally exhausting taking it all down again after as well, wrapping all the treasures and putting away, most of a full day’s job as well!

My husband says emphatically that if I go first, he will not be bothering with any of it, tree, lights, cards etc! That upsets me, it’s the grandchildren that I’d feel sorry for! He’d just give them all money and bugger off to Portugal golfing!

1st Christmas DH & I were on our own (AC all flown the nest & DM decided the 250 mile drive was too much), DH said "you're not putting the tree up are you", I pointed that AC & GC would probably come over during Christmas. He could be a "Bah Humbug" but love seeing GC's faces

Even though I've been widowed almost 6 years I still put my tree up, lights, different coloured baubles & tinsel. Some of the baubles I've had for years, some DH & I chose together & a few new ones, memories for me but happy ones

I love decorating our tree, I do it alone, and love to think of every decoration and the happy memories it brings, we too have some which the children, now grown up, made at various times. Some make me sad too.

The GC decorate our tree and insist on the lametta going on in great big chunks to make waterfalls. It lacks subtlety!

Bathsheba...no, I don’t throw them away, store them for another time.
I have two trees that I alternate, one green, one white.
Gold and purple look great on the green tree, purple and silver on the white tree.Pink and silver on the white tree, red and gold on the green one, you get the idea.

Was dressing my tree yesterday,got really stressed trying to put a string of 1000 lights on and got myself in a right old tangle ,did it in the end but it took about 3 hours...I would appreciate any tips the lights were out away last year over large cardboard tube but still got tangled when I took them off..

I find it very difficult to do single-handed, Pudding123, though I wonder if dragonfly’s advice to hang the lights vertically might make the job easier? I’m certainly going to try it next year.

I’ve only covered our tree with lights this year- loads of them and it looks VERY pretty. Many of the decorations went back up to the attic and maybe they’ll be used again next year. However whilst nursing my youngest grandson to sleep recently I sang a song my son sang when he played the innkeeper in his junior school. It’s a lovely song and I felt overwhelmed with nostalgia. Happy memories nevertheless.

I'd spending this Christmas in a hospital guest room hoping to help my husband's recovery. Christmas decorations were the last thing on my mind.
Then I had a parcel delivered. My DD had sent an ingeniously packed mini real Christmas tree, which is now on the table in my room with baubles, decorations and lights! It looks lovely, and I may even be able to take it to the ward to show him.

Best wishes to you and your DH, allule.

And from me, Allule. Your tree sounds lovely.

I will not have a tree, don’t want the memories it would bring .

I haven’t put up my usual tree this year as toddler grandson would have it over in a second.
Instead, I have a big fuzzy-felt tree hanging on the wall with lots of cut out decorations that the tinies can rearrange as they like.
It’s not so glittery and beautiful, but the tots are happy with it, and next year it’ll be baubles and lights as usual.

Very wise, sluttygran! My lot are coming round tomorrow and I don’t rate my tree’s chances once the youngest catches sight of it!