When are you planning on putting up decorations?

About a week before and taken down somewhere between Boxing Day and New Year. Depends if we are allowed to see any grandchildren or not

I shall go out and pick some fresh greenery and get out a few twinkly lights and baubles a few days before Christmas Eve.

Result a couple of banners in our small open plan room. No room for a tree.

They will come down when the greenery decides it's had enough!

I agree BlueBelle, the longer people's decorations are up for, they lose that special significance. Ours will go up sometime after the 18th December. I take great trouble with the tree and to me, its still a magical thing. I've already made Mr L a small batch of mince pies. They didn't last long......

Light plays a significant part in lifting the spirits so I begin early and run late- I attended a beautiful program at a planetarium once that covered the history of the seasons Autumn and Winter and the importance of light during these low light months through the ages- I tend to get restless come February, wanting to escape the snow and bitter cold-

I never have and never will. It is okay if there are young children around but otherwise a waste of time and money.

Mid December for us too! And normally take the tree down on January 2nd. But we're n the middle of a big refurb project just now so we might be putting tinsel on the step ladders instead ?

For my birthday, as usual. My birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas, and as a child, we always put the decorations up for my party.

I have carried on the tradition, and wouldn't put them up before then.

Mine go up the weekend before Christmas Day and usually come down the weekend after. I have been known to leave them up until 12th Night, but they certainly don't go up early.

Mine always go up the first weekend in December. We go away at Christmas but have Christmas Day around the 15th for family to come over. (I wonder if it will happen this year, probably not) I take them down on the 2nd

queengran, you're assuming that we are going to bother with decorations.

I always did them with family, kids or visitors in the house, but personally, I really don't like them. This year, I'm a guest at my daughter's house.

I might have a tree outside, just to show willing, for public appreciation (possibly hang up my twig star wall thingy) but, for me, it's a real blessing to maintain my minimalistic, tree/card/decoration free living space!

We've always put ours up on the 12th, our anniversary, 50th this year, the decorations will go up but not much celebrating as far as the family goes this anniversary. I'm sure we'll make up for it

Yes, Hetty! I suppose I am. Interesting to read that some don't do them at all. And so lovely to read about all the traditions and reasons why people put them at certain times. I suppose if you've been doing it for a particular reason (like minimoon) then it would feel strange to depart from that. I have to say I'm with Oopsminty and RoseCarmel. I love twinkly fairy lights and don't think they should be reserved just for Christmas. They do make everything seem happier and more cosy and I think we could all do with that right now. I'll also start gradually getting the decorations out rather than doing them in all in one go as I usually would.

A couple of days before Christmas. A tree, a few lights and candles and a door garland. ‘Small is beautiful’. I’m becoming minimalist in my dotage. My DD’s neighbour has had a tree on the verge decorated for months. I saw them yesterday piling on more baubles & lights. In my mind it looks just ridiculous not to mention tacky but, hey ho, we’re all different. They obviously get much pleasure from it....

Why meteorologists are encouraging people to get their outdoor decor up early .. ?

news.yahoo.com/why-forecasters-encouraging-decorating-winter-222800099.html