Has anyone.........?

We put our outside lights up but they won’t be switched on until December.

Not till about a week before Christmas (daughter always does the baubles on the tree) and they come down on 1st or 2nd January. It's all overwith then. I'm always glad to see all the decs packed away. If it was upto just me, I would probably only display the Christmas cards and maybe a small fibre optic tree to just plug in. I'm a bit bah humbug about Christmas really.

No but I have bought a new tree in preparation. The old one broke as I was taking it down last year. Tree and decorations will go up when grandchildren start badgering.
They'll come to help and there will be a big potato pie for tea!!

No, but our neighbours opposite have theirs up and it cheers me up when I look at them, it's still too early for me but it does make me feel Christmassy.

I haven't really bothered with a tree for the last couple of years (got Covid 24th Dec last year) but this year I'm buying a cheap artificial one, plus cheap baubles and having my 3.5 year old twin great-grandsons over so they can decorate it on Saturday 10th December. Their mum likes hers looking all neat & pretty and colour co-ordinated - I don't care what mine looks like, I just think they'll have such fun doing it and I'll enjoy watching/helping them

I have put up what I call my Winter Lights on the outside deciduous tree. They go up when all the leaves have fallen. They cheer me up on gloomy days

Nope 2/1 week before Christmas

I sent my Christmas Cards yesterday because of the upcoming postal strikes before Christmas

No and i think the only decoration i will put up this year is my candle arch in the window.

Someone gave us a large wicker door wreath many years ago.
It was lovely, is a bit battered now but it has to come out every year. I do tidy it up, add a new ribbon etc.

Do you know of a local craft group who might be able to use them, Witzend?

I’ve never made a door wreath - I buy a plain fresh green one and add a few bits and a ribbon, but I have two wreath bases, left after all the green was taken off - worth taking them to a charity shop, do you think?
They’re just sitting there, it does seem a waste.

I always do mineon the 1st December,my GD;s will be here after school todo it this year ,ontheir own for the first time,Thats not to say I wont move it about a bit when they go home.lol.I'm a bit OCD

Cornergran your traditional decoration ritual with MrC really made me smile

NO NO NO NO NO third week of December quite soon enough for me and down for January
Gagajo can I join you in being a bah humbug

Roll on Springtime

No but then I never do!

It’s a real nostalgia trip, opening all the boxes, and remembering where you bought various decorations, or which child made them.
I do it with my grandchildren now, they have their memories about how things were acquired, but my memories go back fifty years, I have some decorations my neighbor gave me when I was a child.
Always add a few more every year. and throw out any damaged ones, but some I can’t part with.

Decorations will find their way down from the loft on Thursday. We have a system. I pass (throw!) the boxes down and Mr C catches (drops) them before putting in an (un) tidy pile. It’s traditional

The theory is I then have plenty of time to look through and reduce the number before beginning to decorate the first week in December. The reality will be I won’t be able to part with any of them and we’ll be festooned with twinkly lights on Friday with the rest appearing gradually over the next week. Go for it if you want to karmalady. The lights lift my spirits and make me smile. The older decorations carry memories of happy Christmas past, the new ones take me forward to new memories. I’m looking forward to it all.

No - and won't, as it's optional. I'm doing less with every year, now, as no children live here, I'm not Christian - or interested in following traditions. I do a big family (sort of Christmas) meal in early December, get the grandkids some gifts - and that's it done, really. There are three remaining 'oldies' who do still get a card. It's lovely to be a guest on Christmas day though!

Advent is soon enough and I cannot understand why people disregard the twelve days of Christmas and get it all down on Boxing Day…
Not keen on wreaths either, they just seem funereal to me. It’s different taking one to a grave.
However I have seen a spray for the front door I rather like.

All the presents are bought and wrapped cards written and ready to post.

All comes down New Years Day.

Outside lights went up today but not switching on until the inside is done which will be 3rd Dec

Nope. Tree up a week before. Down a week after. Bah humbug...

I put mine up the first weekend in December and it all comes down the day after Boxing Day so the house is all back to normal for the New Year arriving.
I've noticed a few houses have their decorations up when I walk the dog, some have gone bonkers with lights. I would hate to see their electric bills come January. Sorry if I sound a bit of a Grinch...

Yes, DDiL's birthday is on 29th November, so no Christmas decorations before then.

We are about to go away for 5 days, but tomorrow will get all the decorations out of the loft. When we get back I will slowly start decorating the house.

Buying the tree is pencilled in for 6 Dec. This a production number in itself, driving deep into the countryside to a Christmas tree farm and choosing the tree and strapping t on the roof, on to the Farm Shop that specialises in game to stock the freezer with game and venison for the winter months and then to a nice country pub for lunch.

Once up, they will stay up until just after the new Year as DS and family are spending this Christmas with DDiL's family, but come down to us on the 27th and stay until into New Year.