I LOVE Christmas and I am like a big kid because I do get very excited! Plus now I have children of my own I can use them as an excuse to be even more festive and full of Christmas cheer (not that I really need any excuse!)
So obviously traditionally today, the 1st December, is when the advent calendars can be started (although unfortunately due to heating and hot water problems ie. none at home Burton won’t have his yet. At least he is not old enough to realise he is missing out).Therefore, the way I see it the countdown to Christmas has officially begun BUT when is it the ‘right’ time to put your Christmas tree up? Is there a Christmas decoration etiquette?
When I lived at home we were always late in putting ours up -much to my disappointment. At least late in my mind ! If I recall correctly, we would put our tree and decorations up the weekend before Christmas day which I always felt just wasn’t long enough. We had an artificial tree too and a fairy instead of a star,which my Mum made for my first Christmas and it was dressed in green. I wonder what happened to that fairy? We had the most awful decorations when I think back – I mean my brother and I thought they were wonderful at the time, the metallic shaped ones that you pulled out and hung along the walls. I remember one year when we were both very young making a load of paper chains to hang up – coloured them all in ourselves – and some homemade snowflakes. I don’t know if Mum and Dad really like our efforts but they let us decorate our lounge with them anyway. I am looking forward to receiving Burton and Jenson’s first homemade Christmas decoration – I wonder if it will be a toilet roll tube fairy? (I made one of those at school).
Since living with Jon we have tended to put our tree up about a fortnight prior to Christmas day, and we have a real one which I must admit I do like. I enjoy going out and choosing which tree to have and take home. However, some people put their trees and decorations up very early. I know that Mum2babyinsomniac put her tree up on the 11th November, which is very early but with a young child I can understand her excitement at having it up so soon. I also know of other people who put their decorations and tree up last weekend, and showing their displays off proudly on facebook! I have also already seen the flashing lights attached to the front of some houses in the streets I have passed on my way home as I drove through town in the dark on Monday night! It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas………
But is November too early? Is there a right time? Does it really matter when the festive decorations are out on display? Afterall, Christmas does only come round once a year and shouldn’t we make the most of it? Shops start selling Christmas supplies early enough, usually once the kids return to school after the summer break, so is this wrong? Is it encouraging some households to dec their halls and lounges and windows and walls etc… with flashing lights before December has started? Is it just making Christmas start sooner – maybe too soon?
I know that some people are more sacred about ensuring that their decorations are not put up until much closer to the BIG day, and cannot understand why others feel the need to get theirs out so much sooner. If we follow the 12 Days Of Christmas rule of thumb, then Festivities start on December 25th and continues until January 5th. These 12 days are also known as Christmastide, with the Twelfth Day of Christmas being the 5th January and the celebrations of Christmas traditionally ending on Twelfth Night, which is followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on 6th January. In some traditions the first day of Epiphany and the twelfth day of Christmas overlap. Hmmm ok but this doesn’t help in determining when decorations should be displayed! Should we start 12 days prior to the 25th then?
Actually, I dont think there is a wrong or right time, it just comes down to personal choice really. Christmas does only come round once a year, doesn’t it, so shouldn’t we make the most of it?
So what do to think?
When do you put your tree and decorations up?
Do you follow the same routine each Christmas or do you vary the start of your festiveness?
DAY 1 
Thank you xx
we’ll be hanging on for a while yet for decorating – mainly once term has finished and we can devote some proper attention to it! But we’ll be making decorations from, errr, about, well, tomorrow! Now mine are bigger we can do some ‘proper’ crafting and I am really looking forward to it! School has a “decorating day” next Tuesday and to be honest, there is so much end of term stuff going on it will be nice to save our family decorations for when we’re together, as a family!
We put our tree up in the week before Christmas. Mainly because if I put it up any sooner I am sick of it by boxing day and I like to keep it up till Jan 6th. Lovely tree btw,
Thanks you that was the one we had last year – I loved its shape it looked a bit oriental. Haven’t got one for this yea yet xx
Your tree looks lovely. I put my tree and decorations up yesterday, only because when I was getting the loft insulated I brought it down. And since it was down the boys kept asking for it to go up. I was off yesterday and thought no time like the present and did it. Normally I don’t put it up in November but I didn’t switch the lights on until today x
1st of December or 1st weekend in December here! Saturday night we are doing it (decorations, not ‘IT’) this year.
We bought loads of new decorations last year so I can’t wait to put those out.
We used to have a real tree but have now gone for a simple artificial tree. I still love real trees but we found them too high maintainance in the end…and it encouraged that cats to pee on our presents!! xx
I agree that it’s personal choice. I love Christmas too but I know if I do it too soon I lose some of the excitement once Christmas comes. I only like the decorations up for a few weeks as well as the house starts to gt all messy. I can understand people wanting them up earlier though November is too soon for me.