christmas tree

[Henrietta23]

Now I didn't think anyone on HERE thought I was being judgmental. I mean people in real life. They'll ask if I've got the tree up and I'll say no. They'll ask why not and I'll say something simple like, "It's too early for me." Which they take to mean I think they've put their trees up to early.
We do a pretty good job on here of being interested in other's customs and traditions without passing judgment!

 

[Cassandra]

My tree will have to go up this weekend. It's the only time I have between now and Christmas to put it up. It's such a pain. I hate fooling with it. But the little ones loves it so.

It is an artificial tree. John will not even consider a live tree. When I was a kid we used to go cut our tree out of the woods. Now, I understand not wanting to pay $50 or upward for a live tree that you are only going to use a few weeks. But man... chopping down your own crappy looking tree off your own property is a treat! But he says they are too much of a pain. (I think keeping a tree in a box in my closet is a pain!)

I don't have any outside lights. I do hang a wreath on the front door.

I will often take the christmas tree down on christmas day. I am just so sick of looking at it for a month.

Cassandra

 

[the simple life]

We put up our tree on Christmas Eve. I love to come home from our church's Christmas service, have dinner together and then put on the new pjs and decorate the tree.

I have some other trees that are themed for every room in the house that I will put up earlier, but not a whole lot earlier.

 

[Henrietta23]

I will often take the christmas tree down on christmas day. I am just so sick of looking at it for a month.

Cassandra

LOL, that is one benefit of not putting it up earlier in December I guess!
We know someone from Germany who doesn't put up her tree until Dec. 24 too. She actually uses real candles, lights them for about 10 mintues and that's it. She's so afraid it will burn down her house! When her kids were young the tree was decorated by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve after they went to bed. Part of the surprise was seeing the decorated tree Christmas morning!

 

[k0xxx]

Tony's b-day is Jan. 4

Mine too.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

LOL, that is one benefit of not putting it up earlier in December I guess!
We know someone from Germany who doesn't put up her tree until Dec. 24 too. She actually uses real candles, lights them for about 10 mintues and that's it. She's so afraid it will burn down her house! When her kids were young the tree was decorated by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve after they went to bed. Part of the surprise was seeing the decorated tree Christmas morning!

Now that is a nice tradition!

When I was a kid, my mom was alone raising three of us. She had a small 4 ft artificial tree and a few ornaments. She put the tree up on December 1, and I think that day the only thing we put on it was the lights. Then each evening, after we got the candy cane out of the advent calendar, we each got to hang one ornament on the tree. By Christmas all the ornaments were on the tree. It was great.

With our kids, we put the tree up shortly after Thanksgiving. It is when ever I feel like getting it out and putting it up. DH always lets me choose. I used to get sooo excited for Christmas (way before I had kids) and want the tree up right away...then I had kids and I was like, um no, wait until after T-Day or at least that evening.

I always take it down Christmas night, just because our house is sooooo small I need it out for the extra space.

 

[the simple life]

I will often take the christmas tree down on christmas day. I am just so sick of looking at it for a month.

Cassandra

LOL, that is one benefit of not putting it up earlier in December I guess!
We know someone from Germany who doesn't put up her tree until Dec. 24 too. She actually uses real candles, lights them for about 10 mintues and that's it. She's so afraid it will burn down her house! When her kids were young the tree was decorated by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve after they went to bed. Part of the surprise was seeing the decorated tree Christmas morning!

I bet she is familiar with the story of the Christmas pickle too.
I believe that is where it originated from.
We are not German but my friend is and when I got married someone gave us the Christmas pickle ornament and a copy of the story that goes with it.
It was really a thoughtful gift and we do it every year.
You hide the pickle in the center of the tree somewhere and then have the children look for it, its harder than it sounds since it blends in so well.
The child who finds the pickle gets a special gift.
I always buy some small gift for the child that finds the pickle.
It doesn't upset the kids that don't find it since they know its done every year and they have all found it one time or another.
Besides, they all get gifts to begin with and they know better than to act that way.

I really love the spirit of the Christmas season and do my best to focus on that than anything materialistic.
The commercialism that surrounds this holiday really bothers me.

I love the night before Christmas the best, when we are all together decorating the tree with Christmas music on and drinking egg nog and hot apple cider.
Then we watch holiday movies and read the night before christmas.
Then we tuck all the little ones into bed and we stay up all night trying to assemble toys that are usually missing a part.

 

[curly_kate]

Even being a Scrooge about when the "Christmas season" starts for me, I AM getting excited. My parents gave us their old artificial tree this year, so I'm a little disappointed about not getting a live one this year, but it DOES seem awfully wasteful to spend $60 on the admittedly gorgeous fir tree that the local garden store sells. I'm going to make as many gifts as possible this year, so I'm excited for that, too. We don't have any kids, and my DH works for a ski area, so he's always working this time of year. I invite nieces & nephews over to help decorate the tree & make presents for friends & family. :bun

 

[the simple life]

Thats nice to have your neices and nephews over.
I like to do that as well before Christmas comes and have them all over to decorate cookies.
Its a HUGE mess, but they have so much fun and thats what its all about anyway.
I really hate to spend money on the real trees too but I always have a real one, so what I do is I only purchase trees from one of the charities.
There is always some organization selling trees to help raise money for their cause so I feel better about spending the money on a tree that way.

 

[Homesteadmom]

We start the Sat., after Thanksgiving with our decorating. Although we are already singing Christmas carols & the kids have been watching a few shows also(we have them on tape). But in my defense on the music we are practicing for our homeschool group Christmas program the last 2 weeks. I run a program where the kids sing 5 songs, take turns reading the scripture of the Christmas story from Luke 2 & then there are some who play piano solo's & this year I have a few who want to sing solo's too. So we have to start singing before Thanksgiving. There are a few places here that I have seen with decorations up already. Not sure if they light them up at night or not since I haven't gone by there after dark. This yr we are doing more decorating than last yr. Don was not real happy as it was the first Christmas without his mom. But I think he is doing better this yr about it. Plus I think this will be the most magical Christmas for Danielle ever as she will be more excited than ever. I can't wait!!!