Mine always seemed to auto-flower between November and December. I think it has alot to do with shorter days and cooler temps. One thing I did learn after a few years is that it always seems to do better if I put it outside in a shady spot during the Summer. I don't know why, but it just always seems to bloom better after a little "vacation" outside.

Hi, mine have been out side in my shade house all summer,I always bring them in the last week of Sept,and put them on the front porch all glassed in so they get the cooler night but not the frost, mine seem to like blooming off and on all summer, so I'm not sure if the shorter days has a lot to do with blooming or at least with mine, I know they say that less light and cooler nights will help with blooming, I'm sure some one else will come along and give you some more help.

Bear

Mine also spend the summer outside in the shade house. I've tried keeping them inside all year and not had very good luck getting many blooms.
The cool nights do the trick for me, I just brought them inside yesterday and most of my thanksgiving type (which most people call christmas cactus) are showing buds allready. I have a couple I brought in a week ago and the buds are close to opening.

However none of the buckleyi (true christmas cactus) have buds yet, it's a bit early in my area for those.
I usually put these close to a cool window when they come in and they bloom a couple months later than the others.

I have three of them that bloom here indoors in Masachusetts evrey November and December. They reside year round in a sunroom in a north facing window. The temp in that room varies from the low 60's to 70's. They should not be given much water during the winter months. I do not treat them in any special way. They need to have a variance in temps to get them to flower. Gardenbear's post looks like a good one to follow and i agree what he or she has said.

My Christmas cactus has lived in the same window for 17 years and has bloomed every year. It is in a south facing bay window, I turn it every two or three months except when buds are on it. It is huge. I repotted it about 5 years ago and since then has been in the same soil, same everything. It is too big to handle much without damaging it.

It gets Gardens Alive plant food for flowering plants three times a year, a shower when dusty, and otherwise no special attention. EXCEPT for about two months ago, when I started misting all my plants foliage with Eleanor's VF-11. Now almost everything has new growth on it, including both my Christmas and "Easter" cactuses. It usually starts setting buds now, but for once I see no buds! Just lots of new growth. I wonder if I goofed it up by giving it the VF-11.

Next year leave them outside into fall. The cooler, darker nights is what does it. NEVER FAILS.

Tommy is right. The shorter days and cool night temps catapult them into bloom every year. I have about 10(lost count) that are forming buds in varying stages- these are all schlumbergera truncata. My one buckleyi is not doing anything yet. It's a small, young plant started from cuttings early last year. Hopefully it will do something later in the season.

I usually keep mine inside, would it hurt it to bring it outside until the holidays? I live in FL and we are still having very hot weather and it is still 75-80 at night.

Go ahead and put them out. As long as the daytime temps are the same as indoors. Don't want to shock them!