My mother tells us that when we were very small, Santa brought the tree along with the gifts, and decorated it too. Apparently it was worth the hassle to see the look of amazement on our little faces when we came in the living room Christmas morning and saw the tree in all its splendor for the first time. All I can think about is how my parents must have had to pull all nighters on Christmas Eve to get everything done! I actually don't remember the Christmas Eve tree, but even when I was older the tree never went up until around the 22nd, although the other decorations were up around the first week of December. Also we didn't hang our stockings until Christmas Eve, but now most people (including ourselves) put them out when we decorate the mantel.
We get our tree earlier than my parents did, but we've also had the problem of trees not living to see the big day so I try not to go too early. But mostly we decide when to get the tree by default - we are lucky to have one Saturday or Sunday free in December for tree shopping and trimming due to my husband's birthday, Hannukah (we celebrate both), the boys sports and our daughters' skating schedules. This year it will be December 11. We will take it down either New Years or Jan. 6.

I started yesterday and DH and I just put all the packing boxes away. I am relaxing and enjoying all the holiday splendor. I love it all!! mtnrdredux trees are all cut for sale in October, so I am not sure why a "new" tree would help much. Did you cut it yourself? Trees are best cut before they go dormant for the winter. It may be early for some, but I do not know how a working mom could do it any different and still get it all done!! With all the time spent on other holidays it seems only fair to celebrate Christmas as long as possible.

I usually start the day after Thanksgiving and finish during the long weekend, but keeping DD2's baby the last few days put a stop to that. I did keep him at our house for awhile today and got some of it done. No tree yet, since it was raining. But soon! This is the first Christmas in 10 years all three of my children will be at home at the same time - DS and his fiance will arrive the 26th for a few days, but I'm counting that as the holidays.

Well, two Christmas coffee mugs are sitting on top of the microwave.....

Hopefully more decorating to come this week!

Oh, Allison, that's really nice ... and a new baby to boot!

Arcy, No, we didn't cut it. I don't think the issue is when it is cut so much as how long it sits in a dry, warm house with lights on it?

VictoriaJane, Yes, my parents did the same thing when we were young. Santa brought the tree. Dec 24, no sign of Christmas. Dec 25, the whole thing magically appeared.

Rafor - I am tired just listening to you

New home - Your house looks so pretty in the snow. We spent a Christmas on vacation one year. We were going to Australia and wanted to go for a few weeks and in their summer, but keep the kids out of school/preschool as little as possible. We had a tree there, but it still felt like I missed a Christmas!

I have helper elves coming on Wednesday, and in the meantime I have purchased a few... ahem, things. :)

All of you are just enablers!!! After my last post, I went down and put the garland over the windows in the dining room (remember I said I hoped I could get that done tomorrow before I left town?). I'm just in a rush to get it all started :) I won't get a tree for at least two weeks. Last year it dried out so fast. I do have other smaller trees I do, but they are either metal ones or artificial (that sounds soooo much better than fake!). What's tiring is the constant running up and down stairs to the attic and the basement. I thought I was so clever last year when putting everything away. I figured that whatever decs I used on the 2nd floor would go in the attic. And whatever I used on the first floor or outside would go in the basement. Seemed then I would only have to go up or down one flight. It's sort of working except when I decide to change things around.

Well, I work full time so I had to take advantage of being home these last few days and get my decorations up.

I started Thanksgiving night by putting white lights on about 20 shrubs out front. We've used fake trees for about 10 years now, so on Friday, I put together, fluffed and got all the lights working on the 9ft faux tree in the family room and the little 5 ft tree in the study. The kids and I decorated them, along with a small one in the dining room Saturday night.

I've made 4 wreaths for the french doors in the family room and "swags" for 3 of the nine windows on the front of the house out of clippings from around our yard. I'll work on the other 6 after work this week.

I've put faux garland on the mantle and stairs. Fresh greenery will be worked into this in the coming days too.

I've also painted four different color swatches on the walls of my family room as I'm trying to decide what color to paint as soon as the holidays are over.

Whew, I'm tired........

Oh and Mtnrdredux, I'm going to try my hand at a boxwood wreath this week so clicked on your link. The etsy site you ordered from is a VERY small town in SW Va where I grew up. I was so surprised to see it listed as the maker of your beautiful wreaths. Another example of just how small this world is!!!

mtnrdreduxn - I love the boxwood wreaths & your doors!

I am not feeling very festive although I have every reason to be festive! My kids are 3.5yo & have an awareness of Christmas for the first time and my parents have been here since mid-October so for the first time in the kids' lives and first time in 15 yrs, we're spending Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's together. :)

Don't laugh but my decorating spirit is bummed because we didn't get a real tree this year. Over the last 3 Christmases, I've almost been in tears thanks to the crispy-fried Noble Firs we've ended up with 2 weeks before Christmas. I couldn't handle the disappointment anymore and had started thinking I would be ok with going to artificial. Then I wanted to try one last time - buying the tree this weekend so that it's out of the Houston sun (tree lots) and in water (I usually buy our tree the 2nd weekend in Dec).

Well, leave it to DH to talk to our neighbor who was looking to get rid of their 7.5' pre-lit fraser fir. It's now in our living room and half-decorated (it's hard to do it up with 3 yo's under foot!). I need to find my Christmas-decorating-mojo!

On a funny note, we put our traditional Christmas "parol" (Philippine multi-color lantern) up & DS put his arm around DD and said, "Look! We are at a restaurant!". LOL

binsd - That is funny! :)

mtnrdredux - I wish I could say that we would be on vacation Christmas weekend, but we are not. We are going to be at my mothers for the first time since my 30 year old was two. My father passed away 4 weeks ago, and why we are spending this year differently. My whole family will be there. It should be fun, but for now, I am not in the Christmas spirit. :( Had everyone for Thanksgiving and we were all sad.

Thank you for the house compliment. Your front door and wreaths are beautiful! I'd love to see more of your home, too.

homeagain - Glade Springs, Va is about 30 minutes from me in NE Tn. hoho I'll tell ya, we can buy fresh greenery wreaths like that for half the price around here. I saw some beautiful boxwood wreaths last year at our local nursery.

Didn't do anything indoors last year. We have to do the Victorian Porch Tour each year as it is mandatory in our Historic Neighborhood. Last year I set up the timers and a neighbor looked over and made sure it worked OK. We were in NYC as it was my birthday.

This year we may or may not be in town. I stopped the tree and home deco 2 yrs ago. No one is interested anymore...will not walk backwards. Stopped gifts years ago...no backward steps there either.

Have mixed feelings on all this. My home Christmases were a nightmare for decades. Our family...with DH and the kids were wonderful. Now they are in their own space and have their own ideals . No room for our thoughts at all. So I am determined to move forward ....will meditate and feel my way and see what works.

This is SO hard...not what I expected when I had kids 37 yrs ago. But I am trying to be open and accepting . Would like to hear others "real " feelings. c

Iam still recuperating from an exhausting but happy Thanksgiving. Will def. simplify the cooking next year. Am trying to get excited about Christmas but for the first time in 30 years we will have none of our kids here for Christmas day. Feel like crying, even though we will see my daughter the day after when she comes in for a wedding. My hubby just sort of tolerates all my enthusiam for Christmas, and it just seems like any effort is just for me. Not so much fun. I did wrap most of my presents already and put up a tree - fake one this year and no ornaments yet. I have a big program at school on Tuesday, maybe after that I will put on some Christmas music and get the spirit back. I refuse to give in to melancholy. I remember my freshman year of college when I had to stay with my grandparents (couldn't afford to go home to Brasil) and they were not even planning on putting up a tree - too much trouble. Whoa - I fixed that real quick and even though I did all the work I think they enjoyed all the commotion. I need to adopt a kid! :)

I'm a little sad this year. For the first time since our 37 year old was born no one will be at our house for Christmas. We are going to DD's house for the weekend and both kids, their significant others and G'ma will be there so it's not like we won't be together, it will just be different. By the same token we've had a rough year with DH's health and I'm tired and am really kind of glad I don't have to decorate the whole house. I almost didn't even put up a tree, but then I couldn't stand it and went out and bought this little alpine tree, some garland, and some cheap ornaments. I didn't realize until I saw this picture that it's a little tippy. It's not the tree we usually have with 41 years worth of ornaments on it, but it still says Christmas to me. I think this and a big red bow on the front door is about all I'll do this year. DH is doing better, the kids are well and happy so that's the best Christmas present I could ask for. Please everyone keep posting your decorations. I know I love to see what everyone does and I think a lot of others do to.

Here is a link that might be useful:

oakley -- thank you so much for starting this thread and thanks for everyone's honest answers! My children are 7 & 5, so I should be all gaga for holiday (we do both Hanukkah & xmas) decorations ... but this year I'm not. At all. Last year I went bananas with the holiday decorations and had everything up the weekend following Thanksgiving, even though we were going to be in Mexico for the actual holiday. But this year doing the little bit I have done has felt like such a concerted effort, and I've felt no joy doing it.

I leave in a few days for my annual Suicide Prevention Trip©™ (well, that's what we Special Mommies call it!), so I suspect part of my decorating malaise is due to that, the stress of that. (This trip was planned last summer and we are now being hit and hit hard by our youngest's medical bills -- currently more than my partner's gross annual pay. It is insane. I am exhausted and so sad by all the fighting with insurance: I just don't have it in me yet I have to keep it up, every day. Others here surely know that drill!)

Not to be a downer, but it's hard for me to feel so festive when I am freaked out about this new financial situation. I know it'll eventually be okay, that this too shall pass, so I'm using that like a mantra to make it through.

So trailrunner, I am a little older than your children and we choose not to spend holidays with our parents. I know all of them are probably a bit put-out, but all three of them (my FIL is dead) are such high-maintenance. I'm done. My MIL refuses to come out to us so we have to go to her (she divides her time between Japan and California): it is expensive, plus we have to rent a car and lodging (she is elderly and the way she [doesn't] maintains her homes is dangerous for our youngest son). We (I) have repeatedly asked her to come out here but she says it's too far: we call this Baldwin logic because somehow the two hours from CA to CO is too far, but the twelve hours from CA to Japan isn't ....

My parents are also high maintenance, but in a different way: they will come out here, but they expect to be waited on hand-and-foot. They expect to have every drink / meal made for them on-demand, and they will concede nothing. They will not help, and they get snippy if I'm not step-and-fetch-it-ing solely for them. As I have mentioned before our youngest has Exceptional Needs and those Needs are exceptionally demanding. That's fine (well, it actually sucks) -- I love him to pieces and understand doting on a severely impacted child. My parents get fuffy about it, and they openly (and in my opinion, grossly) prefer our eldest (and not impacted) child. That is unacceptable. Full stop.

I cannot speak to what your kids are thinking, but I know it is a deliberate thought on our part to "do our own thing." I cringe with envy the picture-perfect extended family get-togethers I fantasize others have (because of course every family has its own crappy dynamics). That's not the hand I got dealt, and try as I might to keep picking more cards from the deck to finesse said hand, it's not going to happen. So for Thanksgiving we had the most divine, easy, comfortable and fun day with two other Special families -- now that was the holiday of my dreams!

Homeagain, Id love to see the wreaths and swags. I think I am too lazy to do so much, but Christmas is not really about understatement! I need to get in gear. So cool about the Etsy connection! I love love Etsy.

Bin, Id love to see the parol! I hear you about dead and dying trees.

Newhome - I am so sorry about your Dad. But of course, that IS the Christmas spirit, bringing family together. I hope you can have fun remembering the Christmases you shared with him.
Here in the NYC metro, I am sure I would have paid more for my wreaths. I so prefer it goes directly to the person who made it!

Trailrunner - we all do have to adjust our traditions. And I think very few people have a holiday that doesn't includes some disappointments. The pressure is on to have a good time, dammit, with a group of people to whom you just happen to be related and the assortment of characters they chose to marry, and then their offspring! With in laws and neighbors and SOs thrown in the mix. I think it rarely looks or feels like it is "supposed" to. Some of us need to edit out family members who cause conflict, some of us need to expand our definition of how we spend holidays and who we spend them with ... I admire you for meditating and going with the flow. That's the best choice!

Musicteacher, I'd cry too. Then turn the calendars back a day and pretend.

SJT - glad DH is doing well and that you will be at DD's for the holiday. I agree it's important to decorate, if only a token!

RM,

I knew I liked your style, but I like your substance, too. I applaud your decisions and your logic.

Do any of the special needs support groups have advocate volunteers to help you fight the insurers? Surely it is a common burden for many of these families. If these organizations don't have people to help with that, they should do a call out for volunteers (eg retired lawyers and such).

I'm having a little trouble getting started this year. I went all out last year and it took me a long time after the holidays to get it all put away. I think I'm dreading that part of the process this year and it's taking away some of the joy I would normally feel.

Well, since I refuse to decorate before December I have done nada! I did start to put away Autumn decor so parts of my house are bare of decorations.

I have been thinking a bit about what I might do. I do things differently every year but last year by this time I had made a long list of how to decorate every room but haven't even started one this year. Have only bought a few new things so will probably just wing it.

The older I get the more I can understand my parents downsized Christmas decorating as they aged. While I'll never give it all up cause I enjoy it too much I am thinking of only using small artificial trees this year. Last year one of my cats climbed the large tree and chewed the light cords in several places - it's a miracle he wasn't electrocuted. Don't need a repeat of that. I have to say that I've always decorated only for me since the kids left home years ago so whatever I do is fine. Even if I did only half of what I usually do some people who visit would think it was a lot.

Trailrunner, my real feelings are that I've been tempted to cancel Christmas as none of the kids will be coming home this year. IKWYM when you say it's not what you expected. However my expectations don't always have much to do with my reality and I refuse to allow situations beyond my control to influence my happiness. Have sometimes thought I need to find new kids altho I still do like and love the ones I have. Making demands on them will not improve our relationships so I ignore a lot. Christmas can be a trying time for many but we always have choices as to how we will cope. I have 3 days to finish packing away Autumn and get out the Christmas totes and that's how I'm coping this week! Also meditation cause that really does help. I hope you can resolve your disappointment in the best way for all concerned.

Looking forward to seeing everyone's Christmas decor - I know I find it uplifting and hope everyone else does also.

sjt - I am glad your DH is feeling better and I think your tree is sweet. Even a little holiday spirit can bring about needed cheer & well-being! When I used to travel quite a bit for work, I lived on the west coast but my parents are on the east coast. I was rarely home for more than a day or 2 during the holiday season but I always wanted to decorate. I bought one of those alpine trees at Michael's and I really loved it. I still could kick myself for then-fiance-now-DH "convincing" me to get rid of it just before we got married.

mtnrdredux - hopefully, I can get some pics up by tomorrow or Tuesday. I got behind this evening when 3 strands of lights decided to go out on my tree! Ugh!

I've only missed Christmas with my parents a couple of times in my 45 yrs and it's been purely by "misfortune". With DH in a power-wheelchair and my parents living in a 2-story house, my parents have flown almost every year to be with us in San Diego or Houston for the last 9 yrs. The only 2 exceptions have been when one or the other fell ill (hospitalizations). Those 2 times, I felt absolutely depressed that we weren't spending the holidays with them. It was so hard trying to mask the disappointment when I spoke to them over the phone. No amount of decorating seemed to help! But they are here extra early this year so not sure what my funk is all about (aside from the fake tree - but really, I'm kind of liking that I can bend the individual branches to better feature ornaments AND there's always Aunt Sadies Christmas Tree in a Can candle!).

But...I AM looking forward to seeing what everyone here does for Christmas decor, too. It's one my favorite things to do even when I've been MIA from THS for months. :)

I don't know what to do this year for Christmas. We are currently negotiating with a buyer (oh my--you can't even imagine what buyers are like these days). But, we are still showing the house of course. The last thing I need to do is make the house look smaller by adding a TREE! Major complaint is that my 2200 sq foot house is too small. I always thought it was cozy for a family of 5.

I imagine we will do the last minute tree right before Christmas. I guess I can put up some Christmas stuff on the mirrored chest in the foyer and on the mantle.

I think I'll get it all out next weekend. It's 67 degrees here today. I'm not feeling too festive yet--hey, I mowed the lawn on Saturday, AGAIN! I have some weeding to do too.

Trailrunner, and those of you who aren't doing the "traditional Norman Rockwell" Christmas--have you ever just gone on a great vacation over Christmas? We took the kids one year on a 12 night Caribbean Cruise that included Christmas. It really was a great way to deal with a lot of the extended family issues that were happening. So nice to say, "Oh, we won't be here. We're going on vacation".

Bee

Bee we did that last year - took a driving trip with our sons (21 & 25 at that time) to FL. My MIL will hold resentment over that trip forever. The fact that we did not spend Xmas with her is holding us hostage this year but I've told DH it's the last time. If we choose to be home for the holiday in the future, we will see his family on Xmas day but if we choose to be elsewhere, they will have to deal with it. Both our sons were here for Thanksgiving (the oldest is still here :-)) and neither one called or visited their grandparents. Gee, I wonder why. They made their bed.

(((Trailrunner))) - It is hard when reality does not match the picture we have in our heads and at holiday time even more so. Obviously I don't know your family dynamics but just maybe your kids are taking their cues from you and your DH and creating their individual holidays for their families the way you did for yours. Would creating your own alternative holiday work? Does your gathering it have to be on Christmas for it to feel right to you? With my family, we celebrate Hanukkah when we are all in the same place, regardless of the date. Some years it will be before, some after, but it still feels special.

Hmmm, interesting thoughts expressed here. I like decorating for the way it makes *me* feel, and the rest of my family seems to like it--not enough to do any of it but it is part of our family tradition, and even as young adults I believe our children do appreciate the steadiness and stability of it. Then too, I grew up never having a real Christmas tree. Although, I'm sure my parents fab 60s aluminum modular tree (complete with that rotating color wheel light) would fetch Big Bucks today. Starting the first year of our marriage, long before we had kids, I did a real tree, and decorated it to the hilt.

Then several years ago I revamped my holiday style, switching out to my own favorite color scheme which is silver and white--no reds or greens to be seen. I simplified not only the colors but the quantity of my decorating, so it isn't such a visually overwhelming experience either. Loving the ocean, I focus on that as my theme and have 25 years of collected ocean/nautical decorations on the tree, along with some personal ornaments that have family meaning. I also evolved into decorating with lots of simple white candles and associated holders, wreaths etc. So now, when the house is decorated it looks beautiful in my eyes and I love sitting quietly in the evening with the tree lit up, the candles burning, and a glass of wine. It brings me peace.

As for dealing with family issues, we are in the empty-ing nest stage. My son and his girlfriend were with her family in Connecticut this year for Thanksgiving. We missed them but it is his life and it's only fair that they spend time with her family too. Daughter is a college student, living at home but in/out constantly. The holiday decorations may not be in the forefront of their consciousness but I think they appreciate the steadiness of the tradition. It is all part of home for them.

As time goes on I'm sure we will modify and adapt. There may come the day when I don't feel like going all out for the tree, the decorating etc. When that happens, we'll just figure out what to do. Till then I"m loving my Christmas home just as it is, which is just as it has been every year for a long, long time.

The only year I didn't decorate was in "08 when we had the kitchen done. The remodel was supposed to start in September, so of course it started Thanksgiving weekend. So for Xmas we had a non-functional kitchen and a LR full of boxes. Amusing memory now.

We only have 1 grown son who still lives with us, and very small families (DH was an orphan), so never those huge family scenes. Only THIS year I have something different going on for once:

*drum roll* Both my sisters are coming to stay with us!

This is amazing because they come up every year, and stay at a hotel. We always invite them to stay with us. It's always No. So were taken by surprise with a YES. What's different this year? They are staying for a longer period of time as we got tickets to take our mother to Jersey Boys.

So literally a few weeks ago I was told, they'd stay with me this year and it would be for 5 days. Now I LOVE my sisters and I'm thrilled to death, but imagine a decorating nut suddenly going haywire to completely redo the guest room in the last 3 weeks WHILE we were having contractors redoing our BR. And installing crown molding downstairs.

I never buy anything new, it's always from an antique store, so of course I go bid on hand painted china lamp bases on EBay. Then try to find harps to fit, then have to order custom shades made. Then ask myself Why I Do Everything The Hard Way?

Just spent the entire Thanksgiving weekend massively cleaning and decorating and not done yet. (DH is about to divorce me). Because of course I need MORE decorations this year. (distract them from the cooking....) The DR table looks like Xmas threw up on it.

When it's done, if I'm still coherent, I'll post a few pictures.

Ha Ha! Love the hysteria biochem101. Glad it's you and not me though :)

The entire month of December is going to be nuts. My son and his GF, who I have never met, are coming for five days at the beginning of December. The guest room has turned into a catchall over the past year, so I went into major cleaning and redecorating mode. Guess what? I just found out they are staying here one night and then staying in a hotel in town!! She is coming for a seminar and her company will pay. She has to be there early ion the morning, so I understand.

Still, the cleaning and decorating are worth it because my nieces and their families will be coming to visit, some staying with my mother and some with me.

In the midst of all of this I am having cataract surgery on two different days this month. I was really hoping to have a quiet time after son's visit, with minimal decorating. I postponed the surgery for one week to accommodate son's visit. It must be done this month due to insurance issues. So much for the "quiet time" plan.

DS and GF have been together for two+ years and have spent every holiday (T-giving and Christmas) with her family. I doubt they would even be coming if she did not have the seminar. It was not like this before they got together. They do live on the opposite coast, so I try not to feel left out. To be honest, there is probably a lot more to do at her mother's than here since they are very "outdoorsy" and have a big family. It is what it is.

I am glad to have my nieces and their families. My sister died of cancer a long time ago, so I feel almost as if they are my daughters.

I enjoy the decorating but sometimes wish my family was more into it. DH sets up the (artificial) tree and goes back to the football game (or whatever is on) and my two teenage DS are no longer interested in putting ornaments on the tree (taking a cue from dad, no doubt) so my 10 yo DD does it with me. I get the kids their own Hallmark ornament each year, and the tradition has been for each kid to put his/her own ornaments on the tree, so the boys will usually do that but it's usually after DD and I are done, sometimes hours later if they're not home. I should probably do something to make this "event" more enticing for them (like include food!) but so far I haven't done that. Might try it this year.

I've enjoyed reading everyone's holiday plans. It sounds like there are several households like mine where only one person is doing all the decorating. I don't feel so bad now...

My husband strings the lights, but I do everything else. My two DD's do like to look at the tree and find various ornaments that they have picked out through the years.
I guess things started to change when they went off to college. I really didn't want to wait until the last minute to decorate.

Easy this year! Since I won't be in town, I won't be decorating. I will still get my fix since i'm decorating my booth at the antique mall! ;o)

Even when I was single, lived alone, and usualy visited family for Christmas, I still put up an artifical tree and did some small decorations.

So far this year, I put up the shower curtain in the bath, the bath mat, and the red towels. I can't find the soap dispensers since they are clearly put away with something else. I thought I put them all together.

My mother died in 2008--I didn't feel much like decorating that year but still did a tree and a few things, so there is less need to travel to see my extended family. My siblings have their own kids and grandkids. We have MIL here, so we feel we cannot leave her here alone. Their extended family is also far away. So, for the past few years, we have MIL on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas Day we stay by ourselves and watch movies. It is wonderful.

The tree is coming this weekend. We bought one from a fundraiser to support our community pool and swim team. Since I am getting into final exams, I don't know when we will decorate it. We get a live tree, and I love it. Love the smell, and we've had good luck with them staying fresh and not dropping too many needles.

I'm on the fence about decorating this year. We're not going to celebrate until DS is home in February, but I do like the LOOK of decorations. I think I'll put up some garlands and wreaths rather than go whole hog.

Frankly, I don't enjoy decorating the tree. I really actually hate doing the tree! I'd much rather do tablescapes and mantels, etc. Today, another gal and I decorated a room for our annual holiday treat week. It's our division's turn to bring in the goodies and last year we decided to decorate the room since the Governor, Sec of State and Treasurer were going to be at our work that day for a meeting (they're our direct bosses), so we did a gorgeous winter wonderland theme. This year we went with an old world type Christmas and I really enjoyed the decorating. I'd MUCH rather decorate someone else's place than mine, I guess.

As far as Trails thoughts, I'm not big on the whole holiday pressure anyway. I never have really been, especially once I got together with DH and we had a blended family...his son split holidays so DH was always on the road either Christmas eve or day, so it messed up our holiday every year. And my mother DEMANDING we be at HER house every year...really took the joy out of it. Now that my kids are adults, we take it really easy and don't make a big deal of it, we are more excited to gather with friends and family for a big dinner, play games and tell stories instead. We are not religious, so we don't celebrate with any church related themes, so for us, it's just a winter celebration.

I think in the future we'll probably be planning family trips to Hawaii or something instead! But who knows what it'll be like when our kids start having kids, I guess we'll let them dictate what tradition (or not) we have.

I don't do Christmas decorating until a week or so before the day (tradition in my family). Always seems a bit fake when I put out the Christmas stuff since we are atheists. I stopped putting up a tree years ago but usually do some santa, holly, glittery things. This year I probably won't do anything since we won't be home. And, like some of you, the reason we won't be home is because we are going to avoid the family "drama". My parents would be very sad to see the ways things have evolved. I am too but I can't control my SILs. So DH and I will spend some days together exploring a new for us place. That's a good thing.

I usually wait until December, but this weekend I went ahead and started. One DD and I put lights on the front porch, another DD helped me put some decorations on the buffet in the living room. No camera, so no photos--a new camera is the only thing on my Christmas list :) Our tree will go up this week.

re: real feelings, it seems every year is hard for me for one reason or the other--remembering bad Christmases past, worrying that the good ones will be gone all too soon what with the kids getting older every day :( It's hard for me to stay in the present and enjoy what is here and now.

One change I've made is that I'm not hosting guests this year. I'm done spending hours and hours cooking for people who are invariably late and never wash a dish. I'll cook with my kids and DH, or we'll go out to eat, but I won't be sweating about feeding ingrates for the first time in 15 years.

I think that knowing I was free from producing that dinner is what made me feel lighthearted enough to start decorating early.

I can't imagine the stress of having to make the shift to an empty nest kind of holiday. I think it would actually break DH's heart :(

It seems we have put our tree up in December, but I really wanted it up early this year so I could have more time to get everything ready before DS comes home and then he has a friend coming to visit after Christmas. We had wood floor installed on most of the ground floor and finished a week before Thanksgiving. I didn't know if I'd recover from the dust in time to cook, but we did and hosted my family. We also painted the cathedral ceiling in the family room to match the kitchen while all the furniture was out of the room. Then we started touching up paint and repainting, and we had to install new trim in the dining room -- discovered the chandelier is dying -- started shopping for a new one as well as a few rugs. Oh yes, and installing a new vanity, sink, faucet, mirror, toilet and new trim in the half bath. And now we can't wait to tackle the stairs too.

The more I think about it all -- I'm not sure we have time to put up a tree! But we will, somehow.

I saw a newspaper article about holiday getaways today. It sounded very appealing.

We do not celebrate Christmas. I am a little confused by this statement by trailrunner -
"We have to do the Victorian Porch Tour each year as it is mandatory in our Historic Neighborhood"
You have to decorate your porch for x-mas? What if a family in your neighborhood is not Christian?

Jill, I had the same thought, but didn't vocalize it. There's obviously more going on with Caroline judging by the back to back posts late Sunday night.

Thanks, natal. I see that now that I read the other post. I sure hope everything is OK with her.

I am still curious about a neighborhood that dictates one must decorate their house (even just the porch) for a religious holiday. I've never heard of such a thing. It sets off my maybe too sensitive sensors.

I just pulled the wreaths out for the front of the truck and the Jeep this afternoon. Yes I'm one of those. I haven't done it for a few years but this year in general I just feel better! I'm happier, more organized, less stressed because I'm happier and I feel optimistic!

I got DD's room started and DS's rooms started but that's it. I don't feel rushed. We're getting the tree this Saturday.

We got birdfeeders up a few days ago and my side yard is decorated w/ the most beautiful birds!

The pics posted are wonderful!

Trail has spoken about the tour before. You don't have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, there are those that celebrate for different reasons, not the religious meaning.

I'm sure Trail will share more if and when she feels ready. I just hope she knows we're thinking of her!

tina

After many years, we opted to switch from the usual artifical tree to a real tree. My 10-year-old DD was so thrilled. My 87-year-old mom and college-aged DS were both visiting for Thanksgiving and instead of hitting the stores for black Friday, we went to a tree farm and chopped it down ourselves. 16-year-old DD1 was in a cross-country championship race and so could not. With teenagers and one in college, it's hard to always do everything together with their busy schedules and/or lack of interest. But seeing my mom and DD2's faces as we selected the tree and chopped it down was a highlight for me and the jadedness and/or tiredness of the routine that I sometimes feel. I think mixing things up has been good for us to regenerate some excitement into the routine. My teenagers are not interested in the tree, but DD2 loves the traditions and took out all the ornaments and explained the history of the ornament to her grandma. It was so touching. Our tree is not the grandest or the most stylishly decorated and may well have those pine needles dropping in a few weeks, but it has meaning to our family and when I look at it I remember the special time we had as a family picking it out.

As for the family agnst, I am really surprised so many feel this way as I have also felt with my family for many years. Given my brothers are all older, some did not marry, and none of them have children, I always felt Christmas to be an obligation. Their traditions and lifestyle were often imcompatible with those of a family and young children who still believed in Santa. Our compromise in years we would not be visiting with my husband's side of the family, we would celebrate Christmas eve and morning at home, then drive to my mom's on Christmas Day to see her and my brothers. I often only would do it for my mom's sake. As I enjoy baking I always would bring down my holiday desserts and often contribute a few dishes for the holiday dinner. We've often been hurt because for other meals when we go out to dinner, no one is interested in paying part of our bill and/or choosing a family friendly restaurant. They seem to think if someone brings food from home, there is no cost or the effort that went into it should not be reciprocated. We think, either you cook a meal or take someone out. Guess no one wants to pay the cost to feed a family of five out to dinner! Then the bill would be split and others give cash. If DH didn't have enough and had to put on credit card, he would often find he was paying more than our share. We've wisened up now and always ask for a separate bill. We do not need to contribute towards adult dinners and alcoholic beverages! I often bring extra food and snacks in my car so we are not eating out all the time and then find my brothers want to scrounge into those as well. My husband's family is just the opposite where people squabble for the privledge to pay the dinner bill!

I'm not sure if we'll see my family or not for Christmas as DD1 has a scheduled surgery for an dental implant on the 22nd. I may just use it as an excuse to either not visit or keep the visit short. DH's family is in Canada so we are not going there. But, if we don't at least visit family I somehow still feel disappointed. I love traditions and holiday parties if I have the time, though unfortunately, not the stress that goes with them! We've in large part made up for family disappointments by gathering a circle of close friends, though oftentimes they end up being busy on Christmas Day. I'd like to plan something special just for us.

"You don't have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas, there are those that celebrate for different reasons, not the religious meaning. "

That is very true. But choosing to celebrate and/or decorate for a holiday even if you do not follow the religious aspects is very different from being told you must decorate your house for that holiday. One is choice. One is not.

I have a few Jewish friends and none of them decorate for Christmas.

Ttodd, no antlers and Rudolph nose? ;)

Gosh, now I feel bad for even saying this. But I got my tree decorated. I'm kind of hesitant to do a topic on pictures now.

The holidays are a little bit of a sad time for me. I love decorating the house, listening to the same old carols over and over again, buying gifts that I think people will want. Then it all is a little disappointing since my DH isn;t interested in the decorations, doesn't like the carols and doesn't want me to spend much money on things he can pick out for himself. In addition, my DIL is Jewish and although they come for Christmas Eve and we all spend Christmas Day with some cousins, it isn't "their holiday". My son has adopted her faith and that hurts me more than anything else. I'm pretty much alone as far as being the only Christian in my family even though DH has started going to church with me. Now that we have a grandson, I would so love to share all the traditions with him that we did with our son but I can't. When he came over today, he noticed that I had changed the wreath on the front door from the fall one to the Christmas one. He said, "What did you do, Nana? It's so pretty." (he's only 29 months but very aware of things like that) I told him I took down the fall things and am putting up the winter things. I have started decorating inside but haven't put up the tree. Not quite sure how I will approach that subject. This will be the first year that I know he will ask alot of questions. Last year he wanted to touch the ornaments and would look at the lights but that was about all.

I gues all in all, I end up feeling a little disappointed as each year I hope it will be better. I truly am grateful for all that I have and I don't have a real reason to feel neglected.

Trailrunner - I hope you get back with us.

Will post pictures when done decorating.

oakleyoak - PLEASE post! Just because some of us aren't feeling it for whatever reasons doesn't mean the rest of us (who didn't post regardless of feelings or otherwise) don't want to see pics.

I'm about 1/4 ways done. You'd think my house was huge by how little progress I've made when in fact, I'm decorating only 3 rooms & outdoor space in a smallish house (2200sf) and started the day after Thanksgiving!

oakley, I think a new thread on 2011 parade of trees would be most welcome !

If you do, I'll post my little white tree I left in Florida on October 29, I knew I would not be returning to Florida until December 17 so I did it before Halloween.

There is a thread on the Kitchen Forum about decorated kitchens.

I second Mitchdesj that a 2011 decorated tree thread would be fun. Go for it Oakley!

Here is a link that might be useful: decorated kitchens

Oakley- I hope I didn't contribute to you not wanting to post pictures! Please, please, please, post pictures. Even those of us that do not decorate for xmas enjoy seeing the pictures!

I think I finished this morning. This is my first Christmas since I have retired. The past 5-10 Christmases have been difficult because I had less energy, and you know, what goes up must come down. I just didn't want to put much out because I dreaded the putting everything away.

This year I put everything out, and I mean everything. And I thoroughly enjoyed the process. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

There are now 2 threads on our Christmas decorations, I'm posting pics. on 2011 christmas tree's and other decorations....would be nice to stick to one, perhaps?