Here's my tree. I have flashing lights and still ones so its impossible to capture is true glory in a picture but here it is.

My tree topper projects moving snowflakes on the ceiling. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I thought they would be bigger but I like it anyway.

My 20 foot tall Santa. I have a twenty ft tall snowman too but for some reason he is not inflating fully so until I figure out why Santa is on his own.

Some of my scented wax cubes. The actual fragrances are apple cinnamon, cinnamon and Christmas tree.

Candy cane, Vanilla Buttercream and eggnog.

Winter candy apple(the bath and body works scent) cinnamon/cranberry and cinnamon/orange.

Matching candles.

Forgive the mess. I'm a busy little elf.

I changed our bedding Thanksgiving evening. I never could find a festive enough comforter but SO suggested this one so I went with it.

Must have my Peanuts Christmas sheets with it.

We've put a few lights outside -- a swag over the porch, white lights on the little holly, and a green wreath with colored lights on the window. Nothing much inside yet ... oh except the little picture of Santa on the fireplace mantle. It's just a small cut-out from some cute wrapping paper a couple years ago, but for some reason it makes me cheerful.

Wreaths on the windows and front door, candle in each window, 8:foot Christmas tree decorated in living room.

Red and white poinsettia wreath on the front door. On the front porch blue icicle lights with blue, silver and white gigantic snowflakes around the porch. The mat in front of the door says Let It Snow! There is a rotating light on the fireplace that says Let It Snow! that alternates with a snowman. Blue and white lights.

Inside I have three trees.

First is a snowman and Santa tree. Some of the ornaments are handmade from an exchange I participated in. The garland is popcorn, that I make every year. I can tell you it's far easier with stale popcorn, and a really thin needle. The topper is a red and green plaid bow.

The second tree is purple, blue and silver, that's an angel tree. This ornament is me. My Mommy gave it to me. My hair, the color I was brought home from the hospital in, and I play flute.

The third tree is decorated with ornaments I've had my whole life, or are from an ornament exchange I participated in for a really, long time!

Ooo rob! You reminded me of the poinsettia I found at publix! Had to have it of course. I took a picture right away to send to my mom, who told me I was impossible.......

I hope your enthusiasm is contagious because I can't seem to get motivated. I do have a new tree and my son in law put it up for me but I haven't decorated it yet and I may not. It is a flocked prelit and is really pretty as is. I just took my fall stuff off the mantle and it is just staring at me, bare as a baby's behind. I am in good shape with shopping as that is about all I have done the last few days. I would love to have outdoor lights and next year I may just hire someone to do it for me as I can't do it myself. That could be my gift to me. I love the way the houses in my neighborhood look all lit up.

The inside was decorated last weekend. I'm not a Christmas fan so it is simple. I gave a lot of my stuff to my kids when they moved out. The outside I did this week when we had a warm day in the 50s. All the outside stuff fits in one container. Most of the stuff stays up all winter.

I don't like empty planters. I have 3 of these wall planters.

The window box. The candles and bells come down after Christmas. .

The swag comes down and the rest stays up for winter.

We do have some blow ups and lighted deer, but my hubby is in charge of those and I told him it is up to him to put up or not. He chose not. Lol

The inside is done except for the tree. We bought one today (about double the price than it was last year! ), but it will not come inside until the 23rd. For the other stuff on the inside, we carted in about 20 boxes worth of stuff from the garage. Lots of little stuff that takes a lot of time to arrange. My younger daughter has been laser cutting/ painting stuff this year to sell at craft fairs, so that’s where the penguin came from. The Swarovski Santa was a gift from my older daughter’s then boyfriend now fiancé when he came for the first time. It’s in front of a tree a friend made. So lots of stories behind all of this stuff.

function, do you do what I do? It's either down midday on Christmas, or on the 26th, very early in the morning?

(This part is all me, I do not understand the October-February, Christmas decoration obsession???)

rob333 (zone 7a), lol, ya. Usually the 26th. Before I retired I had to wait for the weekend. I don't even have to decorate my Christmas tree. The tree is 2 1/2 ft tall and the ornaments are tied on. I just unplug, throw a garbage bag over it and stick it in the shed loft. Humbug runs in the family. My daughter just tonight asked if Christmas was over yet.

You are NOT alone!!!!

My wonderful SO brought me this magnificent thing tonight! So much fun!!!

Here she is in all her lit up glory!

Since we will not be home for Christmas I simply inserted some festive items amongst my usual ” stuff”.

Geez! I am sorry for the repeats! The posting was very wonky!

I better have it decorated, I'm hosting a party this week! Typically we host several parties with the largest being a sit down dinner for at least 40 people. This years I've been too busy to get more than one planned. Maybe I should just have an open house in the next week-end or two.

grapefruit1_ar

My daughter has my mom's old underwood typewriter out year round on her bookcase. At Christmas she puts in Christmasy stationary that has a letter to Santa typed on it. So cute.

Yes, that is a great idea! I keep the typewriter out all year also. It was my grandfather’s.

I have the outside lights up. All white icicles on dusk to dawn timers and I do enjoy those. Shopping pretty much done, along with Dec birthdays. We have a family baby due in a few weeks and one that was born day after Thanksgiving, gifts for them....

The first day we'll have open to get a tree is this Friday. I think we'll cut one at a friends tree farm. He never will let us pay for it so thought I'd take a dinner either ready to put into the oven at their convenience, or freeze.

DH is going to the cemetery with his sister this morning, she's made wreaths and he'll help her place them. It's a big family - a lot of wreaths :)

My coffee table arrangements is simple, big Christmas globes with battery twinkle lights placed inside and real but preserved cedar in a big leather tray. Maybe I'll get the 'ingredients' for that out this afternoon and place it.

My mostly finished tree and unfinished mantle. I ordered new stockings and they are supposed to arrive (finally) this week.

My halls are about as decked as they are going to be. I have put a wrap on the mailbox, new wreath on the door, fresh greenery in pots by the entrance, put out some Christmas pillows, added a nativity scene and some white twig trees in the breakfast room, and touches in other rooms. Almost every room will have something, even if it’s just a Christmas hand towel or a little faux tree. Easy stuff.

Well, to be honest, my stuff never came down from last year. Except for most of the ornaments on the tree. I didn't finish taking them down. Tree still up, all my Christmas stuff still in the living room that my daughter put out all over my shrunk and her coffee table, which is now mine. It has been used as a storage space since after Christmas because my son's table is in there along with his suitcase that he had mailed to my house after he realized he wouldn't be able to take it through some major airports along with his other luggage when he flew to England last year.

I need to clean that room out and put out the wreath on the front door, put the ornaments back on the tree.... Never had Thanksgiving because I got sick but now we are having Christmas dinner here the day after Christmas. I'm working Christmas day. I think I have one of those snowflake things somewhere that project on the front of the house. I just don't remember where it is. I don't know if I'll ever put out lights on the house again. Someday I would like to have some yard ornaments, like giant candy canes and those pretty white reindeer. I may decorate the trees outside with lights. See how I feel.

Last Christmas

I have 2 trees done and most of the inside decorations done. Haven't put out the outside blowups or lights yet.

One of the many wreaths I made that are scattered around the house.

Amy,

Just to be clear, I don't understand decorating for Christmas from October-February. I don't want to skip over Halloween and Thanksgiving. I want to savor them. I love spending all of October with fall recipes, movies, decoration, and reading/watching all things paranormal. All of November, is being even more thankful everyday, cozying up with chillier weather and family. I don't understand people who want to skip over it all ;)

No need to clear up anything. I want everyone to be happy always. While I look forward to Christmas most of all, I channel that excitement into Halloween and Thanksgiving decor. Well, Halloween anyway, as proven by my work decor. While I moan that the Christmas season never seems long enough, I understand that its briefness makes it more special when it is here. I find enormous pleasure in every cold weather holiday,and I get very very uncharacteristically sad and down after it is all over. Very very down.

I encourage people who want to skip holidays to do just that. Skip them if you get no happiness from them. Do not add stress to your life. Take joy how and where you can, and avoid stress and irritation when you can.

Our tree from a couple years ago, but it looks exactly the same right now. This year it seems to be especially fragrant. Just love the smell!

Cute mini boots and pitcher from our daughter.

Candle and little trees.