When are you planning on putting up decorations?

Why meteorologists are encouraging people to get their outdoor decor up early .. ?

news.yahoo.com/why-forecasters-encouraging-decorating-winter-222800099.html

A couple of days before Christmas. A tree, a few lights and candles and a door garland. ‘Small is beautiful’. I’m becoming minimalist in my dotage. My DD’s neighbour has had a tree on the verge decorated for months. I saw them yesterday piling on more baubles & lights. In my mind it looks just ridiculous not to mention tacky but, hey ho, we’re all different. They obviously get much pleasure from it....

Yes, Hetty! I suppose I am. Interesting to read that some don't do them at all. And so lovely to read about all the traditions and reasons why people put them at certain times. I suppose if you've been doing it for a particular reason (like minimoon) then it would feel strange to depart from that. I have to say I'm with Oopsminty and RoseCarmel. I love twinkly fairy lights and don't think they should be reserved just for Christmas. They do make everything seem happier and more cosy and I think we could all do with that right now. I'll also start gradually getting the decorations out rather than doing them in all in one go as I usually would.

We've always put ours up on the 12th, our anniversary, 50th this year, the decorations will go up but not much celebrating as far as the family goes this anniversary. I'm sure we'll make up for it

queengran, you're assuming that we are going to bother with decorations.

I always did them with family, kids or visitors in the house, but personally, I really don't like them. This year, I'm a guest at my daughter's house.

I might have a tree outside, just to show willing, for public appreciation (possibly hang up my twig star wall thingy) but, for me, it's a real blessing to maintain my minimalistic, tree/card/decoration free living space!

Mine always go up the first weekend in December. We go away at Christmas but have Christmas Day around the 15th for family to come over. (I wonder if it will happen this year, probably not) I take them down on the 2nd

Mine go up the weekend before Christmas Day and usually come down the weekend after. I have been known to leave them up until 12th Night, but they certainly don't go up early.

For my birthday, as usual. My birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas, and as a child, we always put the decorations up for my party.

I have carried on the tradition, and wouldn't put them up before then.

Mid December for us too! And normally take the tree down on January 2nd. But we're n the middle of a big refurb project just now so we might be putting tinsel on the step ladders instead ?

I never have and never will. It is okay if there are young children around but otherwise a waste of time and money.

Light plays a significant part in lifting the spirits so I begin early and run late- I attended a beautiful program at a planetarium once that covered the history of the seasons Autumn and Winter and the importance of light during these low light months through the ages- I tend to get restless come February, wanting to escape the snow and bitter cold-

I agree BlueBelle, the longer people's decorations are up for, they lose that special significance. Ours will go up sometime after the 18th December. I take great trouble with the tree and to me, its still a magical thing. I've already made Mr L a small batch of mince pies. They didn't last long......

I shall go out and pick some fresh greenery and get out a few twinkly lights and baubles a few days before Christmas Eve.

Result a couple of banners in our small open plan room. No room for a tree.

They will come down when the greenery decides it's had enough!

About a week before and taken down somewhere between Boxing Day and New Year. Depends if we are allowed to see any grandchildren or not

Week or two before Christmas they ve all got them up here I can’t bear it so early it’s so boring seeing them for weeks and weeks and weeks loses all its sparkle and just feels so boring takes all the enchantment off if they are up so long in my opinion

Tree being delivered on 11 December so next day I expect.

A neighbour has the full regalia put up at the weekend. I must say it is very cheerful and not really early given the year we’ve had.

I have fairy lights in the kitchen and around the fireplace all year round, Decs are going up 1st December to cheer us up, no GCs this year so we need something to make us smile.
Had a minced pie this evening, home made ones won’t happen until Christmas week.

Up the weekend before Christmas for me and packed away on Boxing Day. It’s a standing joke in my family that I hate Christmas!

Not before December for sure.

Mid December for me. I love Christmas and as I always have a real tree I put it up later.
I understand the sentiment of people putting them up earlier this year but I wonder if the children will get fed up with it.

I shall start putting a few decs, up fairly soon and am not waiting until the 1st December as it has been a terrible year.

I went out to the supermarket and on my way home a house had their outside lights up and a bright Christmas tree in the window. It looked so cheerful and probably one of the first ones up so now I expect to see several more houses decorated.
No mince pies for me not for another couple of weeks but then I only eat maybe one or two over the Christmas as I am not a great lover of them.

Small potted tree - last year’s in the garden - will go outside the front door, with lights, on 1st December.

The rest, inc. the indoor tree, not usually until at least mid Dec., though it’s been earlier if guests have been due.

Once we have a few cards I do start blu-tacking those to various painted surfaces as they arrive.

I love seeing other people’s trees in their windows well before we put ours up, though. So nice and cheerful on dark days.

How about a photo gallery (thread) of Christmas trees and decorations to share with those who may miss their usual family traditions?

Same as usual. Weekend before Christmas.

We already have one up! It's the artificial in the hall. We get 3 real trees for various rooms and we'll do them as normal in mid-December

But our hall looks absolutely gorgeous now with the lights and Festive bits and bobs. Nobody can actually see it from outside so it can't offend anyone ;-)

I think we can put our decorations up when we like. It doesn't hurt anyone.