When do you start decorating for Christmas?

[PYroMaNiaC]

Indoor decorating is done. I do thick greenery on my windows where the valance usually goes, up around the crown molding of all the kitchen cupboards, all done with white lights and ribbons wrapped in it. I have vases of greenery and ribbon around, candles nestled in pincecones and, it wouldn't be Christmas without my tin soldiers. It takes a long time to get it just right, so I usually start mid November.

Outdoor lights were planned for this weekend, but that's certainly not going to happen. We're going to Vegas next weekend, so it's probably not going to happen this year. Although I haven't given up hope yet.

Going to get the tree tomorrow. Mom, Dad, and my kids are all coming, so we'll go and pick out two beautiful manicured real trees from a friends greenhouse. I'll do the lights on it in the afternoon, then we'll string popcorn and cranberries Sunday and finish it up then.

The kids are old enough to know better than to pick up, shake, or otherwise inspect gifts under the tree, so I put them out as they're wrapped. I love wrapping gifts in beautiful matching paper and it adds to the feeling of warmth and family.

[alltherage]

Originally Posted by fotze

I used to check my moms purse for receipts.

I remember one year I looked in my parent's closet, and I wanted an r/c car sooooo bad. I found a twin pack where the controller was wired to the cars, and I knew it was the bunkest, cheapest r/c out there. I was pissed, until Christmas morning when I got a kick ass r/c. Turns out the one I found was for donation...

I remember another year someone unwrapped a couple presents (i have lots of siblings) and re-wrapped them like crap. My mom was so upset about it... like not mad, but I remember the lecture to this day.

Her point was that if we sneak peaks, we're basically stealing the "surprise" aspect of the gift. I will never forget that, because it's really true. I never peaked again. And honestly, I find it's way better to be totally surprised.

[burnin_vernon]

I'm a single guy and have never done it but I bought my first house and feel like I should. (I always thought that the lone, undecorated houses on an otherwise brightly lit street looked scroogy or something). I don't have any form of Christmas celebration at my house so it feels weird to put up a tree too. I don't know what I'll do.

[Devils'Advocate]

I'm a single guy as well, but I do have people over during the holidays, so my place is "decorated" for Festivus. The Festivus Pole is in the corner.... and... well... hrm... that's about it. Anything else would be distracting.

[BuzzardsWife]

ive done it both ways...the old fashioned way of putting the tree up christmas eve..and the modern way of doing it dec.1 or close to it..i prefer to do it the middle of december but i get pressured to do it early..i love christmas ..i just hate putting everything away after! i have ALOT of stuff..i have to leave half of it boxed up and pick my faves

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I'm a single guy and have never done it but I bought my first house and feel like I should. (I always thought that the lone, undecorated houses on an otherwise brightly lit street looked scroogy or something). I don't have any form of Christmas celebration at my house so it feels weird to put up a tree too. I don't know what I'll do.

when i met buzzard he had 3 decorations..so i went to his house with a little mini tree, decorated it, lit it..you dont need too much and just buy a couple things after xmas each year..suggestions to start:
a wreath for the door, a mini tree, a couple red candles and maybe a couple red cushions on the couch..pine cones are cheap too..u can also buy a bag of cranberries and put them in a clear vase

[Russic]

Last year my sister and law convinced my wife and I to get an "Eco tree". It was to be 6 feet tall and indistinguishable from a standard tree. I went to pick them up (for us and the sister in law) and was greeted by a room of trees ranging from 12 - 15 feet. I found the two bushiest 12 footers they had, each with about 4 branches on them. Leaving the pick up area the girl at the register said "at least they aren't poison!". To this day that remains one of the most annoying things I've ever heard. Throwing them both into the back of an SUV (and I do mean thow ... They probably combined to around 10 pounds) I vowed that the Christmas of 2009 I would have the biggest goddamn tree ever. A real tree. A mans tree. A tree that died for my pleasure.

Tomorrow is the big day that I've been waiting 12 months for. Some wrongs are about to get righted. Another problem with last year is that I put up my lights and did a very poor job. Every day I came home to **** lights and a ****ier tree. I actually turned down rides home just so people wouldn't have to see either.

A few weeks ago I payed some guy to come do my lights for me. They look awesome, took him and another guy about 3 hours, and I got a weekend to spend with my family that didn't involve constant swearing. It's all coming together. All I need after tomorrow is some claymation Rudolph and the trifecta of christmas will be complete.