Tree & decs if you're not at home on Christmas day?

[notlisteningwithmother]

If you're not spending Christmas at home, do you still put up a tree, decorate the house etc?

DH thinks that there's no point but I'm more of the view that Christmas decorations are nice to have anyway - we usually keep the tree, candles, lights, mugs out from mid-December until twelfth night. Even if I'm not at home for a couple days it's nice to have that warm fuzzy glow before and after. We might buy a smaller tree but apart from that, do the usual things.

WWYD?

We always decorate and have a tree and are often away for Christmas. It makes the run up feel more festive.

Yes definitely. We'll be doing festive activities throughout the December so I like the house to feel Christmassy.

Depends how long you’re away for. If you are around for some of the second half of December then I’d want them up.

We went away 23rd - 27th last year and still decorated our home. we enjoyed having decks up for the run up to Christmas.

100%

I’m going to my parents on the 22nd and staying for a week. But my tree went up last weekend so that I can enjoy it all through December. For me, it would be daft not to enjoy the decs for a good month before, just because I’m not here on Christmas Day itself!

Pre kids we always went away to family for Christmas but always had a tree. The tree is more about the season than the day for me.

Well, as most of December is Advent, and a tree should not go up until 24th, then no. Save yourself the unnecessary effort!

Very few people wait until 24th to put up their tree. I’m busy on 24th having fun. We are putting our tree up today as going away 27th for a week and want it to be ‘worth it’.

We are going to DDs from 23-27. I am putting up my decorations today so i can enjoy them before then. It is dark and miserable enough right now, so a bit of sparkle and twinkly lights will go a long way to ameliorate that.

Yes it's not just for the day is it? And the presents go under the tree still, even if we take them with us on the actual day. Tell your DH to Scrooge off

Jeeeeeez

I take the point @Cynic17. Twelfth Night - possibly from childhood - has always marked the end of Christmas but we don't wait until sunset on Christmas Eve to decorate the house. Having my cake and eating it!

I like to have fairy lights, candles etc around the house even if we're not in the liturgical season of Christmas. I think I bring these out for a little bit of winter mental warmth. And we'll have most of the 12 days of Christmas to enjoy them. The comments here suggest I'm not alone.

DH isn't particularly interested - Christmas is a day rather than a season so if we're not at home it's a 'why bother?' question. But he'll be fine if the rest of the family want to put up the decorations (as long as we take them down!)

I don't know a single person who puts their tree up on the 24th.

We've been away over Christmas and we've always put decs and tree up first weekend in December

As a child we always did the tree on the 24th
( my mum is not English)
Decorations went up earlier but not the tree.
Now I'm an adult. Some years I don't bother with the tree if I'm not going to be home on Christmas Day

Christmas is now a season. Starting to put some decorations up today, but will wait a couple of weeks for the tree and outdoor lights.

Says you.

There's no should about it.

And yes, we have put everything up even when away.

Yes, always. We put the (real) tree up around 15th December. We will be away from 24th to 28th but are hosting at NY.