I went past a house this evening that already had a Christmas tree up, lights on the lot.

[Kimi]

When do you put yours up?

Maybe they haven't got around to taking it down from last year. Life is so hectic.

Oh FFS, I detest this. Don't they realise my birthday isn't until 18th December, and the Christmas tree does not go up in the tower until after that??

A week before christmas day.

An neighbour had her christmas tree up until may one year, then she actually went away for 2 weeks and left the lights on so we called in the fire brigade and they broke her back door down and switched the lights off-Strange stupid woman.Complete firehazard.

We used to live a few doors up from a family that did this. 1st Nov every year. AND a massive firework display in the back garden. Right up until the bloke did a runner for benefit fraud.

someone`s last xmas may be?

I like to put mine up on Dec 1st but I will be away this year so it is left to DH to start the decorating for Christmas.

Was so tempted to put mine up before I go away though

Ours usually go up December 1st but I think I'll delay it this year for a couple of weeks

I'm thinking that DS (14mo) will think it's his new climbing frame and I'm expecting chaos

There's a woman opposite me puts hers up in October every year....lights in the window, the works....very odd

Blimey, that is a bit early!

I don't normally put our tree up until the middle of December.

Are you sure they're not Diwali lights?

Only if Diwali lights come in the shape of snowmen and Santa Claus

Could be that someone in the house is very ill and may not see December 25th? Or conscripted into the forces and away for Christmas?

Loads of reasons to hold proper christmas so early really

Lots of forces people do this if the soldier or whatever is going to be away for Cjhristmas

We put ours up when the children finish school usually about the 19th

ours go up first weekend of December, but the house opposite has had their outdoor lights up for two years now - they're not switched on but they never take them down. It really irritates me as they look scruffy and lazy (that's them generally though), not that I am Petunia Dursley checking all the lawns are 2 inches high, but it is mad to never take your xmas decs down.

Next door wil do theirs in the next couple of weeks.

I normally put mine up after dd2's birthday on 12/12.

we are up and running first weekend in december when we get the tree. We love it.

The build up is the best bit, decorations, cards, carol singing, christingle, nativity play, it is the best part of it!

I go to so much bleedin' trouble with the whole Xmas shebang that I put mine up 2 weeks before Xmas (usually the w/e that coincides with!) then down just before the DSs go back to school. Sometimes I feel I'd like to put the tree up earlier still but the tuts of disapproval from my mother would ruin the effect...

But I do tend to build up to The Big Day with the decorating, as in it takes me a week to get everything up!

12 days before & 12 days after here

best mate is in the USA, she says there are lots ofdecorations up, you know the usual grotto in the garden type stuff.

load of bollocks!!

my gosh, 6 1/2 weeks til christmas don't they realise that they are actually going to have to dust all this stuff. Also it's not very festive/magical nearer the time if you've lived with it for that long beforehand.

this year i'm putting mine up on 7th Dec, because we're taking ds to see FC on the 6th and so thought it would be a nice start to the Christmas season for us. Normally wait until a little bit later, but last was an awful Christmas for me so i'm looking forward to this year being much better and want to make the most of it.
I had a great aunt who's family put lights on the outside of her bungalow as a treat one year and they only came off about 5 years later when she died.......and she used to turn them on about Sept!

I think 1st of December is a reasonable date, not too early but you get to enjoy your efforts for a bit.