When do you deck the halls (ie put the christmas tree up)

[whomovedmychocolate]

I'm of the 'first weekend in December' school of thought, but DH reckons advent is 28 days not 25 . Personally I don't give a crap because neither of us are christians but we do have a mahoosive ugly fabric advent wall hanging with pockets big enough for a big bar of chocolate per day so I wouldn't want to wait too long and miss some scoffing opps.

Two weeks before christmas - though we have so much booked for that weekend am not sure when we will manage it we do the whole lot then - go and buy our tree from a dodgy looking bloke who sells from a pub carpark (but has fantastic long living trees for a reasonable price) then come home and decorate the whole house.

25th october! we loooovvveee christmas sooooooo much!!!!

We do it 2 weeks before christmas- for reasons of space- our house is tiny, but I insist on a real tree- at least 6ft (think last year's was 7) and it means moving the sofas around in the living room, leaving less space for DD to play.
It always looks fabulous though

DH and DD were trying to persuade me to buy multi-coloured lights in JL last week...erm I don't think so!

We don't have other decorations though really- no streamers or anything.... we don't have mantlepieces in any rooms, and our walls are all brand new plaster so I don't want to wreck them with drawing pins

I'm sure as DD gets older more tackiness will set in... but for now, I have total control

Mine doesn't go up until the weekend before Christmas - does that make me a miserable cow for not getting in the festive spirit sooner?

yep

To weeks before Christmas for me too - I love them but by 6th Jan am sick of the sight of them if they go up any earlier.

Weekend before Christmas

Second weekend in December with pressies under it as soon as they are wrapped

when i feel christmassy which means after at least 20 plays of the Slade song.
Not heard it at all yet. Must get out more.

12 days before xmas if i can hold out that long! I don'y actually have an xmas tree ours broke last year and i have to buy another - we can't have real so i need another feux one.

usually the 1st December so I get maximum benefit from the tree (I like having a live potted one). This year it might be 6th Dec and after this year it will defo be post-4th Dec cos that is DS's b'day (he is only 1 this year so won't notice).
Always bring everything down on 6th January.

Right, we've done it - it's hideous. See my blog for the living room version, DH insisted in going out and buying one for DD's room too but that's even more tacky (fibre optic multicoloured lights urgh with plastic baubles (just in case she decides to eat them!)

Actually I think I can probably get an award for tackiness as we have a five foot high fabric father christmas wall hanging with A6 sized pockets each day of advent which are the right size for a 200g bar of Dairy Milk

Is up (yesterday) and am now making a wreath for door. Does anyone know what you're meant to pad it with before you add all the ivy and holly and stuff?

Florists foam but if you can't get that a pair of tights stuffed with scrunched up paper is a good alternative (preferably in a dark colour). Or go to the supermarket and look for the polysterene packing from fruit (less available these days as it's very bad for the planet).

Thankyou Wmmc, that;s helpful

I have prob got something in the cellar that would do. Garden full of ivy and other stuff, which is nice - can't wait to get out there collecting tomorrow! Raining tonight so it will all be very wet...

Make sure you wash your hands afterwards - very poisonous!

My birthday is 7th December. I keep my cards up for a week. When cards come down tree comes out. It goes away on New Year's Day.

As we have my little girls christmas dance show every year on the first tues & wed in december, we never have time to put the decorations up until the wknd after, its too chaotic as we have full rehearsals for the two wknds before and during the week. This year Saturday is the 6th so we will put them up then. Then i start panicking about getting all the presents