Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I put it up this past weekend. Fake tree. We get to enjoy the view of the beautiful tree for 2 whole months!

OP here: Wow! I'm not alone! great!

I purchased the most beautiful tree today and I couldn't help myself. I'm sitting here looking at it. I'm thrilled that I get to enjoy it for over a month.

Us too! First year doing it, and I love it, really nice having it up so early. DD had Mon and Tues off from school, and I thought at first we'd just put up the tree and not decorate it, but we ended up doing the whole bit. We took time to decorate it over a few days, and just today finally found a tree topper -- we've never had one before.

I think we have a new tradition .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I put it up after DC's birthday in early Dec. I just like to have a bit of separation between the two.

My former boss always did this for his daughter. No Christmas before 12/9, her birthday. I think that is a really nice thing since Dec/Jan bdays can get swallowed up but the Xmas fuss.

We also wait until after DC's early-December birthday. I like to leave up well into Jan.

2-3 weeks before Christmas. we always do a real tree.

Day after Thanksgiving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been known to put my tree up Dec 21 and take it down January 15th.

That seems like the traditional way.

Why is it traditional to take it down January 15? I understand waiting until after Epiphany, but January 15th is over a week after Epiphany.

What is Epiphany? In my case, it is tradition because, without fail, I procrastinate on taking it down. Every year. I am usually looking at the calendar, planning stuff two weeks out, and say "Oh crap, it's almost February! I really need to take these decorations down before Superbowl Sunday." I suppose you could call that an Epiphany.

The Feast of the Epiphany, it's January 6th. It's the end of the 12 days of Christmas.

Anonymous wrote:Usually we spend Black Friday walking trails and eating leftovers, but if the weather is bad we will spend the day inside and put up the tree. I bought a fake one for the first time, and I can't wait to put it up. It will be up by the end of that weekend for sure. Oh, and cookie dough that weekend too.

Making my Christmas cookie dough the weekend after T'giving is my traditional kick-off of the Christmas season!

For the person who waits too long and then gets busy, I can only say break out your calendar now and schedule! This is the one time of year that I really do plan ahead, and carefully. When to get tree, decorate it, decorate the rest of the house/yard, bake, wrap, etc. All planned out. I am not usually this anal but it really helps keep my happy during the season rather than stressed.

We put it up right after thanksgiving and then take it down very shortly after Xmas. I love getting in the spirit, but then once the actual holiday is over, I am done!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been known to put my tree up Dec 21 and take it down January 15th.

That seems like the traditional way.

Why is it traditional to take it down January 15? I understand waiting until after Epiphany, but January 15th is over a week after Epiphany.

What is Epiphany? In my case, it is tradition because, without fail, I procrastinate on taking it down. Every year. I am usually looking at the calendar, planning stuff two weeks out, and say "Oh crap, it's almost February! I really need to take these decorations down before Superbowl Sunday." I suppose you could call that an Epiphany.

I don't decorate for Christmas until I turn the calendar to December. The tree goes up the first weekend in December and it usually comes down on New Year's Day, but I'll sometimes leave it up until Epiphany.

Anonymous wrote:I put it up after DC's birthday in early Dec. I just like to have a bit of separation between the two.

My former boss always did this for his daughter. No Christmas before 12/9, her birthday. I think that is a really nice thing since Dec/Jan bdays can get swallowed up but the Xmas fuss.

12/10ish and comes down NY day. That way it does not dry out. I do not do any decorating for Xmas before 12/1. I like for each holiday to have its fair turn.

Usually we spend Black Friday walking trails and eating leftovers, but if the weather is bad we will spend the day inside and put up the tree. I bought a fake one for the first time, and I can't wait to put it up. It will be up by the end of that weekend for sure. Oh, and cookie dough that weekend too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been known to put my tree up Dec 21 and take it down January 15th.

That seems like the traditional way.

Why is it traditional to take it down January 15? I understand waiting until after Epiphany, but January 15th is over a week after Epiphany.

The week after Epiphany is the celebration of the Baptism of Jesus. A lot of observant Christians consider that date the end of the season of Christmas.

If we're in town we decorate on Thanksgiving weekend and get the tree. If not, I start decorating during the week after T'giving and we get the tree the first weekend in December. Since we get it early, it's usually starting to get dried out by New Year's so it all gets cleaned up usually the first weekend in January.

The Yule tree goes up after Thanksgiving (can't find trees earlier)- first or second weekend and comes down before Hogmanay.