Of course, we all bring our on good or bad experiences to this, so one person’s dread is another’s exhilaration. My parents took us to cut down a tree every year back in New England which sometimes meant trekking through deep snow. But decorations weren’t a big thing because with 5 kids, 2 Great Danes and a cat that could climb vertical walls, decorations didn’t hold up. As a parent myself, I too focused on the tree and the stockings and the mantle (the dogs and cat couldn’t reach those when I was growing up). My youngest kiddo is like that guy in the movie “Elf” and decorates everything that doesn’t move. This year she’s added a Santa themed rug in front of the toilet! And I’m happy to let her.
My ex and I put up Christmas lights exactly one time. My husband grew up in a low-income family and Christmas decorations and lights were a luxury they couldn’t afford, so now that he has a yard to call his own, he goes all-out with lights and blow ups. This year we’re dialing it back because the electric bill was a bit too high for his liking last year, but he’ll be out there the day after Thanksgiving putting up the energy-saving LED sets.
I agree with the above-the magic changes when the kids are older, but it’s never been about the stuff on or off the walls or the size of the tree or even the glow of the yard lights. Dr. Seuss had it right: “Maybe Christmas, he thought… doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps… means a little bit more!”
What a timely thread! Last year I opted for a Christmas overhaul. I used to decorate quite a bit, mostly to make other people happy (or so I thought). My kids are adults and have their own places to decorate. I decided I didn’t care about a giant tree and lots of decorations around the house. I was tired of re-arranging the family room furniture, which meant that “my” chair got stuck in a corner for several weeks. One rainy, dreary day, I went to Target and bought a pre-lit tabletop tree - something I NEVER imagined I would do. I only put our favorite ornaments on the tree. On a whim, I went into the basement, dug out some old toys and created a scene under the tree where I had the teeny Beanie Babies doing battle with the My Little Ponies. There were some Thomas trains and the Brio train set also involved in the melee. It was a big hit with H and the kids. A few strategically placed poinsettias and some mantel decorations and I was done. When/if grandkids come our way, I’ll re-evaluate and probably go back to grander decorating.
@Mansfield that sounds so fun! We still have the Brio trains my son had and he’s 31. Last year some of the tracks and the engine were part of a Rube Goldberg assignment D had in school. Son was only too happy to help-and of course they set up a track and played trains for a bit in the process.
I have trimmed things back each year. Once all of the kids were over 18 I ditched the stockings. For me it was a chore and I was the only one worrying about them and they really did not appreciate what was in them for the effort involved. Last year we did a major remodel and there are not as many places to put decorations now. No big entertainment center in the living room, no piano and fewer tables. So it will trim down again this year. I still get a real tree, though. That’s still for me.
I look forward to Christmas and decorations that come with it every year. Will be last year with kids at home though the traditions will continue. For us, no decorations until December and everything must be down the week after New Years Day (sometimes the weather makes that tough for outside decorations but eventually those come down even in the snow).
I banned political discussions at family gatherings at our house more than a decade ago.
^ (#15) Now that DD is older I agree, but still want ambiance. I plan to do that after Thanksgiving by actually DEcluttering for a day or two so that anything added really pops. Like Swedish minimalism or something akin to it…
My annual ritual to get me in the mood is to sit with tea on a chill evening and cut paper snowflakes freehand with tiny scissors (elaborate six-sided ones. ) They go on the tree and windows after ironing. Other than a few lights and shiny things on the tree, that’s about it! I do like the smell of a live tree but we get one small one. No outside lights, just a strand of white lights draping one window.
My daughter has danced in our local Nutcracker since she was three…so the sound of that music as they rehearse IS the sound of Christmas to me. Never get tired of it We don’t have cable TV and rarely go to malls so I don’t get sick of Christmas music. I like to put on Baroque/medieval instrumental and klezmer (H is Jewish.)
Christmas decorating is more fun for me the years that my family from Texas comes up. They get so excited about cutting down a real tree and decorating it! They’ll be here this year, and I’m glad. Otherwise, I don’t do much.
Lights, lights, lights… I love lights. I used to put up a lot of greenery with lights on the open stairway and lights outside. Last year I bought new lights (LED, superbright). I spent a ton of time breaking my fingers putting on the roof clips. I balanced on a 10’ ladder stringing the barn and house. I was SO disappointed. These “new super brights” were horrible–you can barely see them from the highway. So I’m ditching all that. Too bad they don’t make old style C9 lights anymore.
H brought up the boxes Sunday (that is the extent of his contribution). D had surgery yesterday and still requires the meds every 6 hours and other help. So, I’m here on cc, looking at all the boxes. I unwrapped everything from the packing and set it all over the floor. Hoping this will give me some motivation Think I’ll go check other threads and Facebook instead…
D is the one who does the decorating when she arrives home. I will help her this year. We went from a larger tree to a smaller one and it’s MUCH easier. We do need to dispose of the many lights and ornaments that are just more than we need–we really only need a few.
We just do a tree and stockings mostly - but last year I got a bigger tree
One year I really purged the ornaments down to what I love - the handmade ones done in school, the vintage ones that used to be our parents and grandparents, and the ones with sentimental value (bought on trips, especially our adoption trips). Um, it’s still a lot. But it’s a ton of fun to get them out and talk about them as we are putting the tree up.
My teens do the tree now. Not sure how I’m going to feel about it when I am an empty nester.
I love Christmas – and Christmas music! But I don’t go near the stores, except for small local shops.
We have an annual tradition of gathering with about 50 friends on an afternoon about ten days before Christmas. We go up into the woods and bring down a perfect tree (we pick it out ahead of time), and then haul it into the living room where we spend the evening trimming the (big) tree, have eggnog and appetizers and cookies and sing carols at the piano. The best part is reading “The Night Before Christmas” to the little ones.
We are big on having a close community of family and friends. On Christmas morning, if we are not out of town visiting family, D and I host a big brunch and make Belgian waffles with fruit and whipped cream, and custom omelets. We usually have 30-40 people come for that. It’s a lot of work, but, but such fun. I do think the season is magical, and I love it.
What I’m looking forward to most, though, is the Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols at D’s school. It is such a beautiful service in the chapel, and since she is a senior now, she will be singing her last solos there. It’s my favorite school event.
About 5 years ago, Ikea was selling cotton fabric panels with realistic Xmas trees on them - about 5 foot tree. I bought one, and sewed some little tiny LED lights on it, and hemmed the top and bottom. Now it is slid onto brackets over the closet, I switch on the lights and safety pin a few ornaments on it - charming, magical and DONE!
We normally cut down a tree right after Thanksgiving, and keep it up until January 1st. But we decided to take a trip in December this year, so we will not cut down out tree until Devember 18th.
We have only 1 kid in college, and others are working. 1 May not even make it home this year, which is what has me kind of bummed.
We will have fewer decorations this year, and a smaller tree.
Great idea @anxiousmom! I am dreading it a bit this year. With long hours at work and being a part-time caregiver for my Mom, It seems like there is never a spare minute. I am pretty stressed out with Thanksgiving and have already decided I am making Christmas simpler this year. It is always at our house because no one else has enough room. It is always hard to pin down everyone as to what they are bringing so it seems like I am doing it all. This year I think we will just do a tree and a few other decorations and then do more of a pot luck keeping it pretty casual. I am just really burned out this year- hopefully things will settle down soon and I will return to my normal holiday excitement.
I use to love Christmas more than anything. I decorated all over the house and outside. Not over the top crazy. Just in almost every room.
Well, the kids have grown and so have I. Older, that is. So now I find it is a lot of work. So I have scaled back big time. Still a big, fresh cut tree and several other things. But everytime I do not put up a decoration, an adult kid notices. Haha
I also used to plant a lot of annuals in the spring. Now find that too much work too. Also have scaled back on this a lot.
Have actually scaled back a lot on anything that takes effort. Everything that goes up, or in the ground, must come down or out. It’s especially the down and out stuff that is a drag.
Three Christmases ago we had new kittens and when we brought up the tree they started eating the artificial needles so we had to take it back down to the basement and haven’t brought it up since. I wonder if the now three year old cats can be trusted with it.
@wellspring, we have found our 15 pound cat sitting inside our fully decorated tree. I’d forgotten about that until I read your post. Just more family memories
We don’t have cable TV and rarely go to malls so I don’t get sick of Christmas music. I like to put on Baroque/medieval instrumental and klezmer (H is Jewish.)