We normally go to a Christmas tree farm around the first or second weekend of December to get a real tree. This year I would like to go the weekend after Thanksgiving. Our trees tend to last a really long time as long as we keep them watered. Our ceiling in our new house (this is our third Christmas) is 16 feet tall so we aim for 12-14 foot trees. Just purchasing and getting it up is an ordeal so we move in stages. The tree goes up on day one then hubby and I string the lights and the kids help decorate while we watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. We've hosted Thanksgiving here the last few years so no Christmas decorations went up until the week after. This year we're hosting somewhere else so I am having to seriously resist the urge to put Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving gets here.