When do you traditionally start decorating for Christmas?

[THANKGOODNESSIMFABULOUS]

In my family and among my friends, I am the crazy Christmas lady. One because I start shopping around July each year, and two because i start decorating the weekend after Halloween. My thought process is that why should I only get to enjoy my decorations for one month, after all the effort it takes to get them up.

What are your thoughts decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving?

[steph535]

I am on the fence about that. Growing up, my mother was very strict about not decorating too early, which meant no earlier than ten days before Christmas. (I was very rebellious when I moved away from home and put my tree up right after Thanksgiving, lol) Anyway, every year, I think the same as you; why should I only get to enjoy my beautiful decorations for such a short amount of time?? And I often think about decorating earlier and I think to myself, some people on the Christmas forums put their trees up right after Halloween so why can't I?. But then, that old tape plays in my head saying "no no, that's way too early." I have no problem if other people put their trees and decorations up early. But, this year, guess what?. I ordered a new tree online and it came today so I had to put it up to make sure it looks nice and everything is working properly, right? So, I gave myself permission to put it up, lol. But, it still feels a bit too early. It might be different if I were up north in cold weather, I don't know.

[ornamentmaven]

Growing up, we never decorated before mid - December. Now I always decorate the 4 days after Thanksgiving.I would love to decorate earlier than that, but I always host Thanksgiving dinner here, and strongly feel that Thanksgiving deserves to have it's own respect and traditions. I have a lot of Thanksgiving decorations as well - including a small village!
I do set up one Christmas thing in mid - November and that is my 4 foot white tree with my Madame Alexander doll ornaments (Hallmark series). It also has pastel lights and purple ornaments and topper. It is in a bedroom, so is not really part of the Thanksgiving decor. I'll be setting that up next week - can't wait!
By the way - my Mom is now a convert to early decorating - after many years!

[*Snowflake*]

Well,it depends. Usually if everyone is free and if I don't have a lot of duties for University then we put at the beginning of December.

[Crazymike1965]

Up in Canada where I am Thanksgiving is in early October so once Halloween is done the plans start for Christmas. I would like to wait until December but I have about 80 hours of decorating to do which has to be completed by December 13th. If I lived in the US I would start the day after black Friday, take 2 weeks vacation and do all the decorating.

[THANKGOODNESSIMFABULOUS]

Hi Steph535, I told my mother (who does not celebrate holidays, due to her religion) that I put my decorations up after Halloween and she told me that was to soon. But I do wait until after Thanksgiving to go and get my tree. My birthday is always after Thanksgiving, so that is a gift I give myself every year. Plus, I found a devise that keeps my tree fresh and green as long as I keep it up. Halloween has already past and I have yet to start putting things up, so I am late this year. One of the reasons I do it so early, is because it makes me feel a bit warmer for some reason when I walk in my house this time of year. I love the smell of the cinnamon pine cones, and all the bright colors.
I hope that your tree turned out lovely.

[wstaple]

I'd start the day after Halloween if I could, but my wife likes to not overshadow Thanksgiving. And I get that, I really do. I just like the way the house looks with all the decorations up. I've decorated as early as the Monday before Thanksgiving (if we're going out of town for Thanksgiving). This year it'll just be us at home so I'll wait until the day after Thanksgiving to start.

One year I did get my lights out the middle of November because I had a 60-degree weekend. I didn't turn them on until after Thanksgiving, but I was glad I got them out while it was mild outside. The next year I put it off and the day I planned to get them out, the high was in the 20s. But even though it was cold, I loved being out there because I knew what it would look like when I finished.

[Papa_Christmas]

I usually start November 1 but this year I went on my fishing trip late so I'm just getting started.

[MinnesotaMike]

I always take down the outside Halloween stuff on Nov 1st. Then I usually start putting up my outside Christmas display the first weekend in November. I am about 25% done, but we got hit with snow and very cold temps yesterday and today. Not sure how much I'm going to get up now this year. I'm praying for a warm-up before Thanksgiving. I usually turn on my outdoor display on Thanksgiving Night. We decorate our inside on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

[ornamentmaven]

I always take down the outside Halloween stuff on Nov 1st. Then I usually start putting up my outside Christmas display the first weekend in November. I am about 25% done, but we got hit with snow and very cold temps yesterday and today. Not sure how much I'm going to get up now this year. I'm praying for a warm-up before Thanksgiving. I usually turn on my outdoor display on Thanksgiving Night. We decorate our inside on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Hoping for a warm spell in Minnesota Mike!