Remember that old saying: "the faster I go, the behinder I get"?
That's me this Advent season. When we got back from celebrating Thanksgiving with a big crowd down at the bay, I intended to put up the Christmas tree and set out my Christmas decorations. But that hasn't happened yet.
I guess it will get done next weekend. If Babs and Portia will come help me. El Jefe always confines his assistance to hauling the tree from the garage and putting it together.
When I was growing up, we always had a real tree. The family tradition was that we never got the tree before my father's December 8 birthday and it came down on New Year's Day. Now that I use a faker-jocker tree (due to family allergies to the real ones), our tradition has been to put it up after Thanksgiving.
So I'm already behind.
When do you put up the tree in your home? Fake or real?
That's me this Advent season. When we got back from celebrating Thanksgiving with a big crowd down at the bay, I intended to put up the Christmas tree and set out my Christmas decorations. But that hasn't happened yet.
I guess it will get done next weekend. If Babs and Portia will come help me. El Jefe always confines his assistance to hauling the tree from the garage and putting it together.
When I was growing up, we always had a real tree. The family tradition was that we never got the tree before my father's December 8 birthday and it came down on New Year's Day. Now that I use a faker-jocker tree (due to family allergies to the real ones), our tradition has been to put it up after Thanksgiving.
So I'm already behind.
When do you put up the tree in your home? Fake or real?
We used to go cut down a tree at a local tree farm, right now we're using a fake tree as we have no room in this current house.
ReplyDeleteFWIW ... it does save some time as this tree is prelit, but coming home to a fake tree is not the same as opening the door and smelling the pine scent.
I've had a fake tree since high school when we lived in Hawaii and real trees were hugely expensive. I occasionally buy some greens just for the smell.
ReplyDeleteWe put our tree and living room decorations up on Friday. Now I can just enjoy them.
Muphinsmom
Our fake tree is up and with lights. No decorations yet. I ran out of time. So our living room is covered in boxes, ladders, bags and the detrutus of Christmas decoration storage. ARRGGGHH
ReplyDeleteBTW, will you be hosting another round of joint Christmas Carol writing this year? My copy of "Pets Need Christmas Too" now sits by our fireplace ready for everyone to join in!
I grew up with an asthmatic sister, so fake trees are all I've known.
ReplyDeleteI blogged about our tree yesterday. It is up and decorated and looks pretty swell, for something that God did not make from scratch.
PG--
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been thinking next week would be a good time to start QG's annual Christmas carol writing event.
If you have a suggestion for the first couple of lines or stanza, email me!
Before going to bed on Christmas Eve, we piled our popped popcorn on strings and our brightly coloured paper chains on the hearth. Father Christmas arrived after we were asleep and when we awoke on Christmas morning, there was a real Christmas Tree - decorated with our popcorn and paper chains and with candles that were lighted. We said our prayers, thanked God for Father Christmas and blew all the candles out. PS As we aged, we learned the reason for extinquishing the candles was to keep the home from burning to the ground. I have only had a fake tree since living in the Lone Star State. Sigh!!!!! Ms.Brit
ReplyDeleteWe have a real tree from right here in Maine! I got it earlier than usual so that we could choose it while Snowman was home on Thanksgiving break. We bought it in the town where I'm working, after church on Advent 1, which is a week earlier than usual for me. It's up in the living room, a gorgeous though not all that tall balsam, but has not been decorated yet. I guess we're celebrating Advent?
ReplyDeleteEver since we moved to Texas, way back in 1978, we've struggled with the early advent of Christmas decorating. Coming for the NW, we grew up with decorations going up about Dec. 15. I am trying to push towards the weekend of Dec. 12 this year, so maybe we'll be a little early.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we always get a fresh tree, which recalls the days when we used to cut our own down.
We usually try to hold out until around Advent 2, because we always get a real tree, and keep it up until the weekend before Epiphany (so we have time to take it to the recycle drop-off point over the weekend). We love to go to a tree farm and cut our own, but this year we'll just be going to the nearest nursery. I don't think I'll be doing a lot of other decorating around the house this year, but at least there will be a wreath on the door.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, we always had the same artificial one from Sears and Roebuck - still stored in the original box, which was held together with LOTS of duct tape.
ReplyDeleteNow I get a real one in my own home. This year I came close to getting a permit to cut one down in Rocky Mtn National Park, but I'm still a southern gal and hate driving in the snow, so I got one in town.
Will string the lights (my least favorite thing) and decorate it tomorrow night.
I grew up with real trees. We would mark one during Deer Season and would return the 1st week in December to cut it and haul it out of the woods. As a bonus, we had a small blue spruce in front of our house, about 10' at that time. We would string popcorn, cranberries, and make suet balls for the birds and decorate it with lights, too. Now we have a prelit, fiber optic tree. It's just so much easier, and safer.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with real trees, as did my kids. But, we all now have artificial ones. Times change.... Hubby and I are on a trip east to meet a new granddaughter and in our travels we have been privileged to assist in the decorating of three of the five kids' trees ... nice.
ReplyDeleteWe bought our own artificial tree after the season three years ago, but have never put it up due to travels at the holidays. This year we will be at home, though, and will assemble our "new" tree next week after we return to Texas. There will be, of course, a frazier fir candle nearby.