When do you start decorating?

[luludou]

Usually 1st weekend of December but I did it earlier last year and it was much more fun... less stress and more time to enjoy the decorations.

I'd say either the 21st or the 28th of November this year.

What about you?

 

[MinnieCo]

i always did it the first weekend of December, but last year I took 3 days off of work during the 1st week of December and did it then. I'm doing the same thing this year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate like it did last year, so I can spend 1 of those days outside.

 

[Cathymac]

Ho ho ho...not long now!!

I start on the Monday after our American Thanksgiving. I used to start on Friday after but as you all know by now, we have a Thanksgiving gathering here on Saturday after, and Sundays I like to keep as low key as possible. So, we've sort of designated that whole weekend to giving thanks and enjoying the last of the fall decor, then jumping in on Monday and getting Christmas going. I am thinking I might wait until the following weekend and just blitz it-get it all done on that weekend. We'll see how things work out. I'm excited about it.

 

[MrsSoup]

I usually decorate the Friday after Thanksgiving because i'm not a shopper on Black Friday. However, I think we're traveling to my mom's for Thanksgiving this year so the decorating will either happen before we leave or when we get back on Monday.

 

[Cindylouwho]

We get our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the house gets decorated over the following 2 days.

 

[iluv2scrap]

I usually decorate Thanksgiving weekend. I love the decorations and the lights, it just makes you feel good.

 

[teachermomof2]

I decorate the first weekend of December. I've always shopped THanksgiving weekend and decorated the next weekend.

 

[ChristmasRose]

I go to choose our tree the day after Thanksgiving, it's delivered within a few days, and when it arrives, the decorations will already be downstairs, and I will have done some decorating by then. I guess what I'm saying is that I start decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving. Last year I had a tea party the first Sunday in Dec. I was lucky enough to get the tree on the Sat. after Thanksgiving, so everything was done by that first Sunday! It was great to have it done that early, and to be able to do more with my family before Christmas. I may try that again this year.

 

[SparkleNana]

What a fun thread!

I turn the outside Christmas lights on at dusk on Thanksgiving night! I really love the outside lights! (So that means I get the lights set up and working in November.)

This year -- my goal is to use the office/guest room as the "staging area" for Christmas 2009! Right now -- I am working to clear and organize that room. I would REALLY love to begin using it on November 1st! Wrapping gifts (including making up the packages to mail). Getting the Christmas cards ready to go! I will be assembling everything in that "working" room.

AFTER Thanksgiving -- I will move the tree and the wrapped gifts - out to the living room.

 

[Cathymac]

I love the idea of turning on the lights at dusk on Thanksgiving day...we could do that!! No one would have to know that it was still fall inside, right? I know I always say that I like my holidays one at a time, but honestly..who would know? Our gathering with DH's family is during the day, so it wouldn't matter to them (wouldn't matter anyway but you know what I mean...). And with the weather the way it's been this fall, it might be a good idea to get the lights done in November so that we won't have to worry about it. Hmm...food for thought, Sparklenana!

 

[alisonmcg]

We decorate on the 1st December but we do the outside lights on the first weekend of December. Although a few decorations make an appearance on the 30th November like the Advent Tree,Advent Calendars and my chalkboard countdown Santa. I love the 30th November when rooms are ready and spaces are made for the decorating the next day!

 

[mommyby3]

I must be weird I start the first weekend in Nov. But this is always when my Mom did it when I was home, so I guess I'm just following suit.
Plus this year I'm in school so I won't have all my days at home so it will take longer.

 

[qltmrkt]

I do the same as CathyMac. I start the Monday after Thanksgiving. It usually takes a full week to decorate. I do one small room each night after i get home from work during the week, then the outside decorations and the big tree and the living room on the weekend. I need DH's help to get the big tree up and that doesn't happen until the weekend!

 

[aggy]

I start decorating Friday after Thanksgiving. I usually spend the whole weekend getting everthing up.

 

[AuntJamelle]

I usually have started on Thanksgiving night - after getting home from DMIL's for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Last year I started putting up a tree or two in the week running up to Thanksgiving, which worked well.

This year I plan to do the same, maybe even starting two weeks early to allow for the lack of energy I can no doubt expect from my 3rd trimester.

I love the idea of having the lights up and turning them on Thanksgiving night!!! I really, really love that!

I usually put a few outside lights myself, but I always seem to mess up the way I hook all the cords together and they don't all turn on. I obviously did not retain enough electical current knowledge from science classes! I'm going to try and get DH to help me this year - he works so many hours it is hard to manage, but I'm gonna try!

I will probably get the bulk of decorating done Thanksgiving weekend - although I ususally go out on Black Friday, this year I am planning on doing mostly online shopping and maybe popping into 1 or 2 stores around 8AM or 9AM. After the mad rush but before all the other folks who slept in make it out and about! lol

So in any case, I'll have more time on Black Friday to decorate than usual. I can't wait!!!

 

[rockin_granola]

My daughter's birthday falls on the Saturday after Halloween this year, so I was thinking it might be kind of fun to start that weekend? I'm still planning and plotting ....

LOVE reading about what everyone else does!

I also love those of you turning on your lights at dusk on Thanksgiving day. I have many happy childhood memories of the drive home from Thanksgiving and counting all the Christmas lights we saw. A few years ago we had Thanksgiving in Chicago and my own children enjoyed the drive back to Indy by watching out for all the Christmas lights .... nice memories and a nice tradition .... made possible by all the generous souls who brave the cold November weather to decorate outdoors So, thank you!

 

[Lana]

We usually start the Wed. night before Thanksgiving with the tree so it is up. When the kids were young we would put tree up and then order Pizza and eat by candlelight and Christmas lights. The last couple years we have had tree up the middle of November so DN could see it when home from Texas. I like to do it the week-end before Thanksgiving but that is deer season and alot of extra people around here then. I might aim to have it done before that week-end. Hmmmmmmmm

Will bring Christmas dishes out about the 2nd week of November to start using.

I love turing the lights off and just watching the tree!

 

[aggy]

I help my mom and step-dad decorate every year. I try to put up the lights outside their house on a warm weekend in November before it gets too cold. I do the same thing on my balcony also.

 

[Minta]

Well the kids put up their tree in their bedroom sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving. We let them choose when they want it up and they get to decorate it.

We start stringing up the outside lights the weekend before Thanksgiving and then finish the outside decorations the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I will start decorating the inside of the house Thanksgiving week, just a few small things here and there. The tree will go up either Thanksgiving night or the night after Thanksgiving. We shop Black Friday so the the rest of the inside decorations go up Thanksgiving weekend.

By Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend I like to have all the boxes and totes back up in the attic and have the house fully decorated so I can just sit back and start enjoying!

 

[dreamto]

We usually put the tree up either Thanksgiving Day or the next day. Once the main tree goes up I just keep at it usually one room at a time, until it's done. I decorate the living room, bathroom and dining room. With little bits of decoration in the kitchen and family room.

I like to have the outside lights up earlier so I can turn them on Thanksgiving night to signal in the start of the holiday season.