Monday, November 19, 2007

Decoration Dilemma

When to decorate?

November began on a Thursday making Thanksgiving come at its earliest possible date. I follow the usual "decorate-the-weekend-after-Thanksgiving rule" when it comes to putting up our tree and stockings. My one exception is when we go out of town for Thanksgiving. I'll put it up the day before we leave because once we return it seems that I'm unpacking and doing laundry for days (especially when we go to the ranch). Plus Bradley will be out of school the day before Thanksgiving and he loves decorating our house more than I do.

My dilemma is:

Will Wednesday be
too early to put up my tree?
I mean, it'll only be the 21st! I hate it bad enough that retail and department stores gloss over Thanksgiving like its a mere inconvenience, but isn't that exactly what I'll be doing?
I just * L O V E * Christmas.

Should I wait a week and a half - until the 1st? Or should I go with my holiday instincts and forge on with my decorating plans?

Does it make a difference if we think we'll be out of town for Christmas?

What are you doing? or should I say, "when are you doing?"

Written by Mindy at 11:48 AM well this year I had to plan for my lack of energy, so we started last Thursday. I dragged in the tree and set it up, straightened out the branches. We go with fake trees now - I grew up with a real tree - my dad is a lifeflight pilot and he has seen over and over again what damage real trees can do. The next day I started decorating. Then I bought a few different ornaments - new house - new colors - a mantel (love it!). Then I took some of the ornaments off. Too Traditional looking in a rustic house. I swapped them out for pine cones - free ones that I picked up out of a friend's yard and baked to kill anything growing in them. Now I just have to get the ribbon on. So if you can do it in one day - get er done this week. Then you can enjoy the parties and get togethers and kid stuff and all the fun that goes with Christmas. And I am sure you will still love Thanksgiving.

12:56 PM ~Ali said...

Well, since I'm putting my tree up today, I don't see what the dilemma is? The earlier the better is the way I see it! Hope you have a great holiday!

1:08 PM Am I crazy? I put my tree up the Friday after Halloween. Of course you should put your tree up. HAHA!

1:36 PM Tell me more about your ranch. That sounds fun.

You go ahead and put up your decorations whenever you feel like it. Steven is the grinch who stole Christmas so don't listen to him.

I leave up our Christmas decorations year round so I don't have this delima. We almost always wait until after Thanksgiving. The only time we did it early was when my sister and her husband were in town the week before Thanksgiving and we were going to Aaron's parents for Christmas. We wanted to do something fun and have my BIL take our Christmas pictures.
I think you would be close enough to do it the day before.(since you'll be out of town for awhile). But I always wait until after I think we'll so it Saturday this year after Aaron has gotten some rest.

2:26 PM lyn said...

Put it up!!!! I usually put my things out the day after T-giving, but we'll be gone, so it will be the Sunday after T-giving....whatever is convenient to you. You don't have to start lighting everything if you don't want your neighbors to know :)

3:37 PM I decorate the day after Thanksgiving. BUT, we're out of town and I didn't think about it before I left. I guess I'll decorate when I get back. But, I say if your kid loves to decorate, GO FOR IT!! It will be fun! Tauna Roe said...

hey there mindy! Long time no see. I saw your link on Heidi and Kylene's blog and wanted to say hi. It's so good to see that your doing good and your family is as cute as ever! I'm going to keep checking on you, hope you don't mind! by the way..... 7 yrs. ago when our son McKay was born you had I believe some flowers and a card sent to John and I. I still remember that. And I don't know if I've ever thanked you for that. I know it's a little late, but hey... better late than never right! Seriously that was so thoughtful of you. so anyways... I'm glad we've reconnected in this wonderful blogging world. Feel free to check out our blog... www.Johnandtauna.blogspot.com/
p.s. I say do a little now and a little later. and enjoy the moment!

10:45 PM Sell all of your decorations and give the money to charity. Then other people can have Christmas memories, too.

Er, I mean, go ahead and put everything up now. Then make Ste put it all away whenever he gets to it. You'll have Christmas for 6 months. Put it up. You will be glad you did when you get home from vacation. We have always been out of town for Christmas, so some years (when I leave on the 12th of Dec) I justify not putting up a tree.. and I always regret it. The more you can see it, the better.

9:49 AM Read Natalie's blog.
I am waiting till we return from Thanksgiving. We will be out of town for Christmas, too. I think I will decorate, but not to the nines.

2:20 PM The Jones Family said...

lol, I LOVE all these comments. I've been dying to put my decorations up!!

I say do it. If I can convince Rocky I'm going to decorate today, tomorrow, or Friday. but definitely one of those days! Ali put hers up last week, so you're not the only one.
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