How soon does your tree go up?

[Katie]

My dear husband has issued an invitation to his office, having the annual Christmas party here at our home in just four days. We hosted it last year as well, and it went over really well, but it was later in the month.

So now we need a tree by Saturday. It is barely December! My custom was always putting the tree up just the week before the big day, and leaving it up till New Years. Would one really last long enough this year? That's almost a full month in a warm house...not to mention how many times the cats may bring it crashing down (I notice there is no 'beat the kitty' icon like there is for the horse! )

Thankfully we have a tree guy in the village, so I know they are fresh, and I always water them well, so I'm praying that I don't need to get a second one halfway through the month when the needles start dropping! Maybe a Scotch Pine would be better than a fir?

Plus I'm panicking a bit because last year we had lots of snow, and Dear Heart took everyone out on a hay ride to the big tobogganing hill at the end of our road. The children and rowdy adults were well worn out and ready to eat and call it a night. This year...nothing but mud out there We are now scrambling for 'entertainment'. What are we going to do with thirty-five people!!!?? I didn't think I'd ever ask this, but please pray for snow

[ajj1001]

Mines up! Though I didn't do it, hubbie fetched all the stuff down from the loft last weekend and we were away at weekend and arrived home to it beautifully done by Lydia. Invested in a lovely prelit tree a few years ago and it saves alot of hoovering up All the trimmings will go up this week and then nowhere will need dusting until January.

[KBear]

Mine is in the process of going up. We usually put it up the day after Thanksgiving, or that weekend. We started doing it; but the dang thing has a strand of lights out on it and we haven't figured out why. It is an artificial pre-lit tree. We bought it when I was preggo with Ava, 4 years ago. I was on bed rest and so hubby had to put it up by himself and we knew he would be taking it down, since I would have just had a baby. I hated taking lights off the tree, would usually get pissed, get a scissors and cut them off. So, prelit was a great investment for us. We take it down New Years Day or the day or so after.

[ajj1001]

would usually get pissed, get a scissors and cut them off.

had a shock reading that and then remembered that it means something completely different where you are! Pre lit is brilliant, I love a real tree best but it is so much more economical and easy in the long term.

[Cindylou]

Ours is not up yet. Growing up the tree never went up until the week before Christmas, but it is so different now. All my neighbors already have theirs up. My step-son, who is heading back to Afganistan after the new year, got to come spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with all of us, so we were way too busy to even think about it. We have always had real trees too, but a few years back, after one of my surgeries, invested in a pre-lit tree as well. It actually looks really nice, but I always make sure I still use live garland across my fireplace mantels, and staircase to get those good evergreen smells.

Katie, we don't have any snow yet either. In answer to your question, do you have a barn where you could perhaps set up some fun indoor games? The barn would give some great ambience. If the party is Saturday, you might want to get it now. That way, if the tree is done, you could focus on your remaining tasks. Gotta love those spouses. I can't entertain as much as I used to, but even having my step-son around (I've known him since he was 3) for the 4 days was such a nice distraction from the pain.

I hope it all goes fantastic! I'll be thinking of you.

[Justin]

We are late this year...it should be up this weekend.

[Gilbert P]

Hi

Last year we put up a tree early and by Christmas it was so dry all the needles fell off. it was looking like a Charley Brown Christmas tree.
So this year we will wait a little longer to put it up. After my Ulnar nerve surgery.

Gil

[Katie]

Hey Gil, it looks like we're two of the few who put up real trees I just about had heart failure when my soon to be new husband announced that he was 'allergic' to real trees. That was almost as bad as if he said he was allergic to horses or grandchildren!

So I suffered through with a 'realistic' one for a couple of years until he unknowingly sat beside a real one for several hours at a house party, and then I called his bluff. Either he outgrew his 'allergy' or something else in his mother's house had made him 'fill up' at Christmas time, because we've had no problems since then, four years ago. I think it had more to do with the comments his mother made about the 'darn mess those needles made' than anything else, but with my method of only having one up for two weeks, it is rarely an issue.

So your trees down south get a double dose of turkey??? Thanksgiving and then Christmas??? That just feels so off kilter to me, but it's all in what your traditions are. Justin, I had to giggle with yours. "We are late this year...it should be up this weekend".

The latest mine has been was one Christmas morning...new house, trying to impress the new in-laws who were all arriving for the big dinner, and I was madly finishing the last layer of paint in the living room I always underestimate how long things take...especially when it was early in the days of new pain meds. LOL!!

So I'll have to take my chances with a very fresh real tree this year. Ya never know...we could be starting a new tradition of having the tree up like 'normal' people, at the first week of December

But not right after our Thanksgiving in early October! Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

[Dave]

Our goes up the day after Thanksgiving and comes down the day after Christmas.

For Thanksgiving we have Turkey but at Christmas we have Honey Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham and a ton of fresh jumbo shrimp. By the time I done eating Turkey this and Turkey that to get rid of the leftovers (my wife way over cooks), once a year is enough.

[Cindylou]

Us too Dave. We only have the turkey on Thanksgiving. On Christmas Eve our tradition is to have an incredible lasagne recipe that my italian husband makes. And Christmas Day is a ham as well. Aren't traditions great?! They are so grounding for a family.