Trees?

So when do you put up your Christmas tree( Holiday, festivus pole)?


I have never ever put ours up sonnet than the week before, but Bayley was bugging me.. Considering our "tree" last year was 12 inches tall, ..I gave in. It's fake, and quite possibly the ugliest artificial tree on the planet, but hell it lived thru the storm. I did spend over an hour wiring my Topper to the tree, Because 1) Xander, 2) it is from the 40's.3) it is glass,That really thin glass like to ornaments 4)Dh and Bayley hate it, and will try to knock it off so they can put some tacky ass star... . It is HIDEOUS, but I love it,and want it to stay there.

ohhhhh my biggest 'dislike' on my tree is always my topper. I just cant find one I like. All the angels look the same. cheap and corney. The plastic tinseld stars with colored lights just dont do it for me. again, kinda gawdy and cheap looking. I have just never found one I LOVED that I could afford. I had a really nice angel years ago. But of course lost it in the fire. It wasnt the best, it was just a nicer version of the typical cheap plastic angel. so to have something so old would be neat


I havent, dont know when I will. Honestly - I dont know where to put it. my living room has no place for one. And there are no other rooms in my house.

I do want a picture also!

See, i told you it was Hideous.




I found it in DH's grandparents attic after Rita, his aunt was going to throw it away, and his PawPaw said i could have it. Someone gave it to them when they got married, in the 40's and they packed it away. It looked brand new, and he said they had never used it.

edbson wrote:See, i told you it was Hideous.




I found it in DH's grandparents attic after Rita, his aunt was going to throw it away, and his PawPaw said i could have it. Someone gave it to them when they got married, in the 40's and they packed it away. It looked brand new, and he said they had never used it.

Well I'm sorry but I have to say, it's not something I'd want, as much as I like the vintage ornaments....but it's the thought and memories that matter!

I haven't put up our 5' artificial tree in several years... just a table top thing that the pinecones and fruits keep falling off of. When you don't have people at your home, does it matter? Nope. I do put out other Christmas decorations, both inside and outside... but even that I sometimes wonder if it's worth going up into the attic to bring down only to have to put back in a few weeks later. But I suppose I'll do a little more this year as my nephew/finance and her two boys will be here a few days before Christmas on their way to FL. I only enjoy decorating when I know people are going to be here... otherwise, for Chuck and I, well, does it matter? Nope~

I do it for us, noone else will be here, just dh and Bayley and I, and Xander... I don't do lights outside....went all out a few years ago, lights, synched with the computer, and music....it took weeks to put them up and synch them, and caused a MAJOR traffic jam. We live on a dead end, with nowhere to turn around....and we took the lights down easter sunday...so never again with the lights.

I always want to get things up early. More time to enjoy it that way, plus it doesn't feel like you're doing all that work only to bring it down in a week or two. That being said, we are always later putting things up than I want. I did get a couple of strands of light on outside. I let the bigger kids do it and it looks like kids did it. I'll be adding more tomorrow.

We usually get the tree up about a week before Christmas. We always have a real tree so you can't put it up too early. We've always cut one off our own farm, but this year we may get one from a friend of the family who sells them. All our pine trees are looking more like hedges or shrubs. I want a cone-shaped tree, not a ball shaped one, LOL. And we can't put up a cedar because half the family breaks out in a rash if we touch it. So if we can't find a decent looking tree here we'll see if our friends will cut us a deal. They're nice folks and if we end up paying for the tree I'd rather the money go to them than to Wal-mart.

I'll have to post pics of our angel. My family always had a star on the tree growing up, and so did Scott's. But when we were first married we found a very beautiful angel that we both fell in love with. I can't remember how much we paid, but not too much or we couldn't have afforded it.

I actually like it erin. I mean its not beautiful, but its old looking, and thats what I like. plus my tree is candy canes now. LOL I might try to find one for my tree on ebay. I really do need one and I like it.


I used to go all out for Christmas. I had the house done, trees in every room, garland on the house. I loved it. I would decorate on or around Nov 11. take it down after Jan 1st. I had hallmark ornaments. hundreds of them.

When I lost them it was just too hard. Many were replaced, but I havent been able to afford to get new ones in the ensuing years, so I dont even use them anymore. I just do silver with candy canes.

I buy everything after Christmas on sale, and in the last 5 years have gotten quite a few things. I have enough to do the house, inside and out. the tree, and the yard. Plus someone gave me a HUGE santa blowup. I have never even used them. I honestly dont know when I'll have time. I know my kids deserve to have the trees and lights and all. and I do need to get it done. But I feel kinda bad, I have lots of things that need done BEFORE I take time to do that. the rabbit hutch needs finishing, the hog pen has more work. and I still have roosters to butcher. Plus the yard needs cleaning up.

I want this silver one. http://cgi.ebay.com/antique-vintage-tree-toppers-one-west-germany_W0QQitemZ220518689308QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3357f02a1c

Last year I just put a bow on top. I really hated that.

I think this one would be perfect, I just hate to spend the money. plus how would I make it stay up there?

Wire it on, thats what I did.
I like that one, kinda funky looking.

I kinda like it Erin.
We do a real tree and space is a huge issues, so we will get a tree a week or two before Christmas and I will take it down the day after Christmas and try to salvage whatever Rylan and the damn dog does not destroy. We have a white santa/ Father Christmas whatever you want to call him for the top. We bought it our first Christmas and I love it.

I'd rather go without a tree... i end up having to do two trees just about every year and well I tend to never have the holiday spirit, so its a hassle. Its usually a week to two weeks ahead of christmas. my uncle usually buys a 8 to 10 foot tree for here at my grandparents and then a few days later my parent's get one, so I have to go over there to decorate with my 10 year old brother.
and then I get forced into rushing to get everything off them, so that they can be taken to the desert for new year's eve...

Call me crazy, but I like that topper Erin! We're going to be putting our tree up soon... possibly today or tomorrow. I figure if I have to put in the effort to more the furniture to make room for it it should be up for a month.

i like it too...i think we should all post a picture of our tree toppers once we get them up...we still have found nothing we like, we bought one of those light up stars last year it is ok but i would love something amazing.

How do i attatch a picture. i see the tab above that says image but then what???thanks

I think I've become depressed.... I see a Chistmas commercials/programs and I start to cry.... the idea of Christmas puts me in a bad mood... think of lot of it is that my step kids have pretty much written us off (which really hurts DH and me).... my brother and sil are gone, so many of my KY friends have moved on to other places... well sometimes it just feels overwhelmng. I woke up yesterday and decided I wouldn't send out any Christmas cards...in 36 years, I've never not. The only thing urging me to decorate, scantly, is the fact that my nephew & his financee are stopping by for a couple of days on their way to FL. I was so excited to see that my back yard neighbor put a wreath on her back storm door (which I get to see) made me get my butt moving and put out a front door wreath and to decorate Sally (my metal frog on the front steps who has "outfits" for each season)... heck before you know it, I'll be going up to the attic to bring down some decos and trims. But even with all that, I'm feeling depressed... so I will close in saying, I enjoy reading about each of your traditions, seeing your decorations, and even hearing that life isn't necessarily perfect in your households either I appreciate I have a place to vent and share my feelings/moods.

Dee, I'm so sorry to hear that you're having a hard time this season. It's so sad that you've lost family this year and aren't close to your step-kids. I hope you can find a way to enjoy it anyway. Maybe there's a soldier who would like to come over for Christmas dinner? I know you're close to Fort Campbell.

I find that when I get a little depressed sometimes it helps to try to concentrate on something to keep my mind from dwelling on all the things that aren't going right. I was a little depressed that this would be my first Christmas without Wynonna living here. I have tried to concentrate on doing other things such as picking out a couple presents to donate to "Toys for Tots". and planning my yearly Sugar Cookie baking. I go to the dollar store and buy the wine gift boxes and tissue paper and make my sugar cookies , decorate them really fancy..wrap them up and line the boxes in tissue paper and give them out to neighbors, random people, mail lady, UPS man, the garbage man, etc It cheers me up to see that I have made someone's day a little brighter...

Karen & Kelly, I enjoyed both your posts, suggestions. We are going to go to St. Louis for Christmas, will spend a day with our niece and (3) nephews and their families... the ones we just spent Thanksgiving with. So that's good to look forward to. I did gifts for the Angel Tree youngster I picked. We always have money ready to give to the bell ringers and today, when Chuck goes to the grocery store, he'll buy a meal for a family (Kroger puts together bags of food and sees they get to needy families). I do enjoy baking, but am scaling back, just making a package of breads/cookies/candies/mixes for my back door neighboor (although the distance between her back door and mine is probably 125 feet we still call each other back-door neighbors). And I'll make a few extra to give to nephew family for when they stop by on their way to FL.

I'll be okay, just that I have my good days and bad days.

I'm sorry Dee, I hope the fog lifts soon.

Thanks Tara, the fog IS lifting... I think I was just overly tired from our trip last weekend. This morning I decided to not attend yoga (knew we were having a sub that makes us work harder than our regular instructor), but about 16 minutes before class, thought "quit this feeling like crap and sorry for youself, and just go" so quickly changed (I'm only about 7 minutes to the Y, !) , went and felt so good afterwards. Then spent the day housecleaning, have been very nice to DH (he said I was being bitchy and I have to agree, I was but today complimented on how my mood has changed) and just feeling so much better today, and actually now looking forward to going to MO for Christmas.

Not to mention I called my daughter tonight, who wasn't home but got to talk with SIL and 3 grandgirls, reminding them they need to get Christmas wish lists to me... but conversation with each was so fun (7,9 and 15 yrs old)..

Even with the crappy gloomy gus weather we've had today, I'm feeling a whole lot brighter.

And sorry to have hijacked the TREES thread~

Don't worry about hijacking, Dee. I'm just glad you felt free to talk to us about it. And I'm so happy to hear that you're working through it. Sometimes just talking about it and seeing that everyone understands helps, doesn't it?

thebigscott wrote:Don't worry about hijacking, Dee. I'm just glad you felt free to talk to us about it. And I'm so happy to hear that you're working through it. Sometimes just talking about it and seeing that everyone understands helps, doesn't it?

Having friends, even though you've never met, can make a great difference Karen!

yoga always makes you feel better

I finally got my tree up..Its just been so busy for me this year...
In the day


At night