When do you start decorating for Christmas? [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

Louise-Montreal

11-01-2002, 08:42 PM

Have already started Christmas shopping. Will put up the tree (artificial) on Dec. 7th. Am going to see Santa Clause 2 tomorrow. I am getting in the Xmas spirit. Being a high school teacher we have exams right before Xmas, so this is a nightmare time of the year as I am busy at school and at the same time trying to get ready for Xmas. I think that os why I start so early- I get to enjoy the holiday feeling before it turns into a mad rush. By the time we get close to Christmas I am a frazzled wreck. I always enjoy the days after Xmas when we can putz around in our pyjamas and pig out on turkey sandwiches, leftover stuffing, pickles and Xmas baking!!:p

grover

11-01-2002, 10:24 PM

Funny you should ask this-DS has asked me twice in the last week when we were putting up the tree! He is seeing all the xmas stuff out in the stores and is getting in the spirit I suppose! Most likely will put the tree up the begining of Dec-I too like to have alot of time to enjoy it along with my xmas village. I have usually started and done quite a bit of xmas shopping by this time but not this year! In fact I bought my first gift today on my lunch hour-some very beatiful stationary-DM will love it!

Grover in Winnipeg :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

maryliz

11-01-2002, 10:32 PM

I could quite happily put my tree up tomorrow and still would not be tired of looking at it by Christmas. Just bought a beautiful tree skirt from Days of Christmas in Downtown Disney when we were there last month. Can't wait to use it!:)

Grover ... your trip is coming up fast! Have a wonderful time. Can't wait to hear about the surprise reaction :Pinkbounc

Mary Liz

Scratch42

11-02-2002, 11:27 AM

I usually put the Halloween stuff in the storage locker and pull out the Christmas stuff and start on my window but this years it's gonna have to wait a while. Have a nasty sinus infection, plus head cold, etc., etc., etc.

But I can hardly wait to get my Mickey Santa's in my Window!

I love Christmas!

Scratch
:smooth:

CdnMom2

11-02-2002, 12:34 PM

My brother & I both have our birthdays in 3rd week of November so family tradition has always been to never decorate for Xmas until after that. BUT, 2 years ago I defied the "tradition" in my own busy home of 4 kids & gave myself the Bday gift of forcing all to help decorate for Xmas ON my Bday weekend. It was the BEST birthday gift.

Last year I pushed it even more and started the weekend before -- shocking! (mid-November) -- as older kids went to big Harry Potter with same uncle & younger 1 and I started dragging out the tree & boxes. All came home very excited and enjoyed hot chocolate, carols and decorating the tree. The next weekend was even better as I relaxed on my Bday and enjoyed the beautiful house without the work of putting it all up.

So this year -- with another Harry Potter movie on the way -- we'll be doing the same thing. Only new wrinkle is we've moved our 1st Disney trip up 2 days and are now leaving home ON Christmas Day (afternoon)!!! So I think my decorating will be reduced a bit. Who wants to take down ALL that in mid-January on our tired return from our trip?

Sorry to be so long with reply! But your simple question has been an issue around here this year. I've been wondering the same -- how early is decent. I shudder when I walk into WalMart before Hallowe'en and the Xmas stuff is out.

madge62

11-02-2002, 01:59 PM

Ah, Christmas decorations, today wouldn't be too soon for me! But we usually wait until after Rememberance Day to start putting out the little bits and pieces. We won't do a tree this year as we are departing for WDW on Christmas Day and over to the mainland to visit my sister and her family for a day or so ahead of that.
That doesn't stop me from Christmas shopping anytime now (hopefully today) and didn't stop me from seeing Santa Claus 2 last night (couldn't make the DC showing last weekend due to my surprise 40th birthday party).
The movie was too cute, we very much enjoyed it, and you couldn't even tell it was shot just outside Vancouver, with all the snow they made. We even had one of the feature "elves" in the theatre with us last night, he lives here on the Island. He got major applause from everybody.

bev r.

11-02-2002, 10:04 PM

I usually put things up the first weekend in December, but I'm thinking about doing it this week to freak DH out. He's gone away on business this week. If he had his way we wouldn't put it up until the week before Christmas.

SandraC

11-03-2002, 02:01 PM

dd's birthday is Dec 5th (Walt Disney's birthday too!) so we usually wait until after her birthday to but up decorations. This year, we rented a swimming pool and a party room for her so technically we can start decorating sooner because her party is out of the house. We are all antsy to start Cmas! I am hosting a cookie exchange party at my house Nov 29 so I want the Cmas decorations up before that. The week before that is Disney in Niagara Falls weekend YIPPEE so I'll be decorating late November this year! The kids gifts are bought, most everything else is set! I am also hosting the extended-family gather Dec 14. We are REALLY looking forward to Cmas this year! S

bunnyfoo

11-03-2002, 05:46 PM

I usually start in December ... I want to try and make a wreath this year, but I've never done one before *lol* That should be interesting!

SandraC

11-03-2002, 07:39 PM

Oh I love making wreaths! I made one for every season for my front door. It's fun, you'll love it! S

Snowwark

11-03-2002, 08:51 PM

I bought two gifts and a stocker stuffer this weekend. Not much, but it's a start! :) Oh, and some festive Amaretto Nog pot pourri, smells heavenly!

I hope you feel better soon Scratch!

Kim :)

sammi

11-03-2002, 09:29 PM

We usually wait until the 1st weekend in Dec. to decorate the inside of our house but usually we have the outside (lights,garland,bows,wreathes etc.) all ready and start the "official" lighting on our anniversary which is the end of Nov.:)

Snowwark where did you find that scent of potpourri? That sounds so nice.....anywhere at Limeridge perhaps? LOL;)

Snowwark

11-03-2002, 09:40 PM

Right you are sammi, good guess!!! :smooth: I got it at Bowring, and I'll be going back to get more, one bag isn't enough. :)

EvilQueen

11-04-2002, 03:30 AM

I'm sure there are a lot of us who can't wait for Christmas. It has to be my absolute favourite time of year. Of course, I never seem to get my shopping done until the absolute last minute, but I work my best when under pressure. Decorations? Well, if I had my way, it would be Christmas every day. Somehow, seeing all the decorations makes me smile. I usually wait until the end of November before getting my family moving on Christmas decorations. After reading this, I think I may start pulling out those boxes sooner.

Just to let everyone know.... if you smile when you see Christmas decorations... run over to TDS. A bunch of us cast members just spent over 5 hours tonight getting the store ready for Christmas. It was sort of weird wrapping boxes, decorating a tree, getting all the Christmas plush out, but it made me smile. Disney went all out this Christmas. There are so many different characters dressed as Santa; all the Pooh family, Mickey/Minnie, Sully, Stitch. So, if you need something to make you smile or you just want to kick start Christmas then go check out TDS. Not to mention, you can grab what's left of those hallowe'een costumes that so many here have already done.

I suppose it's early, but I hope everyone has a great Christmas. And let's hope for a white one!!! :)

sammi

11-04-2002, 08:09 AM

Ah ha! Thanks Kim!:wave:

Bowerings has to be my most favourite store in Limeridge Mall! It's also my sister-in-laws favourite place to shop too.:bounce: :Pinkbounc I'll have to head over there this week and pick some up too. Thanks again!:wave:

kellyla

11-04-2002, 09:27 AM

I am still trying to decide whether I will put out all of my lights this year.Lights around the house,all around the garden plus my light ups.I am trying to figure whether I want to put any more profit into the hands of the hydro people.Plus my indoor tree(which we cut down around the second week of December)usually has at least 1000 lights on it.Told my DH maybe we should just decorate the outdoor's to be seen only in the daytime(decorate the trees like the indoor tree with no lights)

PoohBWV

11-04-2002, 11:04 AM

After some of the whopping hydro bills we've had this year, I am also trying to decide whether to go with the outdoor lights. Anyone have suggestions for non-lit outdoor decorations?

Debbie

11-04-2002, 06:57 PM

Saw some people putting up their Christmas lights on the weekend, and I had my (unemployed!) son dig ours out today. BUT I saw 2 homes with the things ON tonight Yep, ON, not UP. I love how they can make me smile, but I know that we won't turn ours on until the first Sunday of Advent (Dec. 1 this year).

bunnyfoo

11-05-2002, 10:01 AM

I had forgotten about the high electricity rates ... I guess there won't be too many Christmas lights on this year. I didn't get much of a response when I asked when the lights would be going up.

PoohBWV, how about Christmas lights on the inside of your home. That way you can turn them off at night ... last year, a I put a couple of them around my house ... on stair banisters, mirrors etc...

I'm going to Michael's to pick up some of my wreath-making supplies :)

CdnMom2

11-06-2002, 09:00 AM

I saw in Regal catalogue (Girl Guide fund-raising kids are doing -- it's ALWAYS something!) some Glow In the Dark candy canes for outside pathway. Don't know how well these would work as you need some light to charge glow things usually, but it wouldn't be any extra Hydro cost if they did work! Not really Xmas green, but more like DIS board lime green I imagine.

I showed all your posts about Hydro & Xmas lights to my DH because I was saying just the same thing to his shock (almost equalled mine on opening the Hydro bill) -- I LOVE Xmas lights, but this year...

SuAnne

11-06-2002, 04:02 PM

I always have to restrain myself from putting out the Christmass decorations too early. I just love having the house decorated for Christmas!

Since we will be at WDW from Dec 9- 21 I can justify putting them up early since we will be away for two weeks. I was thinking of putting the outside lights up this weekend weather permitting...but not turning them until around Nov. 25..but I'll certainly be cutting back on how many I put up and how long I will have them on at night!! I'll probably start pulling out the boxes of indoor decorations this weekend. I figure if Santa is coming to town here in London on Saturday, then that's my green light to decorate!

:bounce:

sillyminny

11-06-2002, 11:41 PM

Traditionally, Christmas should begin on the first Sunday of advent. This is in preparation of Christ's birth. Of course the stores have nothing to do with this but we should keep in mind that Christmas continues until way after dec 25 with Epiphany which is another celebration of the birth of Jesus.

If you absolutely are hopping to get those decorations up, I am sure all those angels and St. Nicholas are overjoyed you love this season! God loves us to be happy!

I really love all the beautiful decorations available nowadays and they really add to this joyous time.

http://http://images.freefoto.com/05/06/05_06_24_thumb.jpg

Marion

11-07-2002, 11:51 AM

A thought occurred to me when I saw a post about decorating outdoor trees for daytime viewing. Big bows always look nice and I remember an article from years ago when the kids were young. It gave directions for these peanutbutter balls mixed with birdseed that you hang (somehow, can't recall how!) with ribbon from the tree. They look festive and the birds love 'em. There were a couple of recipes for wildbird treats so a search should pull up some how-to's, and imagination should do the rest :)

SandraC

11-07-2002, 12:21 PM

AH yes, the bird seed and peanut butter on a pine cone craft. They good great! Warning: Where there are many birdies, there are many birdie do-do's. LOL! This comes from experience heeheehee!

My family knows exactly what Christmas is all about. We do not just recognize the significance on Christmas day, we love and have faith all year around. So in our house Christmas is allowed to be about pine trees, turkey, presents, Santa and giving. Decorations are fun!

S

KAREN55555

11-07-2002, 02:30 PM

To cut on electricity bills you could get 1 or 2 flood lights in red or green to light up the house. Or you can just replace your outside light bulbs with green or red bulbs to bring a little festive cheer.

As for me putting up Christmas decorations and tree. I'm seriously considering next weekend November 16th to start. We are going to WDW Christmas day so I want to get the most out of my decorations. But unlike some of the other posts my mother has offered to come and take down our decorations for us while were away. So we can return from WDW in January to an undecorated house. Am I lucky or what. lol
:p

maryliz

11-10-2002, 04:48 PM

Just an FYI about the Regal "glow in the dark candy canes" -- totally useless !!! I bought them thinking the same thing but they only glowed if there had been direct light on them for that day (ie. a nice sunny day in December :rolleyes: ) and they are such cheap plastic they broke when we either tried to put them in the ground, or when we removed them. Don't waste your money. I'm thinking of changing my moonrays to red/green since they are on every night anyway, and have been for several years. If it hadn't been such a rainy day, we might have put our lights up today ... but certainly not ON !

Mary Liz

SandraC

11-10-2002, 05:00 PM

I have a green flood light for halloween and a red one for Cmas outside. I am looking forward to decorating. I am fighting a cold and have no energy this weekend! YIKES! S

CdnMom2

11-10-2002, 05:25 PM

Thanks for the great ideas here. And thank you poor Maryliz for posting your experience on the Regal Glow in the Dark canes. I wondered how they could work as we don't get too many bright sunny December days here. Then I thought, well if they're in the catalogue and at that price (i.e. not a dollar store item) then surely they must.... somehow...? Oh, buyer beware. Sorry it happened to you, but I'm glad you warned us all.

How do you change your Noma lights to Red or Green? I've been bugging my DH for years for Noma lights. This would be one more reason towards getting them --- once Hydro rates settle and we've paid for our Disney trip -- like next summer!

Debbie

11-10-2002, 06:37 PM

You can buy the red or green (or blue....) Noma lightbulbs at Canadian Tire, and then just undo the top to change. One year, we had red and green for months before DH finally changed them back! :rolleyes:

sammi

11-10-2002, 06:58 PM

We always buy the 3 colour Noma replacement lights from Canadian Tire and put them up for Christmas...they have red,green and yellow (gold!;) )The cost for electricity is really a lot lower for these type of lights too.;)

For those that are really upset about these higher costs for hydro(and who isn't!) please visit this petition and sign your name.....I was number 201 on Thanksgiving weekend and now they're all the way up around the 71,000 mark!Maybe our voices will be heard sometime soon!:mad:

http://www.petitiononline.com/Dereg/petition.html