How Much Decorating Do You Do For Christmas?

[MIGrandma]

Do you decorate very little, or a lot for the Christmas season?

We don't do any outdoor decorating (we used to do lights) except for wreaths with big red bows on the doors. But I think we do quite a bit of decorating indoors. We have an artificial tree so that goes up in the family room right around Thanksgiving and stays up until January 7th. DH wraps the branches with the lights (usually 10 strands of multicolored) and we have a hodgepodge of ornaments (handmade by the kids, our mothers, a couple old ornaments from my childhood, vacation ornaments, etc.).

I have a rustic Alpine style tree in the family room as well, that is decorated with all up-north/lodge style ornaments and white lights. And we have two small tabletop decorated/lighted trees in the office and dining room.

We have a Christmas village, half of it is on top of the piano and the other half on top of the roll-top desk. And I have some Hallmark snowmen, a Thomas Kinkade lighted "village", a bunch of old world type Santas, etc. etc.

I like using Christmas towels in the kitchen and bathrooms and have a few decorations in those rooms as well.

Tables get red tablecloths and holiday candle centerpieces.

And we have some decorative items around the house that our children and mothers made as well. And lots of holiday candles, and Christmasy throw pillows, etc. And mistletoe in the archway.

 

[ladyjubilee]

Normally we decorate quite a bit. Every room is decorated, with at least one tree in each room. We usually start decorating the outside 11/1 and finish mid December. I think last count we have 35 crates of inside decoration, and more outside.

This year we only did three trees 2 Star Wars and one Disney and some basic displays and nothing outside.... which has lead to several neighbors coming by to find out when we're going to decorate . But we'll be at WDW.

 

[Bluestars]

I used to decorate a lot more when my kids were little, but now I only put up a tree and some decorations on the mantel and stairways.

I like looking at Christmas decorations though.

 

[crazelion]

This year the tree and the decorates is not getting put up at all. I have no energy do it this year after being sick with acute chest cough. Plus all the gifts is in the floor two. They is not getting wrap either.

I usually go all for Christmas. Been to sick lately.

 

[MIGrandma]

I used to decorate a lot more when my kids were little, but now I only put up a tree and some decorations on the mantel and stairways.

I like looking at Christmas decorations though.

I started thinking about cutting down on the decorations and some of our grandchildren and our daughter said "no way" to that! So I still do it all for them, well, and me too as I do enjoy all the decorations once they're out and put in place.

 

[Cantw8]

Less and less every year The tree has been in the stand with only the lights on now for a week No other decorations..I decorated my office area at work more than I did my own home

 

[low-key]

I dont put up anything, I want to be excited by the season again but Im not

 

[LBIJim]

Another one who does less every year. Fewer indoor decorations, fewer lights outside. Laziness is the main reason.

 

[figment forever]

christmas is "our holiday" so we decorate quite a bit.

we have multi colored icicle lights across the front of the house, big mulit colored lights across the one set of bushes, mulit colored net lights on another bush, and multi colored regular lights in two trees.

on the front door we have a door knocker that plays xmas music when you push it and a huge red bow with glitter jingle bells on it.

in the front hall we have glitter ornaments hanging from the lights.

we sometimes have garland up the banister on the stairs but this year we don't because my mom had total knee replacement surgery and has to have a firm grip on the railing at all times.

we have a small artificial tree in the living room with multi colored lights, garland, and red and gold balls.

in the dining room we have a manger scene on the buffet with multi colored lights around the outside of it.

on the desk in the kitchen we have a big snow globe you can plug in and turn on and it will play music.

on the kitchen table we have crystal snow men and a snow globe.

above the kitchen table we have multi colored lights hung.

on the spindle area between the kichen and family room we have multi colored lights and several ornaments you plug into the lights that move such as a santa that says "ho, ho, ho, merry christmas", a NASA space shuttle, and pooh and friends skating in a circle.

in the downstairs bathroom we have multi colored lights hung up.

in the family room we have our 10 foot real christmas tree decorated with multi colored lights that play music, ball ornaments and other ornaments.

then we have mutli colored lights hanging on the fan with ornaments like mickey, sebastian, flounder, oliver, and other disney characters hanging from the lights.

then we have a santa head above the fireplace that plugs in and lgiths up, garland that lights up on the mantel, and our stockings.

and finally on our TV stand we have a light up snowman from avon.

 

[Gigi22]

We don't put up anything anymore. I have 3 boxes of decorations put aside for a thrift store. They're going. If we decorate in future, I may simply buy a Christmasy floral arrangement, or a pre-decorated tabletop tree. Something that can be paced away into one box.

 

[NewRVLady]

I do a lighted wreath on door....its white grapevine wreath with sparkly green poinsettias and red sleigh, berries and bow on my red front door-very festive.

Have a white artificial tree with all red ornaments, some red and white

Bowl of red ornaments in rustic basket on dining room table

Christmas Village on the table behind the big sofa in den.

My sis doesn't decorate at all

My SIL THIS year didn't decorate ( and she is ALWAYS a BIG decorator)-she is semi depressed that she doesn't see one son from before Thanksgiving until two days after Xmass-her DIL's family have "taken' all the days around Christmas for THEIR get togethers. I really feel for her

 

[mamamary]

Usually I do quite a bit of decorating but def. cut back this year. Between a death, divorce and now a break-up in the family in the last 6 mos. I lost some of my spirit to do it. Lights are on outside, tree is up, first floor of house and downstairs family room is done but I def. put out less of my stuff. DD's bf just broke up with her so she was gonna be my helper for the rest of the stuff but she is kinda in a funk now. So I'm just gonna leave it as is. Still looks nice though.

 

[tazdev3225]

I used to decorate a lot but with just DH and I home I have cut back a little.

Outside used to get as much as I could fit on my small lawn and around the house. The neighborhood kids killed that for me years ago. And yes I do know who did it as they laughed and bragged about it, unfortunately their parents are morons and did nothing when I tried to talk to them. Every year they found a way to break all my lights. Twist the bulb and you lose the connection. Now I just do a lighted wreath on the door.

The kitchen window has the small tree and lights with a Santa and Mrs. Claus and a Grumpy holding a lantern. Technically a lawn thing but I like him in the window.

Dining Room has the Village and some lights around it. The table will get a festive table cloth and candles when I finish wrapping presents. Tend to wait last minute for the table as the cats usually get everything knocked to the floor.

The Staircase has lights and garland and red bows.

The Living Room has lights around the entertainment center and the tree will go up there, hopefully tonight but definitely this week. That gets a mixture of lights and ornaments. The ornaments are sentimental and Disney with a few Tasmanian Devils (Hence my screen name). I lost quite a few ornaments when the tree fell over last year, a few Disney ones but thankfully none that were irreplaceable.

I also have a Creche I need to put out somewhere but a teething puppy may have me change my mind this year. Nothing is safe around her mouth right now.

 

[SallySkelington]

Well, my mom is the one who goes all out with decorations. I'm just the side kick (because she is super short and I'm tall). She really picked back up on her decorating, but it's driving her crazy since we moved to the new house and she has no clue where she wants things.

As of now we have:

Our Christmas tree, decked out with all the finagles.

Our fireplace is festive with two wreaths, angels and a manger scene. Also candle sticks and a christmasy-floral arrangement at the bottom.

We have a village set up in our sun room (I call it the jungle because she has so many flippin plants in there I could get lost).

There is a string of lights that goes up at the top of the windows in there.

We also have a palm tree over in the corner. Yup, its decked out in christmas lights and completed with ornaments.

We also have a few lights outside, not a ton but a few.

A wreath on the front door.

I forgot to add the stocking are hanging up as well.

The dining room been decked in poinsettia decor.

And don't get me started on the hidden Santas. They are EVERYWHERE. Apparently he's always watching...

There is always something new when I walk in the house. She fiddles with everything all the time. I'm sure this arrangement will change in the next few days.

 

[ronandannette]

We're not exactly the Griswalds, but I do try. The lights and decor are up in our tiny rear courtyard (street-facing so they can be seen) and the front entry has a wreath, a small tree and a festive doormat outside, as well as a neon "candle" in the kitchen window that is right there.

Inside is giving me fits ; over the years I've accumulated a number of pieces, including a treasured hand-made Nativity set that I like to arrange just-so. We moved into a new home over the summer and now nothing goes "where it's supposed to". We can't even decide on a good place to put the tree and the living room looks like a Christmas depot exploded. It's a work in progress...

 

[Happy Snowman]

We do some outdoor lights, a few outdoor decorations, sled with garland type thing, wreaths on the doors and lights of the garage.

Indoors, tree, mantel, various things on bookshelves, etc. I put a Christmas runner on our dining room table, kitchen table, on the island in the kitchen. A few things in other common rooms, bathrooms..so, enough but not overly done either.

 

[ashleysev]

A LOT. Even more so this year because we have family coming in for our wedding.

Inside, outside, bannisters, three trees, fireplace, entryway, bathrooms!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Tree
Wreath on door
Swapped picture on the wall
Stockings (not up yet)



And that's it.

 

[Patience]

Outside we have white lights in our holly bushes, a garland with deco mesh ribbon and white lights around our door, two lighted topiaries on either side of the door, a wreath on the door and our window boxes are filled with greenery and unbreakable ornaments. We also have a greenery swag with a bow on our mailbox. Inside we have a big tree, a small tree, garland and stockings on our fireplace mantle, a nativity set, a basket of grapevine balls and sparkly ornaments on the kitchen table. Our dining room table is also decorated but more elaborately than the kitchen table.

I am pleased with how everything turned out this year.

 

[Jedana]

Do you decorate very little, or a lot for the Christmas season?

We don't do any outdoor decorating (we used to do lights) except for wreaths with big red bows on the doors. But I think we do quite a bit of decorating indoors. We have an artificial tree so that goes up in the family room right around Thanksgiving and stays up until January 7th. DH wraps the branches with the lights (usually 10 strands of multicolored) and we have a hodgepodge of ornaments (handmade by the kids, our mothers, a couple old ornaments from my childhood, vacation ornaments, etc.).

I have a rustic Alpine style tree in the family room as well, that is decorated with all up-north/lodge style ornaments and white lights. And we have two small tabletop decorated/lighted trees in the office and dining room.

We have a Christmas village, half of it is on top of the piano and the other half on top of the roll-top desk. And I have some Hallmark snowmen, a Thomas Kinkade lighted "village", a bunch of old world type Santas, etc. etc.

I like using Christmas towels in the kitchen and bathrooms and have a few decorations in those rooms as well.

Tables get red tablecloths and holiday candle centerpieces.

And we have some decorative items around the house that our children and mothers made as well. And lots of holiday candles, and Christmasy throw pillows, etc. And mistletoe in the archway.

I usually do a lot.
Lights in bushes and trees outside, and in windows.
Shelf with candles/holders
Shelf with bells (general holiday)
Shelf with bells (Christmas scene)
Shelf with general holiday stuff (not bells/candles)
Basket with Christmas cards
Basket with Christmas napkins
Bowl with ball ornaments and lights (battery operated)
fresh Tree (usually 7ft+), with lights, ornaments, tree topper (angel)
Pile of holiday stuffed animals
stacks of holiday books (Night Before Christmas, song/story books, etc)


But this year, nothing outside or on windows. Using a small 3ft pre-lit fake tree that I have for the dining room. I still have the rest out, because I can do that myself. But I need DH for the outside/windows and the tree, and he is just not up to it this year. He caught something the week of Thanksgiving (he didn't even eat any of the food I made, and that's a big thing, because the reason I cook turkey +sides is for him--I can live without it and DS is )
and it's still lingering. He's tired and can't rest, because if he lays down, he starts coughing. It's down to a mostly dry cough---not much phlem now, but still bothersome.