If you have been at WDW for Christmas...

[Liz]

Did you still decorate for Christmas at home before you left?

We are leaving for WDW Dec. 17th and won't be home till the 31st (no, unfortunately we are not spending the whole time at WDW). We have an artificial tree and I can't decide if we should still put it up and decorate since we won't be home for Christmas. I really would hate to come home to it all set up still on the evening of the 31st. We normally put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I don't have little ones but do have a 17 yr. old and a college student who will be coming home just before we leave.

I know its a little early to be worrying about it now but that's just me!

Appreciate any opinions!

 

[johnnyr]

We've always celebrated Christmas at home and leave the day after for WDW when we go during holiday season. Never spent Christmas eve or Christmas day at WDW, but we always decorate our home for the holidays.

 

[Laurajean1014]

We go a week or two before Christmas, so therefore we do decorate. I have not yet been there for Christmas Day.

 

[lovesmurfs]

We're leaving the 14th and returning the 23rd. We're definitely decorating -- Have DS 12 and DD 7. I plan on using it to get me in the spirit for the trip!!!

(then again, I'm one of those people who watches White Christmas in the middle of the summer.....)

 

[AKLRULZ]

Absoulutely! We typically trim our home in late November and keep the decorations up until the first weekend in January.

 

[MomofCKJ]

Oddball here! We are going to Disney Dec 15-22 so we will be back for Christmas. However we get back late on the 22nd. We cut our own tree so it is a fresh one each year and we normally get it the 2nd weekend in December or so. Well I don't want to leave a fresh cut tree sitting here for a week unattended. It will just dry up and drop needles with no one here to water it. So we will not be setting up the tree before we go. And really we take ours down normally Dec 26 (because by then the needles are everywhere!) so the idea of getting a tree for 3 days, well not too appealing. Hoping my kids understand (they are younger, 9,7 and 4). This trip IS their gift too so there won't be much to open on Christmas day. Just stockings and a Santa gift. They will get gifts from the extended family but as far as Christmas morning it is going to be light and treeless I think at our house. I'm really not a Grinch, I just think with the timing of the trip it is best for us to keep the decorations packed away this year.


Allyson

 

[Maria395712]

no we don't
maria

 

[rstamm]

We are going Dec. 19-31 and the subject just came up.
DW says yes and I say why bother.
DW loves to decorate the tree, so it will be going up.
I feel if someone in the family really wants too, then its ok with me.

 

[Smooshdog]

I'll be in Disneyworld Dec 15-23 and I will put up decorations the day after thanksgiving, although I will wait til Dec 1 to eat my first Christmas tree cake and listen to x-mas tunes.

 

[MinMouse]

Oddball here! We are going to Disney Dec 15-22 so we will be back for Christmas. However we get back late on the 22nd. We cut our own tree so it is a fresh one each year and we normally get it the 2nd weekend in December or so. Well I don't want to leave a fresh cut tree sitting here for a week unattended. It will just dry up and drop needles with no one here to water it. So we will not be setting up the tree before we go. And really we take ours down normally Dec 26 (because by then the needles are everywhere!) so the idea of getting a tree for 3 days, well not too appealing. Hoping my kids understand (they are younger, 9,7 and 4). This trip IS their gift too so there won't be much to open on Christmas day. Just stockings and a Santa gift. They will get gifts from the extended family but as far as Christmas morning it is going to be light and treeless I think at our house. I'm really not a Grinch, I just think with the timing of the trip it is best for us to keep the decorations packed away this year.


Allyson

Allyson, I think you have a wise plan. We did the exact same trip in 2002 (December 15-22). We also cut our own tree which we choose not to do for the same reasons you stated. At the last minute we decided to put up a borrowed artificial tree (DDs were 5&8 that CHristmas). I think the girls would have been just fine without it . . . they are really used to the "live" tree and had just returned from a fantastic Disney holiday trip with extended family. We had decorated the house with the other Christmas decorations.

 

[petrymom]

We have not gone before, but are going for the first time this year from 12-19-06 to 12-26-06. I am NOT decorating - much!!! DH has a small "Harley" themed tree that he sets up in the basement rec room. He will decorate, but NO decorations upstairs with maybe the exception of 1 or 2 strings of lights.

I am currently working full time and attending school full time along with trying to function at home (housework and kids). There will be NO time to decorate, let alone breath.

We are taking a small tree with to decorate the hotel room....

Have a great time!!!!

 

[canwegosoon]

My decorations for Christmas go up the day after Thanksgiving since we celebrate St. Nicholas Day, and do advent calanders. I will also be away, and think the only thing I will do different is not get a real tree(but not sure yet). I might get a pencil tree(or borrow an artificial one), and leave it up for when we get home. I will also probably put gifts under it from family members that we will not be seeing over Christmas Vacation...and perhaps a present or two from us...since I can not bring much in the suitcase. Traditionally we leave our tree up until Jan 6th. But we will be away Dec 22nd-Jan 2nd. The postman is going to love me!!!(putting a hold on my mail)

 

[AStamm]

We are going Dec. 19-31 and the subject just came up.
DW says yes and I say why bother.
DW loves to decorate the tree, so it will be going up.
I feel if someone in the family really wants too, then its ok with me.

I say 100% yes--especially since DH doesn't even help putting it up!!!!!!
Not to mention the fact that it's only DH and DS that are going to WDW on the 19th...I don't get to join them until around midnight on the 22nd.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

This will be our first christmas at WDW, but not our first christmas away from home (we do the revolving parents/in-laws thing). What we've always done is put up all our decorations, EXCEPT for a christmas tree (wreaths, lights, etc,) and we get out all the Christmas videos and books, usually around the beginning of December.

I think this year we're going to buy a smaller artificial tree and throw it in the back of the car (we're doing the auto train down) and set it up in the hotel room.

 

[sunny04]

We did. The only time we were there through Christmas was our honeymoon. We still decorated after Thanksgiving, but opened all our wedding presents/christmas presents the night we got married before we left.

 

[inloveindisney]

We always decorate the week after thanksgiving and we won't stop this year. Part of getting us in the mood is all the decorations at our house. Without them, I would be sad. I love putting all that stuff out!

 

[firkat]

We travel often during the Christmas season, mostly the week following Christmas. However, we have been through the actual holiday too.

Whenever we were going to be here for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, I do put up a tree. However, I try to take it down before we leave because I use a real tree. The real trees will dry out while you are away and not watering them. They will leave your house a MESS with dry needles everywhere and even worse pose a fire hazard!

When we have been gone for Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, we have not put up a tree at home, but have had a miniature tree at our vacation destination. We do put up other decorations around the house to get in the spirit before we leave!

I know you will have a magical time at WDW for Christmas. They do a marvelous job of decorating the parks and resorts!

 

[skuttle]

We went to WDW the week before Christmas in Dec 2001. This was before we had DS, but I love christmas and always bought a real tree to decorate. That year, I decorated but did not put up a tree. Last year we went the week before christmas and came home on Christmas eve. I decorated and got the real tree because of DS, he was only 2 1/2 at the time. If I wasn't going to be home on Christmas Day, I would probably still decorate, but not put up a big, real christmas tree.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

We always put the Christmas decorations up, as well as the tree prior to leaving for WDW, this way when we return we can enjoy the holiday at home without rushing around.

 

[memymomonica]

We will leave the 16th for WDW. Will leave for home on the 28th. I think we concentrate more on outside, have lights on a timer. I think we will put up the small (5ft) artificial tree. Need to have a tree up, but don't want to go all out. This is our sirst trip over Christmas. We even extended it a little. We were due to head home on the 23rd. Decided what the heck, we will leave the 26th. But, DD will turn 9 on the 27th. Why not add 2 more days for Christmas and Birthday at WDW? This is crazy. Want to be home for New Year's though.