When do you put up your tree and how long do you leave it up?

[EvelynD2]

I grew up with real Christmas trees versus artificial trees. Our tree went up on Christmas Eve and came down the day after Christmas. I used to joke that if you were in the bathroom too long you would miss the tree! . It seemed like it was only up such a short time! Therefore, when I had my own home, I left the tree up for a month, or, sometimes, two! I LOVE Christmas trees and the sparkly ornaments and lights. Once my mother was in ICU during Christmas. I would come home to get new clothes and see my family. I loved seeing the tree but didn't get to enjoy it much. My mom got better and came home. That year I kept my tree up until March because I felt that I mad missed out on Christmas because I was staying at the hospital. When do you put up your tree and how long do you keep it up? This is a NO SHAME zone! . I know of people who leave their tree up all year and decorate it for different monthly holidays!

 

[Jam-on-toast]

We follow the Advent tradition loosely - not the Dcember 1-24 but the four Sundays before Christmas, so we usually put the tree up that weekend. This year it's Novemer 26-27, this is when Christmas markets open in Europe.

However, we've been known to have the tree up a week or two yearlier - it all depends on what our plans for Christmas that year are. Back when my stepsons used to live with us, they would always spend Christmas with their mom, so that meant we had our celebations eariler - one year it was December 11th, Wednesday 5pm - I'm still hoping this is a no shame zone, lol...

 

[melscrap]

We put ours up the first weekend of December and it comes down on 1 Jan. If it were up to the hubby it would be a 24-26 Dec thing *eyeroll*

 

[VickiStegall]

We used to put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but it seems like everything is so rushed and busy now that it seemed to fly by without actually getting to enjoy it. Or, that I would just finish decorating and it would be time to take it all down again. So, last year I went early and easy (bought a smaller tree with one box of ornaments) and was able to relax and fully enjoy it! I fully intend to put the tree up sometime in the next week

 

[EvelynD2]

We follow the Advent tradition loosely - not the Dcember 1-24 but the four Sundays before Christmas, so we usually put the tree up that weekend. This year it's Novemer 26-27, this is when Christmas markets open in Europe.

However, we've been known to have the tree up a week or two yearlier - it all depends on what our plans for Christmas that year are. Back when my stepsons used to live with us, they would always spend Christmas with their mom, so that meant we had our celebations eariler - one year it was December 11th, Wednesday 5pm - I'm still hoping this is a no shame zone, lol...

I think it's great any time that we can get together with family and loved ones! Sometimes we have to work around schedules to make things work. The important thing is that we can get together some time in the holiday season. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

 

[EvelynD2]

We put ours up the first weekend of December and it comes down on 1 Jan. If it were up to the hubby it would be a 24-26 Dec thing *eyeroll*

I'm glad you convinced him to leave the tree up longer!

 

[EvelynD2]

We used to put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving, but it seems like everything is so rushed and busy now that it seemed to fly by without actually getting to enjoy it. Or, that I would just finish decorating and it would be time to take it all down again. So, last year I went early and easy (bought a smaller tree with one box of ornaments) and was able to relax and fully enjoy it! I fully intend to put the tree up sometime in the next week

I am hoping to get mine up in the next week as well! Thanksgiving will be here week after next and I try to have the tree up for the grandchildren to enjoy while they are here. I guess that means I'd better start wrapping presents so our tree doesn't look so lonely!

 

[bcgal00]

Our tree will go up shortly after the beginning of Dec and will stay up until Jan 1st.

 

[svanderhaegen]

Since we first celebrate “sinterklaas” here in Belgium, or Christmas tree goes up on december 7th and we take it down right after epiphany.

 

[marijke]

We follow the same tradition as Sonja ... no Christmas tree before Sinterklaas ... the Christmas tree will stay up until Jan. 7th...
In our family we put an Advent wreath - for our son there was a countdown to Christmas calendar with a little surprise every day ... with my son and DIL this is also the case ...

 

[tanteva]

Well, since I have 2 maniac cats, I don't have a tree. But Swedish tradition is to put up the tree the night before Christmas Eve (or on Christmas Eve morning) and leave it up til Jan 13.

 

[LSlycord]

Ours will go up over the weekend following Thanksgiving. Sydney and her roommate will be home then so they should be able to join us in the festivities. I don't believe that her roommate celebrates Christmas so that will be her first time to put up a Christmas tree. We will take it down between Christmas and New Year's. (And actually, there will probably be two of them...the artificial one in the house and a real one on the lanai.)

 

[Madi]

somewhere half december, and it stays until the first week of january

 

[EvelynD2]

We follow the same tradition as Sonja ... no Christmas tree before Sinterklaas ... the Christmas tree will stay up until Jan. 7th...
In our family we put an Advent wreath - for our son there was a countdown to Christmas calendar with a little surprise every day ... with my son and DIL this is also the case ...

I love Advent calendars!

 

[EvelynD2]

Ours will go up over the weekend following Thanksgiving. Sydney and her roommate will be home then so they should be able to join us in the festivities. I don't believe that her roommate celebrates Christmas so that will be her first time to put up a Christmas tree. We will take it down between Christmas and New Year's. (And actually, there will probably be two of them...the artificial one in the house and a real one on the lanai.)

I'm so glad Sydney and her roommate will be able to join in on the fun!

 

[Cherylndesigns]

We put ours up the first week in December and keep it up until after New Year's Day.

 

[Susan - s3js]

I like to put mine up the day after Thanksgiving and leave t up until after 12th night - 5 Jan 2023. Some years I left it up longer - like when we almost lost our 2 year old right after Thanksgiving. He was too sick to help so we delayed the tree until he was out of the woods. It stayed up unti he ice and snow melted - we had 17 inches of snow and ice on the ground Thanksgiving day and it stayed until Easter. We're talking about Tulsa, Oklahoma where winter is generally pretty mild!

 

[EvelynD2]

I like to put mine up the day after Thanksgiving and leave t up until after 12th night - 5 Jan 2023. Some years I left it up longer - like when we almost lost our 2 year old right after Thanksgiving. He was too sick to help so we delayed the tree until he was out of the woods. It stayed up unti he ice and snow melted - we had 17 inches of snow and ice on the ground Thanksgiving day and it stayed until Easter. We're talking about Tulsa, Oklahoma where winter is generally pretty mild!

Wow! What a memorable holiday season you had that year! I am so thankful your son was alright following his illness! What a merry Christmas you had that year! That is a crazy amount of snow! My husband and I went to college in Missouri and we are amazed, now, that we drove in such crazy weather! They would have one lane of the interstate barely open and we were driving along oblivious as to how bad it was! We were heading "home for Christmas"!

 

[janedee]

When we had a real tree, it would go up the week before Christmas and stay up until January 6. Now, I tend to put the tree up earlier so we can enjoy it for longer. I love decorating for Christmas!!

 

[EvelynD2]

When we had a real tree, it would go up the week before Christmas and stay up until January 6. Now, I tend to put the tree up earlier so we can enjoy it for longer. I love decorating for Christmas!!

I love it too! It's so much fun!

 

[Kythe]

My hubby's birthday is on Nov. 25. The rule is not to put the tree up before that date.
The catch is that he insists on putting the lights on the tree. Hubby is very fussy about lights and has the tree covered in them. It takes him about a week just t get them all on. (I have pictorial proof)
So decorations have to wait until then. It takes me an afternoon to do that. Needless to say we start around Dec 1 and finally finish around Dec7!
If I had my way I would take down decorations Jan 1 but I get vetoed so it is up until the end of the first week of Jan.

 

[pachimac]

Growing up, we always had a fresh tree. We would buy it the weekend after Thanksgiving and we would keep it up as long as the tree could last. One year, My Mom had a Valentine's tree, but man was it a fire hazard. She didn't put the lights on after January. When I was really little, my parents would buy a fresh pretty pine tree and cover it with that flocking/Chemical snow. We all hated it, but my Mom LOVED it. The tree was HERS. We put ornaments where she wanted them. One year she had tinsel - but we had to put it on one strand at a time!!!

About 7 years ago, we bought an artificial tree with the lights already on it. It's a very realistic tree but the only thing I miss is the pine tree scent. We put it up the day after Thanksgiving and keep it up until the Epiphany. We celebrate the 12 days of Christmas where they actually are supposed to be which is from Christmas Day to Epiphany, and then take everything down that next weekend.

 

[EvelynD2]

My hubby's birthday is on Nov. 25. The rule is not to put the tree up before that date.
The catch is that he insists on putting the lights on the tree. Hubby is very fussy about lights and has the tree covered in them. It takes him about a week just t get them all on. (I have pictorial proof)
So decorations have to wait until then. It takes me an afternoon to do that. Needless to say we start around Dec 1 and finally finish around Dec7!
If I had my way I would take down decorations Jan 1 but I get vetoed so it is up until the end of the first week of Jan.

I bet your tree is beautiful! I love Christmas lights!