When do you put your decorations up?

[Cruella DeVilla]

St Andrews Day for us. Real tree, normally decorated with lilac and silver. Got to be white lights. Wreath on the door, garlands up the bannister, tasteful ornaments dotted around the house and doorstep! Lasy year the villas was brand new and it was our first Xmas in it so we put the tree up the day after we arrived as we had to go buy it, ended up with a nine footer. I got to buy all my decorations from scratch and that was really fun so I have a mixed bunch of colours. Have a picture somewhere. I will definately put one of this years on as I agree with the others its a nice idea!

Christmas makes me childlike and I absolutely love it. My Xmas presents are bought, wrapped and delivered and the majority of my cards are too! I have my menus planned my cocktails recipies ready, posh glasses bought, nibbles organised, oh I can't wait.

Christmas markets start next weekend, oh boy that is fun, wrapped up against the cold, Gluwein and all the tasty German snacks to munch on! That is a brilliant day out, so much so we have to do it on more than one ocassions, this year we plan to do Dussedlorf, Koln, our local one and one in Holland which is in caves and really beautiful.

The men in our family as all bah humbag, commercial cr*p and all that but they don't get a look in!

[mizzy]

my christmas decorations usually go up first sunday in december

the holly/flowers/mistletoe etc gets delivered on the 23rd from my florist friend
shes lovely because she will stay and help me tie it to the staircase and always arranges things beautifully

i like a really natural country look with only white lights and lots of candles

we usually go to the local village's victorian christmas market and they have an outdoor nativity for the children to watch and lovely carol singers

my children have an abundance of innocence and it always amazes me how the little things give them the most pleasure

Mizzy

[Ray&Sarah]

If it were up to Ray they would go up on Christmas Eve and down again on Boxing Day.[msnoo]

Must admit have done very little Christmas shopping and definately no wrapping. Am off to the Bluewater Shopping Center next weekend, hope to get most of it done then.[msnsmile2]

If not Ray says that he will only be shopping over the internet or people can have vouchers.

[Paula D-S]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Macka
"if you want you can leave a donation for the Liverpool Blind Center.
Which reminds me I must order my meat from the butcher."

Okay Paula you got me there....[msnscared]
[/quote]

Trust you, I meant the whole topic of Christmas reminds me I should order my meat

Looks like we are Florida nuts and Christmas nuts too[clap][clap][clap][clap]

[Macka]

I'm just plain nuts.[xx(]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Macka
I'm just plain nuts.[xx(]
[/quote]

WE KNOW!!!!!!![msnwink][msnwink][msnwink]

[Paula D-S]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Macka
I'm just plain nuts.[xx(]
[/quote]

I usual disagree with Men for the sake of it but I won't this time.

[Chloe]

I tend to be a bit like Ray ( see above ). When the children where young I LOVED Christmas, but although this is going to make me sound like a real misery guts, I must say I detest it now. For a start I loathe Winter, I find it gets more and more ridiculous each year with regards to the first signs of Christmas appearing in the shops, it just gets earlier and earlier. The children are grown up now and I personally find it nothing less than a headache, I would like to go to sleep anytime now and not wake up until Jan.2.
Having said all that...... although it does nothing for me, I think it is possibly the best time of year if you have young children. I always look forward very much to Easter and Spring. Chloe ( I'm not THAT bad really)

[Jules]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Chloe
I tend to be a bit like Ray ( see above ). When the children where young I LOVED Christmas, but although this is going to make me sound like a real misery guts, I must say I detest it now. For a start I loathe Winter, I find it gets more and more ridiculous each year with regards to the first signs of Christmas appearing in the shops, it just gets earlier and earlier. The children are grown up now and I personally find it nothing less than a headache, I would like to go to sleep anytime now and not wake up until Jan.2.
Having said all that...... although it does nothing for me, I think it is possibly the best time of year if you have young children. I always look forward very much to Easter and Spring. Chloe ( I'm not THAT bad really)
[/quote]

Chloe we must be twins separated at birth. I couldn't have put it better myself. I think all the commercial trappings of Christmas should be for children. I am quite happy to spend time with the family but detest shopping in crowded town centers and shopping malls for presents that nobody really wants and that I could buy for half the price come January. This year I have made a stand and as we have no young children in the family I am not buying any christmas presents other than for my children and then just token gifts. The whole family are invited round to our house on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day (Christmas Day is for us) when I will quite happily keep them wined and dined for long as they want to stay. When I eventually have grandchildren I will spoil them rotten and make a big thing of christmas for them but until then the tree goes up the weekend before Christmas and comes down as soon as possible. I truly believe we should be allowed to hibernate from November 1st until April 5th (my birthday) unless we are planning a trip to Florida! Bah Humbug!