topic Re: Christmas Decorating in Community Chat

Christmas Decorating

happilyretiredgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:41:31 GMT

I am so behind on decorating this year and it's starting to stress me and I know that sounds silly since I have many more important things to worry about. All of my immediate family are sick or just getting over colds, sinus infections and my husband has bronchitis, so far I have not caught anything but keeping my distance....just wondering if anyone else is still decorating. Thanks for just letting me get that off my chest. I do celebrate the reason for the season so decorations are not important.

Merry Christmas! 🎄

Re: Christmas Decorating

bargainsgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:57:20 GMT

@happilyretiredgirl wrote:
I am so behind on decorating this year and it's starting to stress me and I know that sounds silly since I have many more important things to worry about. All of my immediate family are sick or just getting over colds, sinus infections and my husband has bronchitis, so far I have not caught anything but keeping my distance....just wondering if anyone else is still decorating. Thanks for just letting me get that off my chest. I do celebrate the reason for the season so decorations are not important.

Merry Christmas! 🎄

Do not punish yourself for not decorating! We are so programed to do so much and if we do n't we feel GUILTY! In my older age I have toned it down more and more each year. We only gift our 2 grandchildren, a "white elephant" gift and gifts for families from our local food cupboard. SOOOO much less stress there. Try to simply enjoy and not be so hard on yourself! Merry Christmas!!

Re: Christmas Decorating

SouthernBee — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:58:36 GMT

@happilyretiredgirl : Hope you stay healthy and everyone has a speedy recovery.
I am dealing with a lot of health issues the last two months. I decided to just decorate in our combined family room and kitchen area. I covered the long entertainment center with two Christmas tablecloths and decorated with my 18 " ceramic Christmas tree. I have a Christmas Gift table next to the dining table. I have my stereo system loaded with cds of different Christmas music. I am counting all my Blessings and the reason for the season. Sometimes downsizing and change is better. 🙏❤️❤️

Re: Christmas Decorating

happilyretiredgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:04:44 GMT

@SouthernBee I pray for your health issues. I agree with the downsizing which I have just having got to it yet. I do have my tree up which is my favorite decoration. Thank you for your kind words. It's amazing how that can make a person feel at ease.

Re: Christmas Decorating

beach-mom — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:06:09 GMT

Oh @happilyretiredgirl - You are not alone! I have so much to do! As usual, I need another week before Christmas. Somehow it always comes together!

I hope your family feels better. I will pray for you and for them!

Re: Christmas Decorating

happilyretiredgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:09:16 GMT

@beach-mom wrote:
Oh @happilyretiredgirl - You are not alone! I have so much to do! As usual, I need another week before Christmas. Somehow it always comes together!

I hope your family feels better. I will pray for you and for them!

. Thank You, it will all come together.

Re: Christmas Decorating

happilyretiredgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:13:27 GMT

@bargainsgirl wrote:
@happilyretiredgirl wrote:
I am so behind on decorating this year and it's starting to stress me and I know that sounds silly since I have many more important things to worry about. All of my immediate family are sick or just getting over colds, sinus infections and my husband has bronchitis, so far I have not caught anything but keeping my distance....just wondering if anyone else is still decorating. Thanks for just letting me get that off my chest. I do celebrate the reason for the season so decorations are not important.

Merry Christmas! 🎄
Do not punish yourself for not decorating! We are so programed to do so much and if we do n't we feel GUILTY! In my older age I have toned it down more and more each year. We only gift our 2 grandchildren, a "white elephant" gift and gifts for families from our local food cupboard. SOOOO much less stress there. Try to simply enjoy and not be so hard on yourself! Merry Christmas!!

Thank You

Re: Christmas Decorating

haddon9 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:36:51 GMT

I've been stressed and injured myself a few weeks ago stretching too much (I am out of shape) and had a sudden sharp pain in my upper right rib area. For days it was hard to take a deep breath and it was painful. I couldn't even wear a regular bra and had to wear one of my bralettes that don't give much support but keeps the girls in place.

Over the course of a week the pain slowly subsided and now I'm finally pain free. However during that time my house was a chaotic mess! We had boxes, etc. all over the place for Christmas decorating! Since I was in mild pain and the house was such a mess it put me in a bad mood.

I finally got a hold of everything and cleaned up and the trees (I have two) are done and it all looks really nice. I did the fireplace mantle and changed out my throw pillows on my sofas.

However I haven't put out everything. I have a section in my kitchen with glass cabinet doors and I usually put Christmas dishes in there along with some gingerbread houses for a festive look....not this year.

As for the meaning of the season, I am not a Christian but my husband was raised Catholic. So we have fun celebrating and for me it means getting together with extended family.

I'm having fifteen people over and have decided to get catered trays of food since I am just not up to cooking for a crowd anymore. I'm 71 and this is all too much!

I plan to pass the entertaining torch on to my daughter for next year. She just moved this summer and has a nice sized house close to us.

Re: Christmas Decorating

Eileen in Virginia — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:53:43 GMT

The only decorations I've put up are the outdoor garland and ribbons on the front railing. I also put a wreath on the front door. I had great intentions to get an early start, but life got in the way. I start baking my Christmas cookies next week, but only have to bake a batch per day, so I can squeeze some decorating in then. I'm not stressing yet, but I will be if I don't make better progress soon. 😵‍💫 😬 🥺

Re: Christmas Decorating

Biftu — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 02:51:01 GMT

This year I decorated early. Outside decorations were all done in fairly nice weather the week before thanksgiving and flipped the switch after thanksgiving. I've learned my lesson trying to decorate in freezing cold weather.

I bought a new tree this year and couldn't wait to set it up. My big tree and two small trees all decorated, the banister, swags on table, wreath on the door, and candles in the windows, nutcracker figures all standing in place. all done early. The house looks festive and I'm glad it was done early which gives me time to enjoy.

Some years it doesn't work out this early and that's ok too. Just glad it was done without worrying about decorating on top of shopping, mailing gifts, wrapping, and cooking.

Re: Christmas Decorating

AuntG — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:19:00 GMT

You still have two weeks to get it done. I was done early this year with the hope December would be a laid back month.

Re: Christmas Decorating

Bella8888 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 03:46:30 GMT

I could not wait and had the simple outdoor lights on since day before Thanksgiving. Indoors not much because of C.A.T.S.

Purchased the pink door wreath at QVC and the trees on Amz.

Re: Christmas Decorating

happilyretiredgirl — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 05:26:36 GMT

@Bella8888 So beautiful and calm looking.

Re: Christmas Decorating

meallen616 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Try to stay healthy everyone,

Re: Christmas Decorating

781Florist — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:37:35 GMT

I was sitting in my living room on December 10th and realized that it was very late and probably pointless to go through the whole Christmas setup for such a short time

of enjoyment (?).

I simply put up my manger, put my Luminara tapers in the windows, got out a red vase and filled it with variegated holly and called it Christmas!

I have been blessed with good health thus far but one of my nearest and dearest siblings had kidney cancer and

then had a life threatening reaction to immunotherapy so I am celebrating her gradual recovery and thanking God with a particularly focused attention to the reason for the season.

I love you, Santa....but the best gifts come from someone else.

Re: Christmas Decorating

lynnie61 — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:55:52 GMT

My tree is up. Lights around the doorway outside, and a few Christmas snowmen. They are starting my kitchen remodel this week, and it's going to be a mess. He offered to wait until after Christmas, but no way, I want it started. I am not hosting dinner (of course) but it's ok. I've been waiting since August. The cabinet people will be first, then counters after. They won't even measure until the install is done. I get it. When I signed the contract he said end of October - to end of November, totally complete. Didn't happen. Not upset, just disappointed. At least they waited and didn't rip the old out.

@happilyretiredgirl Don't stress. Sometimes less is more!

Re: Christmas Decorating

Meowingkitty — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:50:00 GMT

You don't need a Hallmark Christmas. I put up a tree and a few other things and that's it. Easy peasy. The media tries to make people feel guilty if they don't go all out every year with decorations, gifts, cooking etc.

Re: Christmas Decorating

charsha — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:58:19 GMT

@happilyretiredgirl Please don't stress too much. I still haven't put up my tree, and have other commitments, too. I have so many wellness Dr. visits in the next couple weeks, and should never have made them this time of year, but wanted them out of the way. I will try to put up the tree today, and get those Christmas cards written this weekend, especially the out of town cards mailed. I will tackle what I can after I volunteer for Wreaths Across America this morning. Enjoy your holidays, and hope everyone continues to be getting better.

Re: Christmas Decorating

amyb — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:37:30 GMT

@happilyretiredgirl Lots going on...please breathe and give yourself a break. Maybe just put out a few things, your favorites that make you happy, touches around...and don't worry about making it "what you always do" or perfection.

This is the time of year when hundreds of tasks are added to what we already have to get done in life, add to that all that illness around you...it's so wonder it feels overwhelming and been hard to just get it done as you usually might.

That said...if it makes you feel any better...I've dragged it out this year myself. Little by little. Boxes of decor are still around me that I've poked at, and added around and to my tree for days now. Just been feeling it out. Started last Sunday with the tree...one full size, one table top, other little decor ones around. By Monday I'll get things to the point of "done" I want, and either store the boxes back in my outside storage again until I put things away, or some will go in an upstairs closet not even to bother dragging them in & out again.

I hope your family gets better soon and that you don't catch anything...keep being careful with that...no one wants to be sick at Christmas! Again...put some touches around that most make you feel the season, and maybe just keep it simpler this year. It'll soon be over and we'll all be taking it all down! 🎄 It'll all work out.

Re: Christmas Decorating

amyb — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:43:05 GMT

Ps. Everyone keeps saying this but there's truth to it...Thanksgiving did come later this year, and those of us programmed to start after Thanksgiving...there just was less time before Christmas starting rushing toward us with only a few weeks left. So that was a thing this year too.