Christmas Eve, decorate tree? - Page 3

Allegheny · ‎03-19-2010

My husband gets annoyed at me because I don't like to have our tree up until about two weeks before Christmas. Growing up my mom and grandparents waited until much closer to holiday. It is something that brings back warm memories.

So I relent and get the tree decorated at the beginning of December.

He can't seem to understand that by nagging me about when the tree goes up he just chips away at my Christmas happiness. (And No, I won't let him do the tree decorating, its easier to do it myself.)

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

I believe many people waited until Christmas Eve or at least close before pretty artificial trees became ubiquitous. I know that was true when I was young.

Rockycoast · ‎03-02-2016

We chopped down our tree the first weekend in December when we were growing up. Decorated it over a couple of days.
We kept that tradition raising our kids. Chop down the tree the first weekend of December, put it up and decorate it. We take it down in January during “Little Christmas, Three Kings Day, the Epiphany. Which ever name you choose. Always sad when the Christmas decorations come down. The house seems bare afterwards.

qvcfreak · ‎03-10-2010

Tradition for us is Black Friday. The tree and Christmas decorations go up while listening to Home Alone 1 and 2 in the background. I look forward to it every year.

Etoile308 · ‎01-04-2014

I saw people buying live and artificial trees yesterday. I think family traditions play into it. Some enjoy waiting for the family to gather before decorating.

I do think the advent of artificial trees made it easier to put a tree up early. Live trees were often cut close to Christmas so they would last through the Epiphany.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Mom, who would have turned 99 this year if she were still with us; told wonderful stories of Christmastime when she was a young child in Maine and then Massachusetts. They decorated their trees on Christmas Eve. She said that's what people did back then. There was a big fancy Christmas Eve dinner followed by tree decorating and then most of the adults went to midnight mass. The kids went to bed to await Santa. When I was a kid, we had real trees and my mom was always afraid of a fire if the tree dried out so we didn't get out tree until a week before Christmas. That's when she'd tell us about Christmas Eve when she grew up. When I had my own family, I went with the traditional after Thanksgiving. While some people now jump right into Christmas the day after Halloween. I don't understand that. Thanksgiving is a big fall holiday here and we respect the history and traditions. I love the way my home looks when it's decked out for Christmas. Putting the tree up Thanksgiving weekend or shortly after works for me.

Trix · ‎03-16-2010

When I was a kid (1950s and 60s), the tree was put up on St. Nicholas Day, December 6th. This is probably due to my mother's father having some German family background. I'm nuts and turn the lights on in the first week of November. I live alone but have a little ceremony by myself switching the color-changing lights from white or autumn colors to green and red. Then I proceed to start building Christmas throughout the apartment. It's Christmas in every room, right down to bath and kitchen towels and area rugs, etc. By Dece. 1, my little place is a Christmas wonderland.

Eileen in Virginia · ‎08-25-2010

If we've got the time, we decorate our tree in early December. We had a lot going on this year, so we'll be decorating it on Christmas Eve (we keep it up until the Super Bowl). Growing up, my parents put the tree in the tree stand on Christmas Eve and Santa decorated it when he arrived.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

This tradition started because back in the day, there were no artificial trees. Many people heated their homes with coal, a wood stove or a fireplace. They also used real candles...no electricity.

The Christmas season lasted for twelve days up to the visititation of the three kings on January 6.

A real tree would dry out and catch fire. So, it was put up on Christmas Eve so that it would last until January 6.

Also, Christmas was not a big gift giving holiday. It was a religious celebration. Small gifts like fruit, nuts and candy were given to the children.

Christmas today is a frenzy of gift giving and decorations....nothing like the past.