Holiday

[marden]

Back in the 50's my father put up our real tree on Christmas Eve.  It was decorated after my sister and I went to bed.  We put out cookies and milk for Santa and when we woke up, the cookies and milk were gone, the tree was all decorated and our presents from Santa were under the tree.  It was magical.  My memories of Christmas were a lot like "A Christmas Story" - something I'll never forget.  I guess that's why that movie is my favorite Christmas movie.  My husband and I are retired now, my house gets decorated inside and out about 2 weeks before but my main tree isn't decorated until the day before Christmas Eve.  I leave everything up until the second or third week of January.  I usually "have words" with my hubby as to when I should start taking everything down.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

I don't remember having a real tree growing up, we always had flocked trees, and then artificial trees after that, and we always put our tree up at the beginning of December with the whole family decorating and then took it down on New Years Day...We usually had two trees-one for kids and kids decorations, and then a big one that was decorated a little more sophisticated! LOL!!!!!! We also went to church on Christmas Eve, and then had hot chocolate and watched the tree lights watching a movie, and then to bed because my sister and I got up super early to see what Santa had bought us!!!!! The on Christmas Day, my mom made a big breakfast and grandparents came over and we all ate and opened gifts......We had a big meal but much later in the day!

[WSfan]

When my sister and I were children, Santa would come and put up the real tree about 2-3 days before Christmas. My dad would go as far as putting foot prints in the snow up to the front door, if there was snow on the ground. What wonderful memories! We were so excited! Our family would celebrate Christmas and open our presents on Christmas Eve. Dinner included both sides of the family. I had an aunt, uncle and cousins who lived out of state, but would come in Christmas Eve, celebrate with us, then spend the night at my maternal grandparents house. Christmas Day was spent at my grandparents, where my grandmother would make Christmas dinner, with presents opened afterward. Mid afternoon we would go to my aunt, uncle and grandparents on my dad's side (they lived together), for a lighter supper, and presents to and from that side of the family. My aunt's birthday was Christmas Day, and she always received separate birthday and Christmas presents, never combined....the way it should be. Parents, grandparents,aunts, and 1 uncle are no longer with us, but the memories still are.  Sure miss those days, but have made more family traditions with our children and granddaughter. Life goes on.

[RedTop]

Not usually, but that could be the case this year.  

With the all the posts I've read here this year about our trees and decorating habits, I realize that as a child, our Christmas trees were probably not up for more than 7 days tops, if that.   Mom had a ritual of cleaning our house from top to bottom before Thanksgiving, right down to the bowling alley wax shine on our tile floors.  After Thanksgiving she started baking, and shopping.  The weekend before school was out for Christmas, my dad would take us for a walk on the farm to find our tree.  Mom would have the spot ready for it in the living room, and dad would anchor the tree in the heavy stand he made.  The tree would be bare when we left for school, but mom would have it plugged in, with the drapes pulled back, so we could see it as soon as the school bus topped the hill before letting us off at our house.   Before we went to bed on Christmas night, we had to put all of our gifts in our room, and the tree was taken down the next day.   Our house was heated with wood and coal, so the live trees deteriorated rapidly in our very hot house.  

[jaxs mom]

We don't put our tree up until Gaudete Sunday and then decorate Christmas eve. This year I wanted to put it up early so hopefully the kittens would get used to it before we decorated. So far it's still not up though. But then Gaudete Sunday isn't until this Sunday. 

[Kindaglitzy]

Enjoyed reading all the stories of various traditions written here. We had neighbors growing up who always put up their real tree on Christmas Eve. They would invite an elderly neighbor couple and think it was treated like a party for their two young children. We always saw their tree out at the curb by 27th or 28th. We always put our real tree up about two weeks prior and was taken down usually on New Years before going back to school. As children we would cry when the tree was taken down. It was a big ritual to get the tree in a make shift stand and then to decide the best position for the tree. Sometimes that ritual would cause a lot if family stress but looking back was all part of the tradition!

[Karenka]

Our family also put the tree up on Christmas Eve. It was very exciting for us🎄

[151949]

When we were children we would go to Christmas eve church then to Grandma's house where grandpa would have the feast of the 7 fishes all cooking. He was catholic so he didn't go to church with the rest of us- he would go much earlier then stay home and start cooking.After we ate and cleaned up us kids would stay at grandma's and my parents would go home. First thing in the AM , as soon as we woke up, my grandparents would take us home and we would find Santa had been there and put up the tree and left gifts. Our family always had a tree with a root ball on it and in the fall my dad would dig a hole to plant it after it was undecorated. So new years day we would all go out and plant the tree. frequently my dad would have to dig snow out of the hole he had prepared. The cow provided fertilizer and dad always had the dirt from the hole in a burlap sack in the barn. The first thing we did as a family every year was plant something to live and grow.

[Tantallum]

My dad (who is 68) says that is how it used to be when he was very little.  "Santa" would put up the tree on Christmas eve, then it would stay up well into January.  Nowadays trees are put up earlier and taken down earlier. 

[SunValley]

Wonderful stories! I would love to go back to a fresh tree but they dry out too quickly for safety and no room in the yard to plant a live one. I really couldn't physically handle one anymore by myself.

I don't care how scraggly those trees can be, the fresh ones are magical just for the scent alone. Tried using those stick scent things you hang on artificial trees and they were a waste of money.