It's that time of year!

wink0erin

BF isn't one to be excited about holidays, but this year he is actually looking forward to Christmas. Why? Because we're gonna put a REAL LIVE CHRISTMAS TREE in our livingroom! I've never had a real tree (that I remember) so I'm really excited to have one. I thnk we're picking one out this weekend... hmm, wonder how long it will take for the cat to climb it and the dog to try to eat it.

How about you guys? Fake tree? Real tree? No tree? And when do you start decorating?

I LOVE the holidays I'm so excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow at his parents' for their annual Thanksgiving gathering (think 20 people in a tiny farmhouse). So wonderfully hectic!

csousa1

I always have a real tree - never had a fake one, and I never will. I'm a total snob about that!!!

I plan to clean my house and start decorating for Christmas on Friday morning. I like the Christmas spirit to start as soon as possible BF and I will go Saturday or Sunday to pick out our tree - can't wait!!!

[Deleted User]

I love REAL Christmas trees! They are the best...absolutely no substitutions for my house! I will say that my cat did climb it her first year (see below) and my dog did chew up the lower branches his first year...but both pets have been reformed and no longer have these issues. You can do a barricade of presents if necessary!



ETA: I forgot the second part! I generally decorate the weekend of Thanksgiving, or the 1st weekend after and leave it all up until New Years. I hate to do all that work and only have it up for a week or two!

bethsmiles

We always have a real Christmas tree. We go out into the woods and chop it down ourselves. My family decorates whenever I get back from school. BF's family uses a fake tree but when we get married he wants to get a real tree like my family does. Actually he has agreed to doing all of my family's traditions because his family doesn't really have any and my family's traditions are important to me.

Ollie08

While I love real trees, they kill my allergies. I'm talking to the point I can't breathe. And as everyone knows, if mom isn't happy, no one is happy lol So we have a fake, pre-lit tree that I've had for years. I think this year after Christmas we might buy a new tree that's a little fuller, but we'll see.

As for decorating, I really like to try to get everything up today. We host Thanksgiving here and we usually take photos in front of the tree to use for our Christmas cards and stuff. I'm not sure I'll get the time to do it today though. I still have a shitton of cleaning to do.

becunning2

No Christmas tree for me... And I should really figure out when Chanukah falls this year. Bad Jew, bad Jew!

I did, however, order some Christmas stockings. When I have kids, I want them to identify with Jewish holidays, so we've discussed about how I'm not comfortable decorating for Christmas because of that... but I figured it would be nice to do something smaller on Christmas with the BF, not the full shebang, but still a homage to how he (and well, let's face it, me too) was raised. So we picked out stockings, and we're going to do that. I'm kind of excited for them to come, I think they're adorable (especially mine!). 

My stocking is a fox! (You know, because foxes are cunning... hehe!):  

Tim's stocking:

And I'm going to hang them as soon as they arrive!

flygirlmeg

Growing up we had a great big fake tree.  Somewhere along the line we got rid of that and started doing real.  BF and I did a real tree the past two years and we'll do another this year.  I actually asked him if he'd want to switch to a fake tree this year because we saw some on sale but he was horrified.  He wants to always have a real tree and I'm so fine with that!! 

We don't put our tree up until mid-December though.  It's so dry where we live that if we did it any earlier it wouldn't really last through Christmas. 

What about other Christmas decorations?  Do you all have any decoration traditions?  This is the first Christmas in our new house and I want to do some new decorations - I want to do garland on the stairwell and on the mantle, along with some sparkly diy accessories.  Guess I'd better get on that soon!!

cu97tiger

I love real Christmas trees. When I lived in Tampa, I got a real one in my apt. then house every year. I have loads of Christmas decorations that I will be pulling out this weekend.

FI, unfortunately, is allergic to real trees. For the last few years we've used a fake one, but it fell apart last year. This year he says he'll try a real one, so we'll see how it goes. Laying on the couch with hot chocolate, reading a magazine, and looking at the glow of the Christmas tree is my favorite thing to do. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! 

mookow86

becunning- cute stockings! I really love stockings in general, so much fun!

Aw I'm jealous of all you people with your real Christmas trees. Growing up, my family REFUSED to get a real tree. Ever. Even after I begged and pleaded. When I have a house I'd love to do a real tree, but I just don't have the space for one right now. I have a small fake tree that my grandma gave me.

I decorate the tree at my parents' house the day after Thanksgiving, and hopefully I'll get to put up mine when we get back in town Sunday!

CCO2012

My parents have a fake pre-lit tree, it is huge and very pretty.. BF and I bought a real tree last year and plan to for many years to come. I'm also excited to pull out all the decorations and see what new stuff I want to buy. I dragged BF to Michael's last weekend and he got so excited in the Christmas section, we had a full on discussion about our wrapping scheme this year. I think we decided on cream, blue, gold and green with gold ribbon and tiny white poinsettias instead of bows. The person I got for SS will get one of these superbly wrapped gifts!

I think the plan is to find a tree the first weekend of December. I can't wait, but will until Friday!

Swazzle

No tree  

In 2007 -- my first Christmas in my own place & with the kitters --  we got a real tree. This is what happened:

So in 2008 & 2009, we went without a tree. Last year I ordered a fake one from Walmart & decorated it & was so excited. And then Bailey did this:

He laid on all the branches in the middle & bent them downwards. Sigh. 

So yea, no tree for us

ETA: I would start decorating today but the bins with the decorations are in the basement & I don't have the key on my keyring (FI has it & he's at work). So probably Saturday. I put lights around our windows & the door frames, lots of nick-nacky things to set out, and our stockings go on the mantle in the bedroom. 

jemmini6

Haha, looks like I'm one of the only ones with a fake tree.  We had a real tree a few times growing up and while they smell nice, they are always such a mess.  Plus you have to have a way of getting it home, and of disposing of it later.  Plus, spending $75 per year to buy a real tree gets expensive, so it just wasn't worth it.

My family started using a fake tree when I was young, H's family used a fake tree, so we have a fake tree.  I actually like our fake tree, it looks nice, it's prelit, and easy to put up and take down, so I doubt we'll ever get a real tree.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_its-time-of-year?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:209087c7-9570-476f-8e19-91b2ce7ee17fPost:ffb50004-0bdf-4cfa-b202-aeb912900ec7">Re: It's that time of year!</a>:
[QUOTE]Haha, looks like I'm one of the only ones with a fake tree. <strong> We had a real tree a few times growing up and while they smell nice, they are always such a mess.  Plus you have to have a way of getting it home, and of disposing of it later.  Plus, spending $75 per year to buy a real tree gets expensive, so it just wasn't worth it.</strong> My family started using a fake tree when I was young, H's family used a fake tree, so we have a fake tree.  I actually like our fake tree, it looks nice, it's prelit, and easy to put up and take down, so I doubt we'll ever get a real tree.
Posted by jemmini6[/QUOTE]

Excuses, excuses!  haha

wink0erin

Allusive (and RDR) your posts made me think of this video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo

SKP82

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_its-time-of-year?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:209087c7-9570-476f-8e19-91b2ce7ee17fPost:af7d03a4-9d5e-4be7-93a0-9d519a7bf0cf">Re: It's that time of year!</a>:
[QUOTE]I always have a real tree - never had a fake one, and I never will. <strong>I'm a total snob about that!!!</strong>I plan to clean my house and start decorating for Christmas on Friday morning. I like the Christmas spirit to start as soon as possible :) BF and I will go Saturday or Sunday to pick out our tree - can't wait!!!
Posted by csousa1[/QUOTE]

So are FI and I.  We were in Home Depot last weekend and saw some artificial trees.  He asked me, "Would you ever consider getting a fake tree for Christmas."  I said no and he said, "Good!"  lol

I am totally against anything Christmas until Thanksgiving is over.  Then it's ON!

wink0erin

I'm super excited to start new decorating traditions. BF hates the rainbow/cutesy stuff so we are going for a classier, cozy, natural tone in the house this year. (think gold, silver, cream, burgandy, brown).

I've always had rainbow lights on my own tree, but last year I used my tabletop tree to get used to the idea of white lights. I think I preferred that tree to my big rainbow one.

This year I get to have stockings again, we're going to hang them from a table in our living room. One for me, one for BF, and one for the dog and cat. I'm hoping to find some sweater-y looking stockings. So far I haven't seen anything I've liked.

BF doesn't know it yet, but we're putting lights up outside. I'm SO excited to have a place I can decorate inside and out!

becunning2

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_its-time-of-year?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:209087c7-9570-476f-8e19-91b2ce7ee17fPost:0830dca8-5c06-420c-9a86-096e20c6a4f5">Re: It's that time of year!</a>:
[QUOTE]Allusive (and RDR) your posts made me think of this video! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo</a>
Posted by wink0erin[/QUOTE]

<div>Love!</div>

wink0erin

AW:

Here are my trees from last year in my old apartment. They look glowy because my camera has an awesome low light mode.

The 6 ft. rainbow tree


The tabletop "natural" themed tree

Beads921

Fake tree all the way for us! We got a freebie (with lights) from my grandparents last year. They can't use it because it was too bright for my Grandma's eyes - it was only 2 years old (score!). My parents had a fake tree for as long as I can remember, and real trees are super messy, so I'm happy to have a fake one.

I tend to start decorating around the beginning of December - right around the time the holiday parties start to ramp up. It puts me in a fesitve mood. This is the first year I'll have a whole house to decorate though - I'm excited! I think I might pick up a few new items tonight after work actually. We're going to hang lights in our front window, but none outside since we don't own any yet and it will be cheaper to get them after Christmas.

FI isn't much for Christmas, but he still gets really excited about giving gifts, and we always do our exchange early (it was Dec 22 last year). No idea what I'm getting him yet, but I'll figure it out. We do stockings as well, but that's usually pretty easy to fill.

leia1979

Real trees all the way! My mom kept wanting a fake tree, and I told her she had to wait until I moved out. I'm horrible. But she still hasn't found a fake tree she likes, so we still get real ones for her, too.

I'll probably put the outside lights up tonight, and we might get a tree this weekend. I'm not sure yet, but our weekends are so booked up through December.

I decorate the living room pretty thoroughly, but my mom is the champion Christmas decorator. She gets the whole house except the bedrooms.

MLekathLEEN

I've never had a real tree. FI used to have real until one year he cut his leg open with the saw and his dad put the tree on the truck backwards. I guess it was a mess and they bought a fake one the year after.

My mom hasn't put a "real" tree up since 2005. She puts up a 3 foot fiber optic table tree (away from the maniac dogs) and the ornaments are in the container next to it. Some years they make it onto the tree, most years they don't. She says she will once she has grandkids or the dogs settle down some.

jemmini6

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_its-time-of-year?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:209087c7-9570-476f-8e19-91b2ce7ee17fPost:6263ac8b-2cdc-47f9-981a-8f187dff8834">Re: It's that time of year!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: It's that time of year! : Excuses, excuses!  haha
Posted by allusive007[/QUOTE]


Yup!  I'm lazy, I just don't want to deal with all of it.  It's so much easier to just get the tree box out of our garage.

AudgiePodge

I love real trees, but I hate when they start to shed.  We have a fake, pre-lit tree.  We put it up the day after Thanksgiving and it comes down the day after Christmas.

thejucheidea

I have absolutely no interest in putting up a tree. We do have a Festivus pole that stays in our living room though. Tyler, however, wants a tree, so I'm going to surprise him and have a tree waiting for him when he comes home one night. We have a set of Lego trains, so I'm probably gonna have that looping around the base of the tree. My parents saved a bunch of ornaments for me over the years, so my mom's bringing them to my grandparents' farm tomorrow for me to wisk away to the house. I hope Tyler likes it!

polkadot111

I love real trees. Real trees or nothin' for me!

Swazzle

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_its-time-of-year?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:209087c7-9570-476f-8e19-91b2ce7ee17fPost:0830dca8-5c06-420c-9a86-096e20c6a4f5">Re: It's that time of year!</a>:
[QUOTE]Allusive (and RDR) your posts made me think of this video! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2h3_aH3vo</a>
Posted by wink0erin[/QUOTE]

<div>I was on a Simon's Cat kick last week & when I watched that one I was like OMG it's Bailey!! He's so evil sometimes haha</div>

doubleSS07

I love real trees and we always had one growing up.  The first 2 years at BF's though he didn't want real so we did the fake one.  last year we finally got a real one...and then we got a cat.  He is in LOVE with everything water related, totally backwards I know.  he wouldn't stop drinking the water in the stand so this year it's back to the fake tree.  I'll probably haul everything out this weekend and get started.  I like having it up for a while before I gotta put all that crap away again!

Peaseblossom55

BF & I love Simon's cat stuff, he emailed me a little cut of of simon last week so I cut him out and have it on my desk.

I have a fake tree and what I do to prevent cats from ruining it is I have it in my second bedroom.  The door to the bedroom always stays shut, so it always looks pretty however no one can ever really see it.  I will probably decorate inext weekend.

kellyt89

I've had a fake tree since I was 2 and I've always loved it, it's so much easier to decorate! We have over 300 ornaments and also put lights and beads on. The tree is my absolute favorite part of Christmas, my mom keeps it up for me until January 8th (my birthday) because I love it so much.

My mom puts a bunch of knick knacks around, candles in the windows, a nativity set (that we don't put the baby Jesus in until Christmas Day) and she always puts red wrapping paper and wreath on the door so it looks like a big present.

dwest2201

Fake tree all the way for me!  I've got a slim one that is pre-lit and it's fantastic (IMO)...get it out, snap 3 peices together, plug in lights, fluff branches, hang ornaments.  Enjoy a captain and coke. 

The little one and I spent the evening getting a few things together for Christmas...
 

Our front window.  We'll put up our tree (maybe tom) and hang our bell wreath on the door and stockings (embroidered with our names).

It's hard not to jump right into the fun of Christmas when you have this little guy super pumped about it!