We were driving home last night and were shocked to see lights already up at one place. We spent the rest of the drive home thinking up words to describe people who put up their Christmas lights even before Thanksgiving, and some of them weren't very nice. Obnoxious, irritating, downright unnatural, tacky, uncool...you get the drift.

I agree with SRS that one week before is soon enough to get a tree. If it were up to me, I'd trim the tree on Christmas Eve, but I let the kids do it earlier if they wish. When they were younger, I did more in the way of decorating, but now a tree and some indoor lights are enough. The more pressure I feel from the holiday marketers, the less I want to do. We also don't make too many Christmas goodies and cookies anymore - so many friends are on diets that we instead make about 15-20 pounds of garlic-cheese and liver treats and pass out goodies for all their good little dogs and cats.