I have really been enjoying this thread. Would love to have a gently decorated place but around here the custom is throw up lots of lights day after Thanksgiving and spend tons on the rest.
I like the idea of using Advent Sundays as triggers to put a little something up, instead of some big obnoxious marathon work session.

I may look into that bay laurel thing, I have some grapevine wreaths from the nearby woods, but they definitely need some oomph.

I read something yesterday about giving a gift that involves your time, like give a kid a little fishing rod PLUS a promise to take them fishing, etc. We need lots more of that, lots less plastic junk. Fortunately, the extended family did a 'draw-names-and-$200-limit' thing this year, which means I don't have to invest 40 hours in gift shopping.

I would love to have people over for a tree trimming in the week before Christmas, but once we got deathly ill with flu and that wrecked it, and once we ran it up the flagpole and everybody was aghast that we wanted to tread on their precious shopping/family time that seems to begin Dec. 8 or so. (Every other Christmas thing must be 'gotten over with' in November or the first week in December. So sad.)

"Cats", don't the Turks mind when you put their eyes on the tree??? what's that all about?