BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 26 Nov 23 - 05:08 PM

It's not really necessary before Christmas Eve.

In the late 1970s, our dad had bought a tree for our monstrous house where our parents lived with an empty nest. I came home on leave shortly before that Christmas and saw the tree out on the back porch. I asked Mum when Dad intended to put it up, and she suggested that I do it. So I did. I don't think Dad ever put up another tree if he knew I was going to be home for Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Raggytash
Date: 27 Nov 23 - 07:53 AM

I'm with Andrew on this, Christmas Eve and not a day earlier ......... and before I am met with a chorus of Humbug and references to Scrooge Christmas was a magical time for me as a child.

Nothing was put up in our house until AFTER I went to bed. I would wake up on Christmas morning and Father Christmas had been, decorations down the stairs and through the hall, the Christmas tree had been put up and the house decorated. For a child it was truly magical.

I did the same when our son was born and he too found Christmas to be a magical occasion. When he was about 14 I asked him to help me put up the tree he turned me down saying "you do that AFTER I have gone to bed!"

He is now doing the same with his son.

Over the years we have created several "traditions" such as we must have a glass of Madeira while putting up the decoration and we must prepare the vegetables for the next day.

I am now rapidly approaching 70 and Christmas is still magical in our house!!

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Nov 23 - 08:13 AM

Putting up a Christmas Tree isn't the same as adorning it.   I think it's better to let it settle in for a few days before you dress it up.

Actually we stopped having an indoors tree some years ago, because of our cats.. And since we used to get trees with roots and planted them out that meant problems. So now we heave one in a pot that's still movable so it can look in on us, and we decorate it a day or so before Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 28 Nov 23 - 07:56 AM

MaJoC's €0.02:

* The problem with getting a real Christmas tree later is that all the good ones, and those short enough to fit in the house, have gone.

* In certain parts of the country, Christmas tree sellers tend to dip the roots in boiling water in the interests of repeat business next year, then charge extra anyway for a tree with roots. We haven't succeeded in getting Christmas trees to grow properly since we moved Dahn Sahf, but it takes a month for them to go brown.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 Dec 23 - 07:55 PM

Where I am currently staying, the household has got an artificial tree which looks lifelike but has all the advantages of not shedding, turning brown, and so on.
Our household put the tree up this past week, and decorated it with ornaments and colored lights. The lights do not get overheated, so we feel free to leave them plugged in, and the tree lit up, overnight.
It does lift the spirits to look at it.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Dec 23 - 03:23 AM

My sister, who lives up in Scotland, has a house with a very large sitting room with a high ceiling. Every year she orders the biggest tree imaginable, and it arrives on the back of a lorry. This year she's already ordered it, and is awaiting its arrival. Her two sons-in-law help her erect the bloomin' thing and use ladders to decorate it, under her instructions. She told me she thinks it's coming today (Saturday 2nd December) and the two young men will zoom over from Edinburgh and get stuck in. She's an excellent cook and will serve them a gorgeous dinner as a reward!

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Dec 23 - 02:29 PM

I'm noticing more outdoor lights going up around the neighborhood, bringing a more cheerful demeanor in general. I cleaned off my front porch (moved in a small glider swing that had an increasingly weathered tarp over it) and am going to add another string there to balance the yard a bit (so far there are lights just in one corner).

Still no tree for my house, only ornaments on the mantle and hanging a tree-like object in the form of a large round basket in a macrame support that has lights running around it. I put small gifts in the basket for a festive appearance. I've recently rearranged the den so I might have to find a new spot for it this year.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Dec 23 - 06:58 PM

My amaryllis is now in bloom. With two stalks, it could well carry on all through Advent and even past Christmas Day. It’s definitely a plant with presence.

My neighbours are into blazing lights and arrangements of inflatable Santas on their lawns, but I’ll pass — just too lazy. I’ll free-ride on others’ efforts.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: JennieG
Date: 07 Dec 23 - 08:20 PM

You and me both, Charmion. Our neighbours at Number 70 have three young kiddos, so their house is already bedecked with inflatables and lights.....as is Number 72, who also have kiddos.

I might hang my bell wreath on the front door.

Bah humbug, and all that.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Dec 23 - 08:24 PM

We always get a real tree. We got ours yesterday from the same friendly place we've been getting it from for 20 years or more. It's about seven feet tall, it's a noble fir this year and it's in our cold outhouse in a bucket of water (base sawn off first) until we bring it in. It's our wedding anniversary on the 18th (47 years!) so we get it in and decorate it the day before. We squabble over when Twelfth Night is. She reckons it's the 5th but I go for the 6th. Then, down it comes.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Dec 23 - 03:08 PM

Ours went up this weekend

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 11 Dec 23 - 06:40 PM

We're up.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Dec 23 - 02:50 AM

my trees are a permanent feature in my living room. I have 2 small 6-8" trees with miniature decorations on them.

One is a traditional style tree with wired branches & lots of miniature decoration, the other is a knitted tree.

What could be hard about knitting a triangle then sewing it up & filling with toy stuffing? hmmmm, it bent ... It has a little string of "lights' on it & a few miniature decorations, some are christmas earrings.

This year they have been joined by a 3" red tree, one of 30 or so made by a friend for everyone at a christmas lunch! It is not decorated. Several other crafty friends also made a similar number of small/miniature christmas items for the guests.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Dec 23 - 03:57 AM

6' 8^ isn't small!

Oh, hang on... :-D

(Well, it's how I first read it. That would be a knitting marathon!)

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Dec 23 - 04:34 AM

I had to re-read what I'd typed to make sure I'd used the correct symbol!

meanwhile, here's a giant knitted tree & and another

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 13 Dec 23 - 11:11 AM

Just to make matters worse. I DID use the wrong symbol!

^ insted of "

Could be worse. I could have used the wrong cymbal...

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Dec 23 - 03:46 PM

clang

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Dec 23 - 03:19 PM

I have liberally festooned my living area with balls, stars, bells, red green gold and purple mardi gras beads, plastic greenery floral and not, and a sprig of mistletoe in the entrance. Yarn wreath on door. Stockings for self and kids, with the prezzies that didn't get mailed under.

I had to mail prezzies so I had to wrap, and didn't want to put my unmailed prezzies into an unfestooned room!

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 21 Dec 23 - 02:50 PM

Date to erect: four days before the owl wakes up.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 09:24 PM

Before tomorrow night?

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Dec 23 - 10:54 PM

Years ago, when I had a pickup truck to move a tree easily, I used to visit the nursery six blocks from my home. They sold a bunch of high-end cut trees, but on xmas eve there wouldn't be many sales and all of the trees go on the curb as trash after the holiday. I'd ask if I could pick one for $10 and they'd always let me. We had some glorious trees, but they didn't stay up for more than a week. And because my mother always spoke about her childhood tradition of putting trees up on xmas eve, it felt right. But those tree tend to make me sneeze, so I don't get them these days. I have a 14' ceiling in my den, so a large tree was fine in there. Maybe again someday, perhaps if there are grandchildren to enjoy it.

I decorated the mantle with smaller ornaments this year, many that would be lost in a field of garland, so it is lit with a string of rice lights. Very nice.

Subject: RE: BS: Date to erect a Christmas tree?
From: Raggytash
Date: 24 Dec 23 - 11:33 AM

Its 16.30 on Christmas Eve UK time and we have just put our Christmas Tree up, a bit early for us it's normally about 21.00 !!