We just glanced out the window and saw that our next door neighbors have their Christmas tree up.
WHAT? On November 21st? Unbelievable. Yes, I know the stores have had Christmas stuff out since the middle of October, but to actually put up and decorate the tree? That’s insane.
Bah, humbug.
Tip the Wink 
I think we’ll put our Christmas decorations up on December 26. They should be cheaper then.
(And, yes, one of our neighbors has their decorations up already. They even decorated the street sign on the corner.)
Now that’s the way to go, Jerry. Clever and frugal. I like it.
Dear Wink, Stop looking out the window for the next 2-3 weeks. You can do it.
Ha! But I can’t tear my eyes away… that big, white, blinking pyramid of… of… what was I saying?
Richard, I love Christmas and the week until New Year, and then, of course, it’s back to the grind.
I like the Christmas holiday well enough, Prashant, but not 2.5 months worth! Two weeks is enough for me!
Rick, we’ve had a few people around here who have had their decorations up for two weeks already and at least one guy who decorated before Halloween. The neighborhood BID (Business Improvement District) started decorating on the Avenues weeks ago – I guess it’s a big city and you have to start somewhere, but lately our neighborhood always seems first.
I’m sure Diane Kelley is smiling.
Maybe I’ll just skip Christmas this year and go straight to… Presidents Day. That way I can just get through the Mattress World sale ads and go on with things. I get that some people like the accouterments of Christmas a lot, but a month and a half (or two in some cases) is too much for me!
and yes, I expect a comment from George any moment… oops, there it is.
I put up a sign that says JOY. I need it. Nothing else yet but I need JOY
Silly Patti. You give JOY.
And joy you shall have, and a simple sign like that is great, but…the…whole…tree? I can’t adjust. (Plus I kinda like being grumpy about it).
Our holiday tradition started decades ago. Patrick and Katie and their friends would assemble and decorate the Christmas Tree on Thanksgiving Night. Diane would keep the tree up until sometime in January (she really really likes it). I assist in taking everything down.
I expected a comment from you on this, George. [insert emoticon of choice here] I know you’re the long term Christmas decorations and tree champ. But no more, this guy has you licked. I have no problem with people enjoying the holidays, this just seems really early to me. We usually get our [real] tree from the Boy Scout Troop about December 10th.
I’m watching the trees outside decorating themselves.
That’s the best way, eh? Getting a little weather there, Charles?
That is not insane at all, that is the way it should be! Of course, Nov. 21st is my birthday and it has long been our tradition to put up our tree and indoor decorations on or near my birthday. I put up our outside lights last weekend, and did have them on once, but I’ll wait until a little closer to turkey day to light them. Inside lights have been on since we put them up on the 20th though. To me the time passes far too quickly, so I want to stretch the season as long as I can.
Well, Happy Birthday, Carl, and enjoy your lengthy celebration. I just get overwhelmed, overtopped, overcome by months of Christmas, ads, shopping, ads, decorating, ads, and all the commercialism and stuff. It makes me want to listen to Stan Freberg’s “Green Christmas” again.
Since my child is grown I don’t feel any pressure to bow to all the commercialism. I participate in it to the level I’m happy with but don’t allow it to be a hassle. I like all the ads and stuff simply because I like seeing the decorations and hearing the music. The only thing I really despise is the whole Black Friday/open Thanksgiving Day thing that has now happened. I think family time should be honored and folks who work non-essential retail should be able to have holiday time off.
I prefer not to participate in the whole greed thing and instead try to look for ways to be a help to people during this time, and all year as well.