A lot of people rant and rave about retailers putting out Christmas decorations even before Halloween. I don’t especially like it either but then I got to thinking that experience over the years would show that they wouldn’t put them out so early if someone weren’t buying them. So, obviously some people’s Christmas season starts that early.
I’m a traditionalist. In my family we always watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the start of the season was for us when Santa Claus came trailing at the end of the parade.
traditionally, day after thanksgiving, when the tree goes up.
although this year, my roommate has already put the tree up and placed wrapped presents underneath. it’s hard to fight the urge not to play christmas music.
I force myself not to do anything overtly Christmas-y until after Thanksgiving, but I am the reason why they sell Christmas stuff starting in October. Sorry, folks. As soon as the weather gets slightly chilly, I start looking forward to Christmas, as it is my favorite holiday.
After Thanksgiving. Period. That’s it. The only exceptions I’ve made are a) when I have to rehearse Christmas music early because I’m performing at church early in December, and b) when I’m on the quest for the perfect tree-topper, and want to get it in time to trim the tree.
My boss keeps trying to sing Christmas songs, and I keep cutting her off: “NO! No Christmas music!” Hey, my mom did it to me.
For me… generally the first of December. That’s around when the tree and decorations go up, presents don’t start appearing beneath the tree until almost the middle of the month… Some of it has to do with the fact Candy Cane Lane isn’t open till the first (as a general rule). When Candy Cane Lane opens then it’s the Holiday season.
Personally, mine starts the morning of December 25th, and ends that evening. And that’s only 'cause everything is closed that day. Although I may start a little earlier this year, due to circumstances beyond my control.
I’m not a holiday person so for me Christmas begins when my Mom decides that the family is going to drive around down town and look at all the decked out buildings and their lights. The Board of Water Supply has some nice ones. That’s probably sometime around the middle of december. Once that happens I really enjoy myself. I do wish it got real cold though. At least to 60F.
But since my nieces were born my Mom flies off island to spend Christmas with them. I completely missed Christmas last year.
Wanna swap places for the holidays? Crisp, bracing mornings, sun burning through ice fog, aurora displays…just don’t let the fire go out or you’ll be sorry.
Officially, (lol) this year, it starts on Monday, November, 25.
Everyone will start being in that slightly altered mood, where we are looking forward to time off, going to parties, visiting with family and friends, all the cool decorations, and even treating each other a little nicer.
Oh yes! Thanksgiving week through New years day is the best time of the year!
Day after Thanksgiving. A christmas item (no matter how great the deal) is banned from the house until thanksgiving … though there is a 2 week grace period after christmas.
It doesn’t start until I’ve watched the Macy’s Day Parade and the Santa Clause (Hollywood) Lane Parade.
I work in retail, and I always hated when the christmas tree appeared in early October.
The Christmas season for me really starts right after Thanksgiving, even though our town’s Christmas parade is always the Saturday before Thanksgiving…a fact which annoys me greatly. It’s just too early. It’s still November!
But I don’t usually start listening to Christmas music until December 1st. Feels weird to start any earlier.
Officially, I feel wrong acknowledging Christmas before the beginning of Advent. But I do anyway, usually starting the day after Thanksgiving. But no earlier. I won’t shop places that have all their Christmas decorations up earlier than that.
In my house it’s decorations up by my birthday (Dec. 6) and down by my dad’s birthday (Jan. 11). I love the season, but stringing it out just loses the meaning.
Hey, you should come live here. Then your Christmas season would start in September! The average temp here is above 60F only between May/June- September.
For me, the Christmas season starts the day after Thanksgiving. Next Friday I’ll put up some decorations, and make a serious effort to get my shopping done.
Not really until the 1st of December, but I’ll probably decorate Thanksgiving weekend this year, since my SIL will be staying with us and she can help. The tree never goes up until maybe 10 days before Christmas; you Thanksgiving-weekend tree people are just wrong.
Christmas shopping, however, is legitimate at any time. I spent a lot of money today.
When the lights are on the porch and the house is decorated, which is usually December 1st. But I just don’t get that squishy Christmasy feeling until I find some kind of adopt a lod program or pull a tag from the giving tree at church. Shopping for that stuff makes me grinny.
Crisp, bracing mornings, sun burning through ice fog, aurora displays…just don’t let the fire go out or you’ll be sorry. 