Christmas lights already ?

[JJetson]

Is it just me ? - or are we seeing Christmas lights on houses even earlier this year ? My recollection was the early birds were showing their lights around US Thanksgiving and then most lights show on Dec 1. We are seeing trees decorated in windows of homes and so many outdoor lights on before this weekend. Maybe it is a good thing ?? encourages economy ?? it still feels early. We will maintain Dec 1 ritual

[Captain Awesome]

*removed/get off it NOW, CP/Jo*

[Fancy]

Stores are playing Christmas music and yes, lots of trees up in the windows. People getting into the spirit already.

[LoneWolf_53]

People getting into the spirit already.

More like "retailers" getting into the spirit already.

[Merry]

For me, if all the Christmas stuff starts this early, it takes away from the excitement of what used to be the actual "season", because it's all old hat by the time Christmas Eve rolls around. Besides which, anyone who puts up their tree this early must be having to dust it by Christmas Day!!!!!

At our house, we never light the outside lights until December 1, and the tree doesn't go up until the weekend before Christmas. But then, unlike many, we always leave the decorations up until Twelfth night (Jan 6th) which is sometimes called "Little Christmas" by some people. I hate it when I see people chucking their trees out on Boxing Day, because in our house we celebrate Chrismtas over the entire traditional 12 days. But I can understand how folks who put their tree up in mid November must be heartily sick of looking at it by the time Boxing Day rolls around.

[Tero]

most of our decorations went up today. the tree will go up at the start of December. We have a beautiful 100 year old house and I love to decorate it. Christmas is a whirlwind... it's nice to enjoy it for a few weeks. There's no harm in it.

I dont leave things up until Epiphany because that is my son's birthday, and we're also getting ready for back to school in January. I love Christmas.

[DoDo1975]

Well who knows when there will be another window of opportunity with reasonable weather.

[Piecemaker]

My DH has had some outside lights up for a week or so. He added some more this weekend. He just can't help himself! (Thanks goodness he sticks to lights and doesn't go for inflatable Santa's and plastic reindeer!)
The inside decorations go up about a week or so before Christmas and I like to have the tree down on New Year's Day.

[JayByrd]

We're at least a couple of weeks away from decorating, but I admit...the first lit-up house I saw this year made me smile.

[Snickerdoodle]

When I walk the dog I notice a lot of houses with Xmas lights already up outside, but then a number of houses with their trees up already.... and then I asked a few friends, is your husbands rotation mean he's home for Xmas... nope....

I wonder if the early light up on some houses are due to someone in the household not going to be home for Xmas, and they are celebrating early?

[Brenky]

If I was able to put up lights at my place, I'd do it now or within the next two weeks. Who wants to be out in the freezing cold, snowy weather hanging them up?

Furthermore, who cares? What's the point in judging those who choose to do things a little early, and how is making a thread here going to change what they've already done, or their feelings on the issue in the first place?

[neroas]

I'll be damned if I'm going to go through the trouble of putting those lights up for only a week or two. And better to in rain than snow. And we do take them down as well....

[Lilapplepie]

Thirty-five more days !!

[Bpeep]

My hubby always wants a tree during the first week of december.
If it was up to me, dangling a piece of dental floss off the norfolk island pine in the corner would suffice.
The whole xmas gig is waaay too much effort and money, IMO.
Always a subject of contention around here.
Me, I like the day off.
For the rest of them its the second coming of Christ.
Bah, humbug.

[John500]

The whole Christmas thing is so commercialised that the true meaning seems no longer inportant. Costco put their Christmas stuff out in September, Shoppers Drugmart started to play Christmas music even before November 11. SuperStore no longer calls it a Christmas tree but a Holiday tree. Christmas presents have now become gifts. Guess the real true Christmas spirit is to try to get the consumer to spend as much as possible. And as stated year after year, Christmas is only successfull when the cash registers tally up the end result of buying and is more then the year before. So the true meaning can only live within yourself and with your family. And forget about the push to buy buy buy. I will spend less this year and focus on the real Christmas spirit of love for mankind, creating Christmas presenst myself with making my own Christmas cards and do some real good baking for my family and friends. Enjoy my family and have a wonderful Christmas dinner together....and humbug to the push to buy.