Holiday Decorating

Jane - posted on 09/26/2010

I love decorating but I only do for Christmas for the most part. I have some fall type things that I put out once it's fall....something that hangs on my front door that says "Happy Harvest" and some fall garland that goes around my front door but that's it. Christmas, I go insane...the entire house, including bathrooms are decorated. We used to do a haunted house in our garage every year...we have a TON of Halloween decorations but now that the kids are older, we don't do it any longer (anyone live in Colorado that wants to buy it all - LOL?). The ONLY reason I don't decorate for all of the holidays is time and nothing more. I think it's cool when people put stuff up for each of the holidays! I wish I had the time and energy to do it!

Tanya - posted on 09/24/2010

OK I think you can go a little over board. When I was a kid my aunt did go all out for christmas. You could see her house from over a mile away. She even had lights in her back yard so the animals could celebrate x-mas. She had two full sized trees one white and one green. She had a Santa and at least a small tree in every room. She would put garland and a candle in every window.

It was a little much. I can remember as a child thinking that crazy.

?? - posted on 09/24/2010

♥ Devon handed me some extra money today and told me to stock up on Halloween decorations since I had mentioned it a couple times before... so I got to go a lil nutso at the store picking out a whole wack of spiders, spider webs, window decorations, hangy upper things, tombstones and lights, some stuffed ghosts, pumpkins and skulls... I can't wait to put everything up ♥

Amie - posted on 09/24/2010

HAHA I just realized one of the questions I wanted answered wasn't there. I added it in the OP though. ^^

Paige - posted on 09/24/2010

I love All Hallows Eve, that's been my favourite holiday since I was teeny tiny! I have an overabundance of decorations for it, especially since my parents encourage us kids having at least one holiday that we go above and beyond for. My mom always goes all out for Yule, but I haven't done much for decorating except for my altar for Yule. I imagine once my little gaffer is born and is old enough to really enjoy Yule though, my tune will change and I may end up breaking down and actually buying a tree lol!

Amie - posted on 09/24/2010

Ugh! Christmas lights. My FIL last year saw fit to "help us" take down the lights from the house. In the midst of that he broke at least 2 entire strands of lights. .=/ So we need to go out and buy all new bulbs. Pfftt... it's probably cheaper just to buy new strings with lights already on them. haha

Tara - posted on 09/24/2010

We add a little very year to our stock of decorations. Right now it's Thanksgiving Halloween and Christmas, not much here for Easter yet. We also do Winter Solstice (it's my birthday too)
Thinking of getting all the fall stuff out now, and while I'm at it, checking the lights for Christmas.
:)

Good Day! - posted on 09/24/2010

Kati, does he dig up a huge tree by hand that wouldn't even fit in your backyard? Oh, Clark.

When I was a kid, my dad would call himself the "exterior illuminist" and do crazy lights all over the yard, from tree to tree. It was bizarre looking, but we lived in the country so it didn't matter!

Rosie - posted on 09/24/2010

we go all out for halloween, and christmas. i don't decorate for any other holiday, not even a little fall wreath, turkey or easter bunny, lol!
we decorate outside for both as well. we go pretty crazy. our house is one big spider web, blood covered zombie laden house, for halloween. and for christmas lights, garland, wreaths, airblown trees and snowmen, along with santa on the roof!! my husband does it all, it's his "thing". kind clark griswald-esque, lol!! not nearly as bad though. he loves to do it, and it's cute to see that side of my man. he's usually mr death metal, tatooed, hardcore dude so i get the halloween thing, but christmas?? he'll even keep the radio stations on christmas music, go out and buy christmas cd's-most specifically elvis, frank sinatra, and bing crosby, and nat king cole. he turns into a giddy little kid, i love it!!!

Morgan - posted on 09/24/2010

I tried to put up my Halloween deco last night :(
But I was banned from doing so by the hubby until thanksgiving is over..... boooooo :(

Jocelyn - posted on 09/24/2010

Oh my Toni, my head hurts for you! That's too many occasions in October!

Toni - posted on 09/24/2010

It's a great tradition for us I don't think they will ever be able to get rid of it, although I often wonder why we celebrate it, Guy Fawkes was afterall a terrorist who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament :-)

I can see why fireworks would be banned but it's a shame it stops you celebrating. I am hoping to go to a taditional bonfire at the local museum, they have a bonfire, penny for the guy and traditional food, the whole museum is lit by candle-light, it is supposed to be lovely.

Jodi - posted on 09/24/2010

Toni, we used to celebrate Guy Fawkes night when I was a kid (back in the 70s), but it kind of went out the window when they started banning fireworks in Australia. We used to have a huge bonfire and set of fireworks each year. I still have fond memories of that.

Toni - posted on 09/24/2010

I love Christmas and love decorating my house for Christmas, really it is the only celebration I decorate for at the moment. I will probably start doing Halloween when Ethan is older though.



We may have a bonfire party on Guy Fawkes Night this year, if we do I will dress up my house with a penny for the guy.



We don't really need to decorate for the other events (Easter, NYE) because we go to my SIL and she goes all out, as she did with Halloween last year. I did carve a pumpkin for her decorations though.



I love fancy dress...



Ethan at 2 weeks at his first party ever. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=53...



Ethan at Christmas 2009 at 3 months. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=42...

Toni - posted on 09/24/2010

Jocelyn you think that's bad I have ALL of my major birthdays in October plus some extras. First I have my SIL (5th), my cousin (9th), *my son* (12th), *my wedding anni* (14th), my friend (19th), my aunty and my cousin (20th), *mine AND my nan's* (21st) and finally *my hubby* (24th). October is expensive and busy to say the least. lol

Good Day! - posted on 09/23/2010

Teresa, why not get him some books too? Or some puzzles. Neither of which take up too much space! Oh, and my friend got her almost three year old "tools" for Christmas last year. Huge hit.

Teresa - posted on 09/23/2010

I hate shopping AND wrapping! I have some books for the girls in an Amazon wishlist to split between their birthday and Christmas, but that's it. I don't have ANY ideas for my son. He hasn't really outgrown anything he has and we have no space for anything new. :(

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

You know I always mean to start shopping early but it always gets put off until November. =/

Maybe it'll be different this year, I have the Halloween stuff done. Just need to do up the treat bags, if I can get time alone that is. The kids will try to chow down all the treats if I get them to help me. lol

Good Day! - posted on 09/23/2010

"I hate shopping lol LOVE wrapping gifts but hate the shopping part and the malls and all those PEOPLE!"

Which is why I shop ahead! =)

Joy - posted on 09/23/2010

Oh, and it's not letting me upload a picture :( I was gonna put one up of him in his Yoda costume from last year :(

Joy - posted on 09/23/2010

Ugh, I haven't even begun shopping for Jacob's birthday next month, much less Christmas.....Jacob's bday shopping is getting done over the next 3 weekends and Christmas will be done last minute like always. I'm not so bad that I'm in a store shopping the day before Christmas or anything, but I always put this stuff off. I hate shopping lol LOVE wrapping gifts but hate the shopping part and the malls and all those PEOPLE!

Teresa - posted on 09/23/2010

I have a Christmas tree. That's it. I'm not a decorator at all.

Good Day! - posted on 09/23/2010

About the Christmas shopping...I'm 70% DONE! All the women and children are taken care of. I never know what to get the men, so I leave that up to my husband who waits until the last minute. Oh, and we haven't gotten anything for Eliza, but we KNOW what we are looking for...a swing set! We're just saving up for it.

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

That's great Katherine! LOL I did that with our oldest, she was a pumpkin and 3 months old. Our son was 1 month his first and he was a cow. Our 3rd was a lion for her first and she was 5 months. Our youngest was Tigger and she was 7 months. They were all so cute though. ♥

Katherine - posted on 09/23/2010

I LOVE decorating, and dressing up for Halloween. Sydney's first Halloween, she was 1 month old. I dressed her up in an elephant costume while she was sleeping and took her trick or treating :/ What kind of mother is THAT?

Good Day! - posted on 09/23/2010

I don't get all into it. Mostly because it's expensive. Every year I say I'm going to buy some decorations on clearance after the season, but then there is something more important to spend my money on. Maybe one day I'll get there.

This is what I actually do every holiday:

We decorate for Christmas. We put up the tree, a wreath on the door, stockings, nativity on the shelf, lights on the trees, some candles and that's it. It all fits in two big boxes.

I'll usually buy some yellow/orange mums and pumpkins and (if I can get my hands on one for free) a hay bale to decorate outside for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

I've never decorated for Easter. I think the spring flowers that bloom are enough. The azaleas, camellias, lilies, amaryllis, dogwoods, magnolias, knockout roses....ahhh so beautiful. But last year Eliza and I decorated eggs. We'll probably do at least that every year.

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

It's like Veterans Day but for Canadians.

Katherine - posted on 09/23/2010

I feel really stupid asking this......but what is Remembrance Day?

Joy - posted on 09/23/2010

Well, Jacob's first Halloween he was only 2 weeks old and I was in no mood to do anything with candy but eat it myself lol His "second" Halloween he was a year old, but we didn't do anything that year either except go to a family type party (not a "PARTY" party lol) and hang out with friends. Last year was his first "real" Halloween where we dressed him up (as Yoda...he was SO cute!) and took him out to get Mommy some candy lol This year I have no clue what we'll dress him as but we probably won't give out candy again because we'll be too busy out collecting it. For Mommy. Ok, last year he got SOME of his candy. This year he can have a little too lol

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

LOL! Tanya I feel the same way EVERY year when this time comes around. Last year for most of the month of December I had a new carol posted on my FB wall. haha. Christmas is my all time favorite by far. I like Halloween just for the kids sake's. =) Plus we have a boat load of kids that come around so we go all out not only for our own but the entire neighborhood's.

Joy! Boo!!! That's so mean. =P I remember the lady on the block that did that when I was a kid. LOL There's always one.

Joy - posted on 09/23/2010

Ok, I just read all of the posts so far (hadn't read them before I originally posted) and I just have one thing to say : DAMMIT! Now you guys are making me want to decorate! Watch, I'll go from Bah Humbug to the brightest friggin house in town this Christmas lol I do like Christmas lights though but like someone else said earlier....I like looking at OTHER people's hard work :P

Joy - posted on 09/23/2010

I decorate for Christmas only and not a lot. Our tree and some other inside decorations go up the weekend after Thanksgiving (end of November) and are usually down by the 2nd week of January. The only reason we do that is because of Jacob. Before him, I hadn't decorated for any holiday in YEARS. I've never decorated for Easter, Thanksgiving or Halloween. This year will be my first pumpkin carving, as well as Jacob's :) I imagine now that he's a little older we'll start decorating more. Normally at Halloween, I'm the lady on the block who turns all the lights off and doesn't answer the door lol Bah HUMBUG!

Tanya - posted on 09/23/2010

This is my first time in my own house with my child (8 months old)! I am beyond excited to decorate. I am going to get some stuff for halloween to put up. I might get a few things for Thanksgiving, but I want to go all of for x-mas. I love x--mas lights! I am going to wrap my door with wrapping paper. I might even send out cards this. year

Thanks you for bringing this up b/c I was about to explode from excitement. I hope to have a great collection of stuff for all the holidays. I even want to do a few New years decorations. Oh and I want to pull out all the stops for b-days. Of course I will have to do it on a budget, but I live near a dollar tree.

?? - posted on 09/23/2010

Halloween will be the time we have the most decorations up, because it's Gabe's birthday, we'll go all out. Christmas we will decorate too, but it won't be as much as the Halloween birthday lol we're on a pretty strict budget this year, so we can't afford to buy new decorations... next year I hope we'll be able to get more decorations and be able to celebrate all year round :)

Jodi - posted on 09/23/2010

I understand why you've started already!!! You're exhausting me just thinking about it, LOL. That's a VERY busy few months!!

Jocelyn - posted on 09/23/2010

Lol our busy birthday season is coming up...between Oct 6- Jan 14 I have 5 very important birthdays (both my kids, hubby, mom and sister) and 4 not-so-important-but still pretty important birthdays :S plus our anniversary!

Jodi - posted on 09/23/2010

"And I've already started my Christmas shopping ^_^"

I'm just recovering from a very busy birthday season, now school holidays is on top of me.....I will just start thinking about Christmas once the kids are back at school.....I try not to leave it until the last minute, because I *hate* the Christmas rush with a passion.

Jocelyn - posted on 09/23/2010

Jordan makes me wait until the 1st of December to put our christmas/yule decorations.
He's such a bastard!
I LOVE decorating tho. We don't decorate for halloween because we live in a town house complex and don't really see a lot of kids :( But for winter I string popcorn and hang it everywhere, tinsel everywhere, jelly window-things on every window, fake snowmen, 20 snow globs, lights galore, poinsettias, etc.etc.
I am actually just about to start working on a new cross stitch for christmas :P ("happy fucking holidays deer" --with pictures of deer and a christmas tree LOL)
And I've already started my Christmas shopping ^_^

Jodi - posted on 09/23/2010

Good luck to her :) I don't want Halloween. It's just another excuse for the retail giants to sell us more stuff we don't need.



I'm a cynical bitch :P

Krista - posted on 09/23/2010

We don't do Halloween in Australia, not really.

Oh, just you wait, missy. A friend of mine moved to Adelaide a few years ago. Halloween is her favourite holiday/observance. She loves it, and always goes nuts decorating and putting together her costume and hosting a big party. She's determined to single-handedly bring Halloween to Australia.

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

Ah Jodi, you bring up a good point.

We don't really travel for Holidays. Everyone comes to our house. My mom handed it down to me years ago. Ryan's mom has never really done much. It shows with him, he doesn't get the magical appeal I talk about and he's a little baffled that the kids get so wound up when we're out their decorating. lol

If we were never home for holidays, if we travelled for all of them. I doubt I'd have as many decorations as I do. I've always had some but each year I seem to attain more. I just went and bought a couple new ones for Halloween today actually. haha

Jodi - posted on 09/23/2010

Oh, and I don't do Christmas decorations until at least the first week of December. Because otherwise I start to freak out at how close Christmas is and I haven't done any shopping......

Jodi - posted on 09/23/2010

We only do Christmas. Even then, it is a tree, a few lights in the windows and some tinsel hung around the main living areas of the house, that's it. We then go out walkign the streets in the evenings and enjoy everyone else's displays, LOL.

We don't have Thanksgiving in Australia, we have Australia Day in January, but that's just BBQs and beer, so no need to decorate.

We don't do Halloween in Australia, not really.

Easter has never been a big thing around our house. Sure, the "easter Bunny" visits the kids, and we have an Easter hunt, etc, but we don't decorate the house for it. We barely even plan for it.

To be honest, our holiday memories revolve more around trying to catch up with family (because we are all so spread out, all over the country), than trying to plan the decorating. Half the time we are travelling on Christmas Day picking kids up and dropping them off to other parents, etc, so we would just prefer to leave it as uncomplicated as possible wherever we can.

Amie - posted on 09/23/2010

I'm not worried about overshadowing Remembrance Day. Mostly because we participate in the activities for that. Now that our oldest is a cadet she walks in the parade and is a part of the huge (largest held indoor in Canada) ceremonies down at the CUC.

Krista - posted on 09/23/2010

Jeez, Amie -- you're hardcore. I don't decorate for Thanksgiving at all. I put up a few half-assed decorations for Halloween and Easter. I do put in an effort at Christmas, though. But I don't decorate until after Remembrance Day, though --- I don't want it to be overshadowed.

Jessica - posted on 09/23/2010

I love decorating!! Hallows Eve and Yule are my absolute favorite holidays and I love celebrating both to the nines and now that I have a little girl to introduce to all the fun and magic of the holidays as well its that much more fun. Plus it's fun to teach the actual history of these holidays being Pagan. :)

Joanna - posted on 09/23/2010

I'm not a huge decorator yet. My mom was a big Christmas decorator, and I have a feeling that'll be my big holiday soon once the kids get bigger, since that's the only holiday I even decorate for. I decorated more last year when my daughter was 2, than the years before when she was only 3 months and then 1, because last year she was loving all the Christmas lights/decorations, so I went kind of big. I will probably just do the tree this year, and then my small table of knick knacks (singing snowman, etc, that the babies seem to adore). The only other time I decorate for a holiday is my table/living area if I'm having a dinner party, like I did one Valentines Day or a couple Thanksgivings.