Last weekend when I hit the thrift shop jackpot and picked up some new-to-me dishes and photography props, I realized that the Christmas and holiday decorating is in full swing.
By November 1st it seems that all things Christmas from red and green cookie sprinkles to holiday music to holiday stocking stuffer ideas are everywhere; nearly two months before the actual holiday.
It seems that retailers go straight from 4th of July to Christmas. There is Christmas stuff in the stores even before they put out the Thanksgiving items. And Halloween items tend to start pretty early, too. Usually right after Easter. Kidding. Kind of.
We’re not putting up a tree, so no ornaments will be hung here. I purchased these ornaments at the thrift shop for photography purposes rather than actual tree-hanging purposes.
I don’t have a mantle to hang stockings from.
Nor will I have any elaborate table centerpieces with big bowls of pinecones on display.
These pine cones are in a bag in a closet and I’ll break them out as needed for photos.
I used them in the photos of the Rosemary Chipotle Roasted Almonds I just made.
We’re going away and we’ll be gone in December anyway. The last thing I want to do when we return home is put away holiday decorations or take down an artificial tree. I’ll have my hands full with dirty laundry, mail sorting, grocery shopping, and just getting back into the swing of things.
So instead of red and green, I have orange for you.
If you’d like to enter to win a coupon for free organic produce such as baby carrots or carrot chips from Grimmway Farms, comment below.
Questions & To Enter the Giveaway:
1. Do you decorate for the holidays? Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.? <– One entry if you answer this question
Holiday decorating is great if you love it and have time for it and the taking down and putting it away doesn’t bother you.
And finding space to store it all. I am short on that, too. Have you seen my kitchen?
So I really don’t decorate. I get my decorating jollies from the elaborate home decor Pinterest boards I see or living vicariously through a Martha Stewart catalog but I don’t do much of it. Buying a pumpkin is my idea of “decorating” for Halloween.
I know some people live for holiday decorating. They buy things all year in the name of the holiday, they have elaborate collections of things, i.e. snow globes, ornaments, miniature Santas, pumpkins, Easter Bunnies, fancy glass eggs, whatever it is, they collect it.
Then there are the people who put their holiday outdoor light displays up in September and leave them up til about June. I have memories of my dad hanging outdoor lights on the house for Christmas. Nothing says weekend project I never want to tackle like climbing on the roof with four feet of snow on the ground in zero degree temperatures with 30 below wind chills to get those lights hung. Glad it was him and not me.
I love looking at decorations, lights, and getting into the fa-la-la-la of it all but I just won’t be personally doing any of it. I’d rather use my free time to bake and decorate cookies rather than decorate my house.
Scott is also Jewish and although he wouldn’t care if we put up a tree and actually wants Skylar to learn about both Christian and Jewish traditions, I figure it’s easier to put up a Menorah than it is to put up a tree. I plead the laziness card.
2. How early do you think is too early for Christmas stuff to make an appearance in stores? <– Second entry if you answer this question in a separate comment
I think anything before Halloween is too early.
It used to be that anything before Thanksgiving was too early but now, by Thanksgiving, some people have all their holiday shopping done!
3. Third entry if you Twitter Follow & Tweet:
“I want to win Free Organic Produce in the @LoveVeggiesYoga Giveaway https://tiny.cc/4dpcg”
Leave separate comments for each entry you want to claim (maximum of 3 entries)
Winner announced next post. Open to Continental U.S. Residents only.
I agree with your Halloween deadline. I normally don’t put up decorations until after Thanksgiving. But Christmas music is already blasting!
Now for question #2: I think it’s too early for the stores to be assaulting us before Thanksgiving. Wait till Thanksgiving; then put the stuff out. A person can hardly enjoy Thanksgiving with all the Christmas hoopla out there; we forget all about being thankful and our focus is diverted to things!
I decorate for the holidays, but am scaling down a little bit each year it seems…
I love to decorate. festive :)
My decorating philosophy is very similar to yours. And yes, I proudly plead the Laziness Card.
I love holiday decor! I try not to go too too crazy, so I only have a few things here and there. I have the most decorations for Christmas by far. Sometimes I just can’t help myself in those dern stores.. the stuff is just toooo cute! :)
I decorate for every little holiday. christmas being my favorite! love buying festive wreaths and the smell of pine needles. christmas lights are the best. we have also have a train that goes around the tree skirt for my little nephew. as you can see, I’m getting excited.
once november hits, it’s not too early, christmas glee and cheer is fair game
We put up decorations and a fake tree inside, but nothing outside. We live in the country, so no one would see it anyway!
I think Thanksgiving should be the start of the holiday seasons in stores. Any earlier and they’re full of winter-themed goods in the middle of fall
We decorate a tree inside, but we usually don’t decorate the inside of our house
I like you on FB
Ugh…wait until AFTER Thanksgiving at least. I say 2 weeks before a holiday but I know that’s unrealistic to expect! Nordstrom apparently waits until after Thanksgiving (:
Not much decorating here unless someone gives me a gift to display.
I follow you on Twitter and tweeted about the giveaway!
I agree with you, before Halloween is too early for Christmas stuff in the stores. I understand in November because you’re prepping for Christmas, which can and does take a lot of extra time. I personally don’t get into Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving, but that’s just me.
I will put up a few decorations for Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, but not too much. I don’t have enough room to store everything! I do go a little more “all out” at Christmas though!