When (if ever) should one start to decorate one's house for Christmas?

[Serial_Apologist]

just after the sprouts go on.

About a week ago.

Fart oo soon.

[Anna]

I hope Padraig will eventually divulge why December 8th is the day for putting up decorations .......
Here the tree usually goes up 2 weeks before, so it'll be weekend after next. An outdoor wreath a week before. I did get the tree decorations out of the cupboard to sort through and and see if lights are working, but - shock, horror - the fairy is missing! So cupboard now needs to be completely emptied to find her. Some houses here put small white lights in their trees, which look very pretty when you are walking home in the dark.

[Dave2002]

When we first hear Slade!

Actually I now try to coincide with the lights 'Switch-n' in the village 14/12 this year.

Slade! Lord protect us from that!

I hope not too many villages try to emulate those virtual people in the Archers. Ridiculous nonsense, and a waste of energy to boot. Maybe a bit of fun later on, but this early - no,no,no!
14/12 is plenty early enough, though 21/12 would be better!

We, in the UK, don't go in for such things in the way that some places do. In Fresno CA, there's a road, which gets renamed Christmas Tree Lane with some splendid lights in December, and cars drive up it with their lights off, and there are collections for charity. Another road - Huntington Boulevard has similar decorations. Both these streets are completely OTT, but fun. Perhaps it's a requirement to live in those streets to have the lights, and only rich people need apply - maybe you need a permit to live there. A fortune is spent on the lights, and also on the electricity.

Otherwise, "normal" people shouldn't bother! In Sweden those "A" (Somewhat flattened out - really a flattened upturned "V") shaped lights start to appear in house windows sometime about now, though it is rather dark there.

[Serial_Apologist]

In Sweden those "A" (Somewhat flattened out - really a flattened upturned "V") shaped lights start to appear in house windows sometime about now, though it is rather dark there.

Yes, I have one of those; apart from cards it's my one piece of "decoration", placed in the window which does not face any street, only the garden, just to notify others living in the block that I'm still the same person, living here.

[teamsaint]

Yes, I have one of those; apart from cards it's my one piece of "decoration", placed in the window which does not face any street, only the garden, just to notify others living in the block that I'm still the same person, living here.

Is it not possible though , that some people in the block think, " Ah, I wonder if neighbour 12 tone fellow has moved, and a new person with a similarly refined taste in Xmas decs has moved in?"

Incidentally, I was in Sainsbury's yesterday, and the Xmas muzak, is indescribably bad. I mean , you expect I to be bad , but dear god.....

And, though I liked the Pogues , and thought Kirsty McColl was excellent, if i never hear "Fairytale of New York again", it will be too soon.

[Serial_Apologist]

Is it not possible though , that some people in the block think, " Ah, I wonder if neighbour 12 tone fellow has moved, and a new person with a similarly refined taste in Xmas decs has moved in?"

Impossible. No one has my level of refinement.

Incidentally, I was in Sainsbury's yesterday, and the Xmas muzak, is indescribably bad. I mean , you expect I to be bad , but dear god.....

And, though I liked the Pogues , and thought Kirsty McColl was excellent, if i never hear "Fairytale of New York again", it will be too soon.

You live in the wrong 'hood then, maaaan. St Sprees 'round these parts all play da fonky stuff, like, all-year round, na mean? You want Polar Bear man? Go to Iceland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaIaTWA2quY

[marthe]

We'll get a tree this coming weekend and decorate once the tree is in the house. When I was young, my father usually got a tree much closer to Christmas and it was often a bit on the thin side...a real "Charlie Brown" tree. My parents always had an Advent Wreath with four candles, one for each week of Advent. We kept that custom with our own children but no longer do this. Otherwise, I go out to a local field and gather a bit of greenery. I also put a wreath (Balsam greens and red bow...nothing OTT) on the front door. Christmas cards go on the mantlepiece. We keep our tree up until January 6th and then tak it down and stow the ornaments away until the following year. I find it sad to see trees out on the sidewalk the day after Christmas which is not a holiday here. We sometimes have a Boxing Day party, though.

[Serial_Apologist]

We used to sing a version of "Come O Come Emmanuel" with all wrong harmonies backing the last verse, which was rather exciting - my introduction to "modern music" - I've searched in vain for that arrangement. Howells? More like Screams! I was leader of the school choir. They had to re-consecrate the chapel when I left, and the position was declared "surplice to requirements".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Incidentally, I was in Sainsbury's yesterday, and the Xmas muzak, is indescribably bad. I mean , you expect I to be bad , but dear god.....

Does this Sainsbury's store normally have muzak, or is it for Christmas only? I ask because the Stoke-on-Trent Sainsbury's is the only one I know that has piped music punishment throughout the year. Our local Tesco has it leading up to Christmas, but then, happily, it's gone for another year. When I complained, all I got from Customer Services was "Aw coom on. Gerrintoo the Christmas Spirit." Now I inform them that I am a regular user of their store but shall go elsewhere until they switch it off.

[teamsaint]

Does this Sainsbury's store normally have muzak, or is it for Christmas only? I ask because the Stoke-on-Trent Sainsbury's is the only one I know that has piped music punishment throughout the year. Our local Tesco has it leading up to Christmas, but then, happily, it's gone for another year. When I complained, all I got from Customer Services was "Aw coom on. Gerrintoo the Christmas Spirit." Now I inform them that I am a regular user of their store but shall go elsewhere until they switch it off.

Don't know if this one normally does, popped in while i was in the area (Christchurch) working.
It was awful. EDIT: The muzak, not christchurch.

Stoke is a long way to go shopping from N yorks.
Wish we had Booths down here.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wish we had Booths down here.

One Christmas I went into Booth's in Windermere, and they did have piped music there, so I wrote an essay on a customer service slip to say why I didn't think it was a good idea.

A few days later, when I was back at home, the phone went. It was Booth's, thanking me profusely for my comment and assuring me that they were in total agreement and would not have music thereafter. Apparently they had done so at the request of a customer, but thought it was dreadful themselves. I think the nearest Booth's to here is either Ilkley or Ripon.

(Incidentally, I have tampered with "Booths" by adding an apostrophe. I'd hate to see them go the way of other apostrophe vandals such as Dixons, Woolworths and Jessops.)

[cloughie]

We used to sing a version of "Come O Come Emmanuel" with all wrong harmonies backing the last verse, which was rather exciting - my introduction to "modern music" - I've searched in vain for that arrangement. Howells? More like Screams! I was leader of the school choir. They had to re-consecrate the chapel when I left, and the position was declared "surplice to requirements".

By wrong harmonies I assume you mean different to those that some arranger has chosen to write down. Busked harmonies are much more fun and often more complex. Slade's Christmas song, 40 years old this year is much maligned, probably because of the frequency of playing. This overlooks the fact it is quite a good tune and lends itself nicely to four part harmonies and with imaginative tempo changes sounds fine.

[BBMmk2]

I always say and my wife, Frst Sunday in Advent! I do rather like having flashing lights around the celling! Looks quite effective! :)

[Padraig]

I hope Padraig will eventually divulge why December 8th is the day for putting up decorations .......
Here the tree usually goes up 2 weeks before, so it'll be weekend after next. An outdoor wreath a week before. I did get the tree decorations out of the cupboard to sort through and and see if lights are working, but - shock, horror - the fairy is missing! So cupboard now needs to be completely emptied to find her. Some houses here put small white lights in their trees, which look very pretty when you are walking home in the dark.

Anna, your hope is to be realised! But I fear that you will be sorry you asked!
December 8, as well as being the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and the anniversary of John Lennon's death, is my second son's birthday. On that day in 1967 a raging blizzard welcomed the new arrival, in christmas card fashion as I foolishly thought, being young and sentimental. Still, as Christmas 1968 approached, we thought that the eighth would be a good day to put up the tree, thereby killing two birds...... It turned out to be a great success with the children and as the years went by the four children became part of the eighth preparations. They loved the whole exciting business, tree, lights, baubles and tinsel, music and singing, and the expectation. Well, Christmas is for the children, and we didn't enjoy any of that at all.
Childhood is short and now the nest is empty. Tomorrow, or the day after, there will be a phone call from London, or Oxford, or Brussels, maybe all three, to ask if the tree is up. And it will be, as always. This year the birthday boy will be here for Christmas, with his wife and two daughters, along with his elder brother and his wife and three children. There will be an attempt to relive the old days - yes they're all a bit like me, sentimental and silly about Christmas.
That's all I have time for. I have to go and rig the tree. And I'll tell you the secret of how everything works and nothing is lost and angels, or fairies, look just as nice and fresh as they do every year: I allow my wife to attend to those details!

[Anna]

they're all a bit like me, sentimental and silly about Christmas.
That's all I have time for. I have to go and rig the tree. And I'll tell you the secret of how everything works and nothing is lost and angels, or fairies, look just as nice and fresh as they do every year: I allow my wife to attend to those details!

Aw, Padraig, your post made me go all soppy and sentimental as well. Yes, the fairy is still lost, but I have found a Baroque cherub about to clash some cymbals in a forgotten bag of decorations in the cupboard - he'll go on on the top this year!