down early.....one of my neighbours had her tree up at the weekend, and no doubt it will be there for most of January. Mind you, the Christmas market opened in Brum a couple of weeks ago and I'm not complaining about that.

Big sausage and a gluhwein anyone?

Fragile blighters christmas decorations.

which, as everyone knows, moves around the calendar a bit. With the mini-mates, it gets a little earlier but they're up till Epifania, mos def.

in mid December, though it will be slightly later this year with the house being re-decorated, always come down no earlier than 12th night. The whole thing comes too damn early quite frankly. When I used to spend family Christmases in Italy, we used to put up the tree and decorations around the 20th/21st.

The older I get, the more I love Christmas tat - fat robins, wobbling Santas and singing penguins.

*consults calendar*

Right, I suspect the tree will go up at Waring Towers on either the 12th or the 19th this year - probably the 12th.

To extend the discussion slightly, what goes on top of your Christmas Tree? At WT, we have a small Winnie the Pooh, decked out in Christmas jumper and hat, who gets the uppermost part of the tree rammed up the back of his sweater each year.

who has their decorations up already then?

It's all over by then. Away with the merry junk for another year.

The tree gets bought about ten days before Xmas, depending on how weekends fall. However, I am away the two weekends before Xmas, so I suspect mine'll go about the 12th. I usually take my down on New Year's Day. I used to be quite strict about the 12 days: up on Xmas Eve and down on the twelfth day.

The other rule is I/we MUST be listening to Christmas music as the decorations go up.

I'd never want my decorations up for about six weeks, but each to their own.

Me Mam and me mother-in-law fret so inordinately about Xmas that when I'm in the UK at xms everyone's driven into a paranoiac frenzy by about November 15. The MIL and FIL are teetotallers, so I get emails about now about 'what you want to drink' around then, as if buying a 4 pack of spesh takes a months planning. etc. Here in expat land: Get on Amazon about December 10, get the gifts delivered, prepare a few days worth of nice food on the 24th, 25th -Big breakfast. Exchange gifts with the missus, Skype the famliy, have people round for nibbles and booze at lunchtime, early night. We were both back at the PCs on our various projects by Boxing Day last year. Bliss, comparatively.

Mum & Dad would put up the deccies on Christmas eve. We'd go to bed with the house looking all normal and wake to a magical wonderland of tinsel and tree. It was fabulous. I'm not aloud to recreate this tradition with my own tribe alas, however I have managed to restrict the erection of tree and deccies until as late as possible, usually the 18th ish. They come down again around the Sunday before returning to work which is plenty long enough in my book. I have work colleagues who put theirs up around about 25th November. Utter madness.

I don't have a problem in general with christmas decorations but the tree does get in the way doesn't it? For that reason alone I think the time it's up should be restricted. Cards start to look untidy after a couple of weeks too so the sooner they're down the better. The only thing I insist on though (and this applies to the office as well) NO FLASHING LIGHTS. They drive me to distraction.
It's perfectly possible to survive without any at all, I managed it for years (apart from putting cards on the mantelpiece) before I was taken in hand by the FPO.
I remember a friend of a friend at college was in a flat that had collectively decided (almost certainly through lazyness) not to take down the decorations one year. It was quite odd going in the flat in mid June with paper chains all over the living room walls.

Up on Xmas Eve
Down on 12th night

On the first Sunday in December, down again on 12th night. Which means we have to experience the terrors of the loft as we rummage for tinsel this weekend.

Down on 12th night. Keeps it special.

After all the shear evil that religion has caused over the centuries, I refuse to have anything to do with it at home.

we put the lights up in the garden on Sunday.

Last year the crimble cards were in a pile on the piano.

Down on 2nd Jan.

Two trees, loads and loads of lights but not much else in the way of home adornment.

I like Christmas decorations. I'm a rampaging atheist but I love it as a midwinter festival.

Or later. Definitely not earlier.

And down on New Year's Day.

...involves a festive wreath above the front door; lighted displays in every front facing window; two artificial trees - the GLW can't abide the needles you know - with the main one in the front room positively groaning with gold bells, baubles and fairy lights; the stairs have fir branches twined round the bannisters and decorated with more baubles; the nativity scene sits by the front door and the whole thing looks like Santa Claus's Grotto in some dubious department store. I am at least spared the outside lights these days!

All the above are installed to a very cheesy Xmas playlist on the iPod. Mulled wine is taken - often in my case. Then when the scene setting is complete, we settle down to watch Miracle on 34th Street and Babe - our mood setting Christmas films.

This all takes place on the weekend before Christmas and then comes down on 12th Night - without fail. We used to do the big family Christmas but then the kids grew up, the adults started rowing, the effort involved got more and more and, somehow, the magic just left. So this year, it's all this effort for the two of us - and we like it that way.

buy a fresh tree usually 2 weekends before Christmas. The Axe clan, Mrs Axekeith, Me and 8 year old daughter Woo Woo (don't panic, real name Kate) decorate etc while 15 year old son stays cool and at a distance. Leave them up until 12th night as we host a neighbours and close friends New Year's eve party somewhat coincidentally, on New Year's eve although of late, I've noticed that it has started to spill over into New Year's day!

but we're bloody Jewish, and my religiously-observant hubbie won't have Xmas decorations or a tree (even if I promise to call it a "Chanukah bush").

I therefore spend most of December inviting myself round to friends' houses so I can admire their decorations and stare enviously at their trees.

I love Christmas. Pretty much my favourite time of year.

Normally I would have decorated the enormous artificial tree this Sunday, but I was sick ( no, not that kind; really bad cold ) so I've postponed it. I'll do it on Saturday.
I have boxes and boxes full of decorations but still can't resist buying more every year. This year I found some electric guitars in gold to hang in my tree! Plus glittering stiletto boots and lipsticks. Simply irresistible.

Depends on when the spirit strikes. Seeing my family weekend before Christmas so that is a weekend away so will probably be the 12th

...lots of stuff from trips to Germany/Denmark/Sweden in the attic and always greenery round the fire...right until Twelfth night.

I am on my jack jones this Christmas, so I have no one to please but myself.

What does this mean ? Staying in my boxers & T shirt, unshaven all day (orderly queue please ladies).

Not a single decoration going up, no crimbo telly, (just me & the Sopranos box set)

Quick phone call to my children, jobs a good un.