# Christmas decorations ?



## IKE (Nov 24, 2015)

Off and on yesterday I watched the neighbor across the street spend most of the day decorating the outside of his house and bushes with many strings of lights, snowmen, reindeer etc etc.......he's probably in his mid 50's and one of only three on the block that do any outside decorating and I think he does it more for his grand kids than for himself.

Growing up my parents never decorated the outside of the house but there was pretty much always a Xmas tree, either real or artificial, inside.

It's always just been the two of us and mama and I have never done any decorating outside and I can't ever recall us putting up a Xmas tree inside in our 40 years together.

How much inside and outside Xmas decorating do you do ?


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## Shalimar (Nov 24, 2015)

Living in a condo there are limitations, although I do string mini lights outside on the balcony. Inside, I go to town. A beautiful Xmas tree, mantel decorations, scattered Xmas throws, woolen Xmas stockings, pillows, candles, centre pieces, hanging 

holiday foliage, angels, hanging glass balls, window and mirror art, et al. Add homemade gingerbread boys. Gingerbread house. Whew! When company drops by, they are force fed homemade goodies and eggnog. Lolol.


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## Shalimar (Nov 24, 2015)

Oops, forgot, lots of fancy mini lights around mirrors.


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## Karen99 (Nov 24, 2015)

In years past I went all out decorating every area of my home. My husband would put up Christmas lights and hang wreaths.  I have several artificial trees.  This year I bought a huge lighted wreath to hang over the fireplace (it has a timer on the lights which is perfect).  I have some new lighted trees in our bedroom..set of three.  They aren't that big and are on timers.  I like flameless candles these days just to keep things safe.  I have boxes of decorations I've collected but as we get older I like making new traditions. 

 I guess many of my old decorations remind me of people and times that are gone and putting them out made me feel a bit down instead of happy. 

i love Christmas and enjoy everyone's decorations..and on foggy nights I'm really happy for the twinkling lights people bother to put out...well, and it's dark so much of the time lights are so welcome. I don't bake like I used to.  I used to fill tins with all sorts of homemade goodies.  I still bake a batch of Oatmeal Scotchies and Snickerdoodles or it's just not Christmas . I keep everything very simple and it works better for us.  In this instance "less is more" works out perfectly.

:christmas2:


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## Shalimar (Nov 24, 2015)

Sounds lovely Karen.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 24, 2015)

We've only spent two xmases here in this house in the last 15 years.  So all we have is a few ornaments and a tangle of lights.  We spent the first 11 xmases with my family in Michigan.


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## fureverywhere (Nov 24, 2015)

Halloween I go a bit crazy and have fun, Christmas meh. My parents always had a tree shining in the window and an elaborate wreath on the door. But no outside lights, I've never done outside lights either, but the wreath and tree always.


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## Cookie (Nov 24, 2015)

Not big on the kitsch but like a few minimalist touches here and there.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 24, 2015)

Never decorated the outside of my house, mostly just a Christmas tree indoors with lights (traditional, blinkers, bubble lights) and tinsel, but it's been years since I put one up, now it's just a ceramic plug-in.  I like homes with traditional lights or blinkers outside, don't care for the newer icicle lights, especially the white ones.


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## jujube (Nov 24, 2015)

I'm putting up a tree this year for the first time in four years.  It's up but it doesn't have any ornaments on it yet......hopefully I get it decorated sometime before Christmas at the rate I'm going.  I'm putting electric candles in the windows and a wreath on the door.  I've pulled a few tchotchkes out for the mantle and hearth.  Now, in the old days....KATY BAR THE DOOR.  I had over a thousand Santa Clauses.....every imaginable size from a Santa carved from a grain of rice to an almost life-size one.  I had an all-Santa tree including a Santa angel.  My house looked like .......well, you can imagine.  Santas on every surface.  

After my husband died, I sort of lost the taste for all the folderol (he loved Christmas and decorating).  A few years ago, I rented a booth at an antique store and sold almost everything in the couple of months before the holidays.  Now I just have a few particularly sentimental Santas left.  I doubt I'll ever truly get into it again.


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## Jackie22 (Nov 24, 2015)

I'll decorate the mantle, put a wreath on the door and call it Christmas.


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## 4 O'Clock Somewhere (Nov 26, 2015)

Outside 3 colored lights in a lamp pole. Inside 2 vintage ceramic Christmas trees. Couple of Waterford holiday crystals, one LED ceramic Christmas tree musical ornament, one 4' artificial tree decorated with lights, holiday table cloth and place settings, Yankee Candles, few bits and bats we picked up as we traveled, and 12 days before, we tune the TV cable channel to holiday music on low and we open a bottle of RUM for a daily shot with a little eggnog and when the little lady isn't looking I'll hit it again, the RUM!!!, not the eggnog!!!,in moderation of course...


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## Bobw235 (Nov 26, 2015)

No decorating outside and have not had a tree since the early years of our marriage when my son was young.  My wife and I are of different faiths and Christmas decorating was never her thing.  All the old decorations sit in the basement.  Maybe we'll do a small tree this year and get out the menorah to add some celebration to the season.  It's just strange because we have no family around.


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## ronaldj (Nov 26, 2015)

we are putting up the tree (one of them) today


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## jujube (Nov 26, 2015)

Update:  there's still a naked tree standing in my living room.


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## Kadee (Nov 26, 2015)

I love seeing all the decorations people put up outside in fact I booked a seat on our tourist tram yesterday to have a look at all the lights around the town, where I live ...As for our home I might get out a tiny Christmas tree and a few bits and pieces as my daughter and 9 y/o gradaughter are coming up a few days before Christmas but have to go back christmas day due to a shared custody of the G/D .We are planning on having Christmas lunch on the 24th


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## Warrigal (Nov 26, 2015)

I like this one


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## Shalimar (Nov 26, 2015)

Warri, that is so cool. I have a plastic replica of a red English phone booth which houses my landline. Now I am inspired to make a gingerbread copy!


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