Today is one of my favourite days of the year.
It was the Santa Claus parade in our town and every year our school has a float. And for the past 3 year my kids and I have gone on it.
(yes – why yes that IS a shamrock Santa hat I’m wearing!!)
The parade is at nighttime and it is just so beautiful being outside in the brisk air, caught up in the holiday atmosphere, music playing, waving at the crowds and people shouting “Merry Christmas!”
Now that Santa has arrived via the parade, he will be available at our mall for visits from children – some excited, some petrified.
I love being surrounded by the sights and sound of the holidays. Lights shining and candles burning. I rearrange the furniture for the tree and if I’m going to do all of that I want to enjoy it for as long as I can. I figure if Santa is at the mall – it’s not too early to put up my tree.
I love being surrounded by the sights and sound of the holidays. Lights shining and candles burning. I rearrange the furniture for the tree and if I’m going to do all of that I want to enjoy it for as long as I can. I figure if Santa is at the mall – it’s not too early to put up my tree.So every year, the weekend of the parade I pull the boxes out of the storage room and make my house look like Christmas. This year I started with fireplace mantle and the staircase.
Sunday afternoon Sean will put up the outside lights while I stay inside with the kids and do the tree while we watch the Toronto Santa Claus parade on tv. It’s become a tradition for us that we all look forward to.
Am I too early? What about you? When do you put your holiday decor up?
December 1 is my day. We use a real tree, otherwise, it’d be sooner! By boxing day, I’m ready to start dismantling…it seems like the magic sort of disappears overnight and I’m ready to take it all Down, but those 25 days…they are my favorite time of the year!
I’m the first weekend of December- or whenever my husband pulls out the Christmas boxes. I’m excited to share it with The Boy this year though, because I think he’ll find it a bit more exciting.
I’m American…and usually people don’t start getting ready for Christmas until after Thanksgiving is over. So, I guess we have a clear-cut date, so it’s easy..it’s tougher to know in CAnada.
Christmas is such a magical time of year. Thanks for sharing. Celebrating Christmas is new to me and I struggle to know when I should put up the tree. It’s good to know that there is no right or wrong, and that people simply follow their own family tradition.
best part of this post…is the picture of Cuy with santa…it’s funny – Scotty has a real thing for Santa…he loves the whole picture thing…
Your staircase looks so awesome…love it!
We put our outdoor lights up in December.
The tree goes up and gets decorated on the Solstice….to celebrate the days getting longer again. We use real candles (and electric lights). Check out mt fb album from last x-mas to see the candles, they are truly beautiful.
Looks like a great day with your gorgeous brood! I love this time of year. I even get really excited when they pull out the red paper cups at Starbucks 🙂
Growing up nothing until AFTER Dec 13. it is my mom’s b-day so that’s when we put up all “the stuff”. Mostly I start Dec 1 or whatever weekend falls closest to that. some years have gone up earlier but getting those darn light outside is always a chore ….waiting until the last minute means cold, cold work …for the Mr. LOL!
Wonderful to see your Holiday Spirit Christine! It is a Very Beautiful and Magical time of the year. I think it’s Awesome that you start early and enjoy it, since you take the time to set up all the decor and trimmings, you might as well be surrounded by the warmth of it’s feeling. There’s always such a cozy feeling, something fascinating about the twinkling lights, the decorated tree, smell of pine, tiny ornaments, the fireplace burning, stockings hanging, wreaths and mistletoes, etc.etc..my Goodness. Ahhh…Sigh. I feel like a nice big cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows! Love your pictures!! Lots of Love. XOXO
Shawn – get on it! For Pea – from this year on, the holidays are going to just get more and more FUN!
Nancy, my mum was the same way – NOTHING until December. The anticipation was incredible and December was such a magical month. It’s where my love of the holiday came from. I guess I do it early … because I can!!
I put up my tree on parade day too!! In fact, my hubby dragged the tree up this evening and assembled it (fake, of course) and it is all ready for decorating tomorrow. The tree comes down on the 26th or 27th of Dec.!
I cannot find anything you do less than perfect- honestly. For me though, November is my first baby’s birthday month and December is Santa time. I like just one month for this and anything before that feels not right – just to me. Besides with my luck there wouldn’t be a needle left on my tree if I put it up this month!
Our tradition seems to be waiting FAR too long to do anything and then leaving it all up until February! Your post makes me want to change that though…