We drove across NC on I-40 yesterday, and it seemed like every third car was carrying a Christmas tree home. It was crazy! Made us sad that we had to put off our annual tree hunt until next week. H’s mom was disappointed that we didn’t see her on Thanksgiving (we very rarely do go for Thanksgiving), so we are spending the weekend with her.
We’re putting up the tree today at our son’s. His house, his tree. Everywhere I look, I’m hit by his independence from us. All is as it should be, but it’s still bittersweet.
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The tree arrived. It is up!
Just the tree; the pre-lit tree!
Not sure it needs ornaments.
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We will put our tree up either December 5 or 12. Just too busy to do it sooner. Some other decor will be done sooner…like changing the door wreath, and tablecloths and placemats.
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Today. Bought it yesterday, in the living room ready to go later today. Frasier fir: house smells great!
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We used to tag our tree the day after Thanksgiving, then cut it down and put it up around 12/9, DH B-day. Thinking of cutting one this weekend as DD is home but will not be here for Christmas. For those putting it up now, how long does it last?
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Mine will last until New Year’s. I water it daily. Fraser firs don’t drop their needles quickly.
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Tree is finally up. I was lazy and didn’t put all the ornaments on this year (we have at least one for every branch). Still looks good.
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How long a real tree lasts will depend on whether its fresh cut. If you cut it yourself, it should last 4-5 weeks without issue. If you get a pre-cut one, you don’t always know when it was cut down. Could have been weeks/month or more ago. Need to water it. Also helps if you cut the trunk down (particularly if you didn’t cut it yourself) to give it a fresh cut.
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The farm I buy from cuts in the weeks before their season starts the Friday after Thanksgiving. They offer a fresh stump cut to all buyers.
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We cut down a tree the day before Thanksgiving, because that’s when it fit in the schedule.
We put lights on yesterday. (Husband did it this year. I’ve done it for the last many years). It may be next weekend before we do the ornaments and decorate the mantle. I hope we’re done by Sunday.
It will likely all come down soon after January 1, but now that I’m retired I guess I don’t need to be in such a hurry to get it done before I head back to work.
Our tree is in storage until it can be moved to the new house. There isn’t room for it in our temporary home. On Saturday I put a metal tree-shaped ornament stand that’s about two feet tall on the mantel. That keeps it out of GD’s reach. I put a couple of decorations on top of a short bookcase and was surprised to see that she can reach them. At least they aren’t fragile.
Ours goes up late, maybe a week before Christmas. We purchased our tree already but are keeping it outside. I need to clean my living room first! And, it’s not December yet! Maybe after St. Nick. But the real answer is when I get to it and feel the energy to do it.
We normally wouldn’t buy a tree this early but with possible supply issues, we will most likely go get one by the end of this week. Or we will at least stop by our favorite tree supplier and ask how often he will be bringing in new trees (he is from NC but has a temporary location here in MD). Like the previous poster, we will keep ours in water outside for a while after we get it so it doesn’t dry out from the indoor heat.
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We also feel we need to buy a tree soon due to supply issues, but will be traveling and can’t put it up until later in the month. We have been thinking about storing it outside until we put it up. Is keeping it in water outside important if it hasn’t had a fresh cut? We are concerned that the water we had it in outside would freeze while we are away. Since the trees aren’t stored in water in the tree lot we thought it might be okay not being stored in water outside. We would give the tree a fresh cut before we put it up.
We are planning to get our tree this Thursday after work. We will spend Saturday decorating the tree and the house both indoors and outside. We have a lot going on this weekend and a big Christmas party the next weekend then we head to Utah to ski the week before Christmas and we come home on 12/23. This is really the only weekend we can get it done.
Finally got a good pic of my Xmas “Memory” tree. Usually the lighting is all weird. You can see I am a light and ornament junkie, but it makes me happy (except while I’m putting it up.)
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@ClassicMom98 beautiful tree! I love a lot of lights also. Of course, since I am the one in charge of the tree, I have many choice words to say while stringing them, but the end result is worth it.
I caved and bought our tree today. We normally don’t get it nearly this early but I was concerned about supply issues. Initially I didn’t see any that fit my picky preferences, but then happened to see one that was leaning into the tree next to it and kind of hidden. I pulled it upright and realized it was just what I was looking for. It didn’t have a tag on it. When I asked the teenager working nearby, he too pulled it upright and said, “Wow, this is a nice tree!” I feel like I lucked out - I purposely went this afternoon figuring they probably just replenished ahead of the weekend (tree lot is run by someone who owns a tree farm in NC and trucks them up to MD). I was right! It was right off the truck apparently.
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There are 10 Christmas tree farms in my little town. It’s a big business. Already, four have closed for the season. The charity place where we have gotten our live trees in the past sold out last weekend also.
I think people are getting their trees earlier than in the past.
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No trees up yet (we will put up one real and one artificial tree), but outside lights are up as are window wreaths and the banister garlands so we are making progress. I would not really be putting all of this up but it is our last Christmas in this house, S is coming home and he will enjoy it.
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