It's started.....

ourmaninthenorth

TTony said:

Neighbours put outside lights up at the weekend.

So we're moving now.  Can't live next-door to people like that.

Tree & decs go up on the 18th.  Come down on NYD, generally with the recording of Jools' Hootenanny playing loud and a fair hairs of a few dogs to help the process.

I'll see you on the 19th then. 

My own neighbours have just told me, in no uncertain terms, to fook off with me plan...they could have broken it to me gentler..what with the season and all. 

quarky

Sunday was the first day of advent officially (even though it was November), so it isn't such a crime to put your Xmas tree up (yes, wife put ours up).

WezV

quarky said:

Sunday was the first day of advent officially (even though it was November), so it isn't such a crime to put your Xmas tree up (yes, wife put ours up).

I have been told this by one of my catholic friends.... why doesn't my advent calendar start until the first?

CabbageCat

I live on my own so don't have a tree. I do have a large family though so the roughly conical stack of empty Amazon boxes that forms in the middle of my living room serves a similar function. 

Roland

Richardj said:

We have a fresh cut tree from a local sustainable source, enjoy it for a few weeks and then burn it (outside!) on or just after twelfth night.

After Christmas I cut the tree into 6 inch twigs, bag it up, and use it for fire lighting through the year.

Our tree will get erected a few days before the grandchildren come to stay, and they're arriving on the 17th.

axisus

Hmmmnnnnn ......... people who start Xmas in November .......

[takes out little black book]

fields5069

11yo daughter and chums are dressing our tree (plastic and proud) on Saturday, let's see if they've learnt yet that it's a 360 degree job.

Then we have a few garlands and shit dotted around the place, and that's it.

fields5069

To be fair, it was the first Sunday in advent for the evil religious lot.

Snap

ours will go up this weekend. We have a fake tree we bought years ago, and a real tree in a big pot in the garden, that weighs a piggin ton, and gives me a hernia each time I move it.

all good though, I love all this business.

All comes down after NYD.

From this weekend there is something on every weekend til Christmas: victorian markets, fairs, food festivals, Chatsworth festivities, so there is a chance we might be overkilled with it all. We shall give it a good go though.

Jalapeno

merlin said:

Sporky said:

merlin said:

I have never put one up (not being Christian an' all)

The tree thing is totally Pagan...

Nor being Pagan! 
And I agree totally, the whole celebration has Pagan roots. As does Easter, Passover, New Year, etc etc...

Not sure that Passover has Pagan roots .....

crunchman

Jalapeno said:

merlin said:

Sporky said:

merlin said:

I have never put one up (not being Christian an' all)

The tree thing is totally Pagan...

Nor being Pagan! 
And I agree totally, the whole celebration has Pagan roots. As does Easter, Passover, New Year, etc etc...

Not sure that Passover has Pagan roots .....

The Christian part of Easter has its roots in the Passover.  The chicks and bunnies are additions though.

As for Christmas, Jesus was most likely born at another time of year - possibly September/October during the Jewish feast of Tabernacles which would account for there being no room at the inn.  As this isn't certain it probably doesn't matter overmuch when it's celebrated, but the Christmas tree is relatively recent as far as I know.  I think it was popularised by Prince Albert.  Yule logs and Mistletoe have pagan roots as far as I know.

slacker

The tree goes up the weekend before (real tree from the carnies down the road) for decoration we have a nativity, father Christmas and some buddhist prayer flags.

TheBlueWolf

I haven't had an Xmas Tree in years and nothing will change that this year, mainly because I don't see  the need for it all.

thecolourbox

Paul_C said:

When my ex-missus moved in she brought a tree with her (big fake thing with built-in lights (the tree, not the missus)) and I gave my tree to my daughter as she didn't have one.

Now the ex-missus (and tree) has gone I don't have one, I doubt I shall bother to buy one so that might be it for me and trees.

No woman, no chri....stmas tree

Sassafras

Brazilian rosewood for me. No other tree will do.

Sambostar

What happened to the 12 days to Christmas, rocking up at the local pikie's or farm store and getting the last tree they have as was the tradition back in the day?  I despair at humanity I really do, it's still November FFS. 

Bring back horses and carts, there's too much traffic on the roads and too many people with cars and doing internet shopping.