So, what do you think when you see Xmas decorations this time of year?

[Aubergine]

i'm never sure quite what to make of this one...we have neighbors down the street who still have a tree lit (albeit white lights). but i was quite surprised, we traveled out of town today to family, and i saw quite a few places with the outdoor wreaths, garlands, etc. intact. and, it didn't look like they were away in Fla.

okay, at 38 i was a single mom with 2 kids and me in college full-time, so i didn't get the tree dismantled 'till about february...but i didn't have the lights on. i have read about some people who keep the tree up all year and change with the seasons (sounds like Sandra Lee:D), but to me it seems odd to see any Xmas decs past January...no?

[Jazzmatazz49]

Mine come down before New Year's, but around here you will occasionally see Mardi Gras trees.

[Kayaksoup]

I love xmas decorations, but even I take them down the first week of January. However, I know people who have "fairy lights" on their outdoor trees year round.

[gertdog]

Mine are all down save the lights, but we stopped turning those on after New Year's. When I walk onto my porch and see the strings of lights still hanging from the eaves I think "Oh, man, one more thing on the to-do list" but somehow it keeps getting bumped to the bottom of the list.

In some parts of the country it seems to be a tradition to leave decorations up longer- through the winter in some cases. I like pretty white lights any time of year.

[Aubergine]

Mine come down before New Year's, but around here you will occasionally see Mardi Gras trees.

i have to bite...what's a MG tree? what would the colors be?

Grey's, i know what you mean, and in public spots (like restaurants) i like that, but do residential folks in your area light up year-round?

suz

[oceanjasper]

My christmas tree is still on my balcony! It is laying down and doesn't have lights on it or anything. I just haven't had time to find it a home in the wilderness. :)

[jmarie]

There is a family on my street who still have their 'lit' Christmas tree. They have two children who are autistic and I have wondered if this might be the reason they don't dismantle their tree until near March.

To each their own.
Joyce

[Loremma]

Last week I saw a very dry Christmas tree still in the stand on the curb waiting for the garbage pick up.

[Jazzmatazz49]

i have to bite...what's a MG tree? what would the colors be?

suz

Well, purple, green and gold of course. The Mardi Gras colors...I forget everyone doesn't "do" Mardi Gras. The gaudier and glitterier the better~~~ :p

[slknight]

Our wreath is still on the door. http://67.18.37.18/3783/12/emo/hide.gif

[jmarie]

http://67.18.37.18/3783/12/emo/hide.gif
How cute!

[Peggy]

There is a house around the corner that has all of their xmas lights on the outside of the house and in their garden and they still light them up every night. I think they must really like Christmas! :D It makes me smile every time I drive by.

Peggy

[Middydd]

There is a house around the corner that has all of their xmas lights on the outside of the house and in their garden and they still light them up every night. I think they must really like Christmas! :D It makes me smile every time I drive by.

Peggy

Lots of people around here do that (including me). We have such long, dark winters in the north that any little bit of light and cheerfulness is a boost.

[JackieO]

Our wreath is still on the door. http://67.18.37.18/3783/12/emo/hide.gif
We have neighbors whose pine wreath hanging over their garage door has been up since Christmas 2004! :eek:

It was something of a neighborhood joke last summer (they made up a story about a bird's nest being inside it), and it only seemed fitting that they leave it up thru this holiday season. But I'm wondering if they are going to try to make it last through 2006? :confused:

[donleyk]

We took our house lights down in January but we have a row of pines that run our property line out front that still have lit rope lights... green, blue and red :D

I'm in the camp that it's usually so dreary that I like the lights. We've talked about replacing the green with white rope lights and burying the cords between the trees to have them lit all year around. :p

[rosie_one]

I try to get mine down by the end of January... though this year I realized we missed the Swedish candelabra in the window. I finally put that away last week. :rolleyes:

I am pretty tolerant of late decorations. Up here sometimes the weather after Christmas is so bitter. Who wants to be up there on a ladder in that cold? The only thing that is kind of sad is when you see those really dead, brown trees out at the curb in front of the house in March or April.

[Molli526]

We have one set of neighbors who still turn on the lights on their pines out front. The lights were also up and on the day after Halloween. Their son is mentally handicapped and he likes them on, so they are on :)

[donnamp14]

I am so glad to see this thread! It is one of my pet peeves! By the time Ash Wednesday rolls around, it's time for Christmas to be put away. It makes me think that these people with the "crispy wreaths" just don't have their acts together at all. We call them "Bumpasses" after the family in "A Christmas Story", you know, the ones with the smelly hounds.

But people, please, take down those crispy brown wreaths. I won't even discuss those of you who have Halloween decorations on the lawn!

Donna ;)

[Sarah428]

My wreath is still up as well :o. I noticed yesterday that all my neighbors are up too.

I took our tree down my 1/1 this year. The lights are still on the bushes but not turned on, waiting for warm weather to pack them away.

I know some people who start w/ a Halloween tree and go all the way through Easter!

[MISSINDI]

I never understand the ones that still have trees up where they have to physically turn on their light. I could see forgetting a decoration or two, but still turning on lights...?

Although DH did FINALLY climb onto the roof yesterday to take down three of our wreaths (and, of course, accidentally let the cat onto the roof in the process); but that's more of a question of being difficult to get to, forgetting, procrastinating, etc. ;)

[funnybone]

I guess this is one situation where a HOA is excellent. Ours stipulates that the lights can't go up before Thanksgiving and must come down by the 10th of Jan. I'm not sure exactly what happens if they are up, I think a small fine, but everyone seems to abide by the guidelines.