To Decorate or Not to Decorate?

I am not having company this year for Christmas. My daughter and grandson will come for a few days but she doesn’t care if I put up decorations or not. My grandson is only 8 months old and won’t remember. I’m not really interested in putting up all the decorations, just to take them all down again. It seems like a chore to me and the thought of taking them all down weighs on me for the entire holiday season. 

Am I wrong to just not put up any decorations? Is it “Scrooge-like” to just relax and enjoy the holidays without all the hoopla? My sister is having us to her place for dinner and I will cook for that. I’m still deciding what to do. So far, I’ve not done a thing. I may change my mind.

Are your decorations up?

43 thoughts on “To Decorate or Not to Decorate?”

  1. Mine aren’t up yet. My boyfriend has to take the tree and decorations out of the storage shed. He said today but I doubt it. Lol. I put the tree and decorations up for my son. He’ll be 10 next Sunday. My boyfriend doesn’t care because he’s Jewish.

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  3. I also thought the same cathy as we leave for a Florida Vacation right after boxing day BUT..it’s once a year so I decided to make the effort…and I am glad I did…enjoy the tree ,fireplace mantel , outdoor lights

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  4. Just put what I have down here up. I miss not having a Christmas tree, however this year I came up with an idea to have one Caribbean style. Will do this week. Love Christmas ….

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  5. Mine are not up yet. We will do it Tuesday the 8th (it is a holiday here – Immaculate Conception , Holy Mary is Portugal’s Saint Patron .And it used to be also Mother’s Day until a few years ago , before it was changed to May to join the global commercialism 😦 ).
    I understand what you are saying , but instead of going all out with our decorations or not doing any at all , why not just a bit here and there – a wreath , some candles , a small tree for the side table , something you could enjoy looking to throughout the season 😉 just for you 🙂
    Turtle Hugs ❤

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      1. Ah! Yes ! I still have to get mine …they are down there too 😦
        May I suggest something ? it’s your lovely grandson 1st Christmas right ? Start anew …a tiny tree , a few ornaments (child appropriate) you can then give to him when he is older
        just a thought 😉
        ❤

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  6. You sound like Grinchy Bob, saying the house is too cluttered as it is without the Xmas crap! Do what you are comfortable with. I feel that putting up decorations makes me happy …..not a chore. I plan to do no baking, will hopefully try entertaining but we usually go to my in laws…..Once it becomes a chore…..I will probably stop . Now once Oliver is old enough….sure…go all out. Do not do anything if it feels like a chore! My motto in life is to do only thing that give me pleasure. Life is too short to worry about what others say….you just writing about it….makes me wonder why you are even stressing about this. No one really cares either way!Love ya😘👏🌲You can always come over here and enjoy my plastic prelit tree…lol!😉🍷

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  7. Cathy, if I come for a visit, does that count as company. Will you put up the decorations for me? LOL! I’m having book club dinner this Friday at my place so hope to have the house decorated before that.

    A few years ago, I sorted through my Christmas totes and put like things together so I didn’t have to sort through everything to get what I wanted. Maybe that would work for you. Also, a great time to purge things that you don’t want anymore.

    I really enjoy the decorations.

    Elaine

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  8. We did not decorate the year our son was wed in December in another state. We actually celebrated what we called: “THANKmas” instead. Half thanksgiving half christmas decorations of both & food as well (on the Thanksgiving holiday.) It was great fun and I did not miss the elaborate Christmas decorating at all because the love exchanged during Holidays was still present! You will find the love shared between you & your visitors enough to replace the decorations normally there! Blessings!

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  10. Yep mine are up. They’ve been up since the day after thanksgiving. Honestly, if you don’t feel like putting up decorations then don’t. The holiday is about so much more.

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  13. When we moved this year, I threw out a huge tangle of lights that worked and didn’t work, gave my collection of seasonal wreaths to a lady who had always admired them, and tossed the artificial tree that had gotten pretty tattered over the years. Went through all of the Christmas decorations, reducing them to one trunk.

    Last week when I saw the prices of trees, lights, and wreaths I cringed and decided there would no lights, trees, and wreath this year. Announced I had no Christmas Spirit. Embraced this for several days. Sat down and wrote a post on my Father’s and Daughter’s Christmas Spirit instead. Realized I did have the Spirit, and cut out and painted beautiful trees for the windows, creating what my childhood Christmas Tree Farm looked like. Then snowflakes. They looked so pretty and I was very glad to have done it. So are the neighbors. Friday I was doing my weekly roam of the Mission Thrift Store and the volunteer was just putting out a beautiful wreath and two strings of lights. I got them all for five dollars.

    Cathy, I do not believe there is no right or wrong way to do Christmas decorations. You get to do it, or not do it, however you desire.

    My Aunt Eleonore once left her Christmas Tree up until all of the needles had fallen off, and it took on the appearance of some odd modern piece of artwork. On Easter she took off all the Christmas decorations and replaced them with blown, dyed Easter eggs. On July 4 it was red, white and blue ribbons. By October it was dried gourds. Then she threw the whole thing into the trash. I never saw a Christmas Tree in her house again. She did continue to bake the most wonderful candies and cakes every holiday though.

    No right or wrong way Cathy. Just Your Way.

    All my best to you.

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  14. I always overdo it on the Christmas decorations. My house kind of looks like Buddy made Gimbels look in “Elf.” But I can’t help it! The lights make me so happy; and though it makes me sad when Christmas is over, and I have to take them down, it’s still worth it. Makes me feel like a little kid. 🙂

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  15. Cathy, my decorations are not up at all, due to having a new kitten, who is intent on not only destroying Christmas baubles, but my curtains (drapes in the U.S.) the stair carpet, including my dining table and chairs. But who am I kidding, it is more to do with the mounting heaviness that arrives at this time of year. I start out with good intentions at the beginning of December, but as the days go by profound inertia sets in. Christmas cards are bought but stay unwritten, if I can hand one over personally then ok, but the whole advance planning of the post office is beyond reach; like climbing a mountain.
    The last of my family died back in 2008, and since then Christmas has taken on a new aspect. The holiday advertisements on the tv of happy families, and joyous times around the open-fire, should all come with a public health warning for those of us who actually live on our own, or have lost loved ones. And lets face it, unfortunately the older we get, the likelihood of that increases.
    I think as long as we can get along, and get through the holiday times with enough spirit to keep trucking merrily until the next one comes along, then that should be enough for anyone. Decorations, or no decorations.
    I do have a poinsettia though!

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  16. I just recently put up only 2 items for Xmas just to decorate a little bit in our place. It’s the only Xmas pieces I have luckily brought with me when we moved here to follow hubby. It makes me cheer up as I grew up being so happy when Xmas is coming. 🙂

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  17. Yes, most of our decorations are up. But if left to myself for motivation and inspiration, I might have slacked on it some 🙂 Decorations or not, it is about whatever inspires the warmth and connect of the holidays.

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  18. no decorations for me…that’s two years in a row for me…I used to do it for my children, but now the older two have left the nest and our little one is not really interested yet…I would rather paint! 🙂

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