When do you put up Christmas lights ?

[Grumpy old man]

Mine are going up Tomorrow , I need to make sure Santa can see my house this year ! I don't have a fireplace but if I did I'd be good with getting a few extra lumps of coal , I think Santa may be surprised by how many Christmas wish lists he gets this year asking for an extra cord of wood or a truck load of coal

[Steeveedee]

I don't. The wife dragoons the youngest son into putting that stuff out. Humbug!

[TKCR]

Don’t do lights, tree or decorations. Guess I’m the Grinch, lol

[Mid-Pack]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Don’t do lights, tree or decorations. Guess I’m the Grinch, lol

You`re not alone. I don`t mess with it. Merry Christmas!

[72c20customcamper]

Tree goes up this weekend . No lights outside no point in it as there is no one to see them

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Mid-Pack

You`re not alone. I don`t mess with it. Merry Christmas!

Growing up, we always thought Santa brought everything. Lights, decorations, tree and presents. My parents did everything Christmas Eve! Looking back now, that was quite the feat!
I have tried having a tree, but I have cats and that always ends badly lol, so why bother. It’s just too much work, period.
I enjoy getting together with family for the day and meal. And I can even do without the gifts. I have just developed this attitude that I feel like the Christmas Tradition is about spending money, it’s become too commercialized. People wonder why there are those that get stressed over the Holidays, and I always say it’s because there’s a lot of people that can’t afford or have the time for gifts, but they are feeling the pressure that they have too. That’s sad. So I don’t let it bother me anymore. I take the time to enjoy being with family when I can, I could care less if there’s a tree up with gifts, or even lights up. After the last several years, the family gatherings have slowed way down also.
2019 I was severely sick and in the Hospital from early December-Feb, so no Holidays for me.
2020, well we all know what happened there.
2021 was sick again during the Holidays, so we stayed away because it was COVID. Didn’t want to give that gift to anyone.
2020 I be damned if we aren’t sick again. Probably just a cold this time around, so it’s best we just spend Thanksgiving at home.

[Grumpy old man]

We don't celebrate the holidays for any other reason than to be thankful that we're still able too . Putting up the Christmas lights is more for the neighborhood to get in that holidays spirit I can't see them from inside the house , No matter how I feel we still cook for the neighbors that just aren't able , Can't afford it or have no one else to share the holidays with even 15 minutes makes a difference and handing them a hot turkey dinner seems to make their day . This is an older neighborhood with mostly older neighbors . We don't go crazy with the lights , But if they put a smile on someones face while they drive by it's a good thing . It's not about how it makes you feel ,it's about making someone else's day better . I get "repaid" everytime they drive by and wave or toot their horn as they drive by . Look in your own neighborhood and see if theres one neighbor that could use a suprise visit and a hot meal . we're all getting older everyday it maybe you one day .

Now back to my normal Grumpy ways . GET OFF MY LAWN !

[Mid-Pack]

Originally Posted by Mid-Pack

You`re not alone. I don`t mess with it. Merry Christmas!

Well, I opened my mouth too soon. My wife insisted on putting up our fake tree and inside decorations this past weekend. So I got to dig out boxes and boxes of Christmas goodies. Luckily, she just wanted me to put up the tree and get lost. No outside lights or decoration were required. Merry Christmas!

[Sheepdip]

Mine went up this last weekend.....Boss's orders.

[57taskforce]

I know when she gets the baseball bat out she means business, and I had better quit procrastinating I don’t do lights, but I’ll help with the tree. She’d already have the tree up after Halloween if I wouldn’t give her such a hard time over it!

[joedoh]

thanksiving! brought the 56 today to decorate thurs. last time for this truck in the yard, its finally on the build schedule!

[special-K]

Thanksgiving weekend they go up and get turned on. It was really warm here earlier this month and many people put their lights up. Thankfully I have only seen a couple houses with some lights turned on starting this week. I feel it's only right to wait till after Thanksgiving to light up. The humble, uncommercialized holiday of Thanksgiving deserves that much respect. I'm the opposite of those jumping the gun. I like to leave them on till the second week of January. And since they don't get taken down till better weather, I light them up when we get snow through the winter. Often we don't get snow before Christmas and the lights look their best in the snow. I used to be the odd man out with that, but last year I noticed lights on my road staying on well into Jan.

[yuccales]

Momma says this weekend. Time to dig out the rebar trees and the bowtie from the tractor shed.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

Day before Thanksgiving every year for the last 38 years. We got Married the Day before Thanksgiving and this year our anniversary falls on the day. So tomorrow I’ll be celebrating 38 years of marriage and setting up Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 1970 CST Short Wide

Day before Thanksgiving every year for the last 38 years. We got Married the Day before Thanksgiving and this year our anniversary falls on the day. So tomorrow I’ll be celebrating 38 years of marriage and setting up Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Anniversary lights

[Palf70Step]

When do they go up, whenever the wife tells me! Normally the Friday or Saturday after turkey day.

[Rich84]

We have been told that our electric bills are going up 50% this winter.
I hope the porch light and a wreath is enough for the Mrs..

[richard2717]

I live roughly 3000ft of the blacktop rd so have never been a fan of decorating outside too much since no one can see it. About 10 years ago I was making some star ornaments for a local business and made up a couple extra in case they wanted to do their back parking lot lights. Never happened so about 5 years ago I took the boom truck and hung one way up in the top of the trees here at the house. I plugged it in last night when the grandson stopped by and he told me it did not look very good. There are about 125 7w bulbs on it and about half were not lighting so I unplugged it. Today it is almost 60 degrees out so I broke the ladder truck out and totally relamped it and checked it over for any other damages. Grandson should be happy when he comes over for dinner tomorrow. I am getting too old to be climbing that ladder though

.

[LONGHAIR]

Never. I have lived in this house for 20 years, this month, and have never decorated for anything. It's just not my thing.

[Boog]

I'm not what I would call afraid of heights, mind you, as long as I'm not the one having to climb to them. Now days a 6 ft ladder is about my limit.

[special-K]

I agree that The meaning of Christmas is generally lost or overpowered by all the commercialism. I am in no way involved in any of that commercialism. The whole black Friday (lie. Really? in the red through the year until Christmas sales put them in the black?) Yeeah rrright!) gets under my skin. I am in no way involved with any of the whole commercialism. But I decorate my house and put up a decorated tree to help bring the spirits of the world up to a higher level and feel connected to the good things in society all the more for doing it. It's about me some because the lights lift me up, but my selfless side is lifted even higher knowing I pitch in to the bigger picture. I feel I would disappoint many if I didn't do it. Lots of children, especially. I've been told by parents their children love looking at my lights from their bedrooms. This is a GOOD tradition in a world where good traditions are dropping away. I won't let this one go. People enjoy the lights. That's good enough reason for me to do it.
And the lights don't take all that much juice. And these days they are LED, using far less. I'm about a broke SOB but I can afford it. I figure the lights remind people to be kinder, more thoughtful of others, and more helpful.

[FleetsidePaul]

My neighbor keeps them up all year. I've been here 6 years and they have never come down. What's amazing is that they still work.

[dmjlambert]

Richard that is a scary ladder right there. I don't think I would have the nerve, or I would at least have to belt myself to it. If you can do it but think you won't in the coming years, make one more trip up there and install a pulley, and put a rope through it that will withstand the sun and weather. Then you can just pull your star up and let it down as needed for maintenance.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Richard that is a scary ladder right there. I don't think I would have the nerve, or I would at least have to belt myself to it. If you can do it but think you won't in the coming years, make one more trip up there and install a pulley, and put a rope through it that will withstand the sun and weather. Then you can just pull your star up and let it down as needed for maintenance.

I have been walking the ladders on this style truck since 1988 so it is just 2nd nature to me, but to be fair it is probably the 1st time in several years. I normally use my other one with remote controls & work basket but it is down for repairs. When it gets to the point I can no longer work on the star with the truck I will just cut the tree down to retrieve it

[Ol Blue K20]

I don't do them any more, the King Newsome of KALIFORNIA hates me enough already. Plus, people need the electricity to charge their Teslas and such.....BAH HUMBUG!!!! LOL Now, back to my corner for a beer or twelve.....