The Christmas spirit, and a bit of sass, poured out of the comments as Independent Readers were immersed in one of the biggest holiday debates: when should the tree? in fact increase?
Far from agreeing with etiquette experts who declare that early decorators were “common as crap,” many in our community proudly embraced the start of Christmas in late November, arguing that the joy lies in lengthening the season. For them, the more vulgar and chaotic the decorations are, the better.
Others mounted a spirited defense of the tradition, insisting that the trees firmly belong in the final days before Christmas. Some lamented how commercialization has caused the season to speed up each year, eliminating older customs and turning December into one long advertisement.
Several readers shared loving, fun, and wildly practical reasons for celebrating Christmas their way, whether that meant having multiple trees, a fake one rescued from a party, or keeping the house festive from December 1 through Twelfth Night on January 5.
If there was any real consensus, it was that perfectly coordinated trees look a little soulless. The true spirit of Christmas, readers suggested, comes from mismatched memories, passed-down decorations, and the sheer chaos of children “helping.”
This is what you had to say:
for children
My 5 year old granddaughter will help decorate it when we put it up tomorrow, with lots of decorations she chose. God knows what she'll end up looking like, but hey, as long as she's happy!
Yully
Tawdry and flashy is better
I think that when it comes to tree decorations, the more vulgar and flashy, the better. An elegant, color-coordinated tree looks downright ridiculous and depressing at the same time. Yesterday we raised our tree; It's fake, so we won't remove the needle. I'm happy to have low rent when it comes to Christmas.
happydiner
Everything in the moment
Personally, I think anyone who puts up their decorations before December is a little silly, but to each their own. I have more problems with those who put them up at the beginning of November but then take them down all Boxing Day (I know a couple of people who do this), so there are no decorations for most of Christmas and New Year.
drg
Early and ecological
Well, then I must be very common because I put up my tree last Saturday and I'll be taking it down on December 30th, but I certainly don't need to be psychoanalyzed because I know exactly why I'm doing it.
I like to prepare things, whether it's Christmas, which I love, or a holiday I'm excited about, and I'm always early for everything. I put the containers out the morning before they arrive, I get to work early every day, and I show up early to all appointments because I hate being late.
There will also be no more pine needles on my soil, because there won't be any; I bought my 6 foot fake Christmas tree at a party for five dollars and I love it. By reusing one that someone didn't want and putting it out every year, I'm also helping the planet.
By the time New Year's Eve rolls around, I've already turned my attention to the party that night and what my New Year's resolutions will be.
But I love Christmas and spend almost all of December enjoying it. By the time my Christmas tree is up, half of my street will be too. To each his own, as they say.
Amy
Anticlimax
The decorations used to be strictly for the twelve days of Christmas, although I don't think that's the end of the world. I think two months of Christmas makes the day itself a bit of an anticlimax. And people with American style lighting on the roof really need help.
PutinfinancedBrexit
Overmarketing
How things and ideas have changed over the last eight decades since I was a child.
After reading most of this article, and being someone who puts up the tree on December 24, Christmas Eve, with the presses for the grandchildren under the tree these days, and of course, if any of the grandchildren are staying with us, at the foot of their beds a “stocking” with some treats, and next to it a tangerine and an apple and a glass of Graham's Organic Port (which is delicious and not expensive) for Santa and the reindeer…
But what is not said is the excessive commercialization that has caused Christmas to accelerate more and more, purely from a marketing and profit point of view. Unfortunately, it's all about money, nothing more.
blue3lee
Advent
For most of history, people did not decorate for Christmas until Christmas Eve or the last days of Advent. Advent was treated as a penitential season, so the Christmas decorations, including the tree, were put up right at the beginning of Christmas, not during Advent. Returning to this traditional practice would not be bad.
Musil
Family traditions change
When I was a kid, more than 50 years ago, the tree went up on Christmas Eve and down on the 12th night. Then, when my son arrived, Dad relented and put it up the week before Christmas.
For the last seven years I have had to care for my elderly parents, so Christmas has just been an extra holiday. Now that Dad is dead and Mom is in a nursing home, I might spend a little this year, but not until the week before Christmas.
Mrs. Ruthless
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.
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