In't Christmas brilliant!!!

[Shaun]

Just spent the afternoon dressing the tree, and putting up lights and decorations.

Little Ms. Admin was chuffed to bits when we said she could do the tree, and she's made a great job of it.

We've had all the crummy Christmas songs on, eaten mince pies with cream, and looked smashing in our flashing Santa hats.

That's what they mean by Christmas Magic ...

In't Christmas brilliant!!!

 

[fossyant]

It is - I let the kids decorate the tree. Gone are the days of colour co-ordination ..........

I still need to put the outdoor lights up....argh.........

 

[biggs682]

just put our tree up , will let the kids decorate it tomorrow if they want

 

[Arch]

It is - I let the kids decorate the tree. Gone are the days of colour co-ordination ..........

I still need to put the outdoor lights up....argh.........

Christmas is not a time for colour coordination! Everything goes on, including the 8 remaining tiny baubles from a Woolworths set of 32 circa 1970, the three matchboxes wrapped in paper to look like parcels by my Dad for my first Christmas when they could only afford a sprig of holly and homemade decorations, and the cardboard and foil star he made the year after for their first tree. Our 'fairy' is a little Dutch pegdoll, wearing a tiny headscarf with real hair tucked under it and holding a bunch of felt tulips. Every year she's sat on top of our tree, for 40 years.

One of the parcels is wrapped in gold foil - the liner of a packet of Benson and Hedges which he still smoked then.

 

[fossyant]

Excellent post Arch........... you know get your own home and try and colour co-ordinate the tree........we did, then had kids............... ...house in a state..............

Funny seeing my sister's homes - they have the modern 'odd' coloured trees - ours is green, they go for black/silver etc........... and completely colour co-ordinated......... OMG..............

Our tree is just a mish mash............ we have one set of lights we got from BHS when we got married - first Christmas - (15 years ago) - you know, they still work.......... it's the only set that's lasted years........ had some more modern stuff that worked for 2-3 years and packed in...

 

[Arch]

Yeah, I see those beautifully coordinated trees and think 'how tasteful', but I know that all I'll ever do is throw everything I've got at a tree and see what sticks.

We have a very few glass ornaments that were my grandmas - thay must be 70 or 80 years old, and only the most robust get put on now. But a huge proportion of ours (by which I mean the one's at Mums), are 35-40 years old, and every one is like an old friend.

Most astoundingly, some of the 40 year old stuff is lametta - just a few strands of the very original packet left now.

 

[fossyant]

My mum had some really great old decorations........ all got binned because of my sisters.. (lots younger).......... grrrrr........

 

[longers]

I'm looking forward to watching my nieces enjoy Christmases, the eldest is two and a half and will be into everything this year. It'll be noisy and fun!

 

[Panter]

Had a great day yesterday putting all the decorations up.
Most of our stuff was incredibly old, threadbare tinsel etc so we'd bought a load of new tat in poundshops and the like.
It's all very glittery, extremely cheesey, and the daughter loves it

Mind you, bargain of the day was a very crudely made metal penguin in a Christmas hat decoration. It's so appalingly badly made, and tacky, that I'm convinced it's actually the height of good taste. I'll try and get a picture up of it later

 

[summerdays]

Our tree (purchased last night and sitting in the garden at the moment) will be decorated with a variety of decorations some from my childhood, and bits collected over the years. Some have been hand made by the children and come out each year.

As for lights I have I don't know how many sets ... somehow I can't resist lights (both for Christmas or the bike). Yes I have purchased yet another set ... this time a huge 240 lights rather than trying to use multiple sets on the tree as we use the LED ones. I had to take back the first set I bought as they were too yellow ... the set I swapped it for is much better. Unfortunately the kids came with us that time and so we also have some colour changing lights as well. Do charity shops take old Christmas lights ... I'm never sure about electrical things.


Swapping topic slightly ... coming home from buying the tree and avoiding the Gloucester road which seemed to have sprung 4 way traffic lights we came across something that cause a "what is that" reaction.... we could see lots and lots and lots of lights up ahead just on the side of the road.... when we got closer we saw it was a man on a scooter/motorbike (one of those ones with a back behind him), and it was absolutely covered in fairy lights. He was covered as well... I mean I think there were about 30 on his helmet alone.... all twinkling.... bet he doesn't get SMIDSY!!!! I was really annoyed that I didn't have my camera on me.

 

[ColinJ]

Er, I'd better not comment - have a nice time folks!

 

[TrevorM]

I have 4 kids. Eldest born 1990. Since then they each get a new decoration for the tree every year. Each one labelled with date and place. When they have their own tree to decorate it will be a nice set of memories to have. They love unpacking them every year.

 

[postman]

Excellent post Arch .Our tree went up yesterday.Now it's starting to feel like Christmas .And some of our decorations have special memories .

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I put the decorations and tree up yesterday, the place is looking proper festive, but its not the same once the kids have grown up. Last year we had a major emergency, our old fibre optic artificial tree decided to die about two weeks before Xmas. I managed to get a replacement and its stood in the front of the lounge now, making the place look like a seventies disco, its got to many bright coloured lights on it flashing in assorted patterns.

 

[beanzontoast]

I put the decorations and tree up yesterday, the place is looking proper festive, but its not the same once the kids have grown up. Last year we had a major emergency, our old fibre optic artificial tree decided to die about two weeks before Xmas. I managed to get a replacement and its stood in the front of the lounge now, making the place look like a seventies disco, its got to many bright coloured lights on it flashing in assorted patterns.

Only last year we finally got rid of our multi-coloured programmable lights from when the kids were small and now have some plain white lights that don't make me feel like I'm on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

We did add a few more lights around the place yesterday as with just the tree up, it was feeling a bit less festive than normal. That and a glass of sherry and a lazy watch of Jingle All The Way seem to have redressed matters.

Shaun - enjoy every minute of Christmas!