Have you toned down your Xmas celebrating?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

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Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
If you've been near a mall or online store, you've noticed that it's the Christmas season. I used to have a tree, window treatments, Christmas theme platters for at least 100 Xmas cards, etc., etc.
Today, I have a flashing sign I put in a window, and put a couple of red candles up.
Have you toned down on your Christmas celebrating?
 

Funny you ask, fuzzy. If a sample of size 1 counts, I've toned UP. Never put up *any* decorations, except a Christmas card from my insurance company on the mantel, for years. Last year I put lights out on the front porch. It looked pretty good. Not so sure I'll get to it this year. Another project, and life, might get in the way. Plus my neighbor moved so there is no incentive for competition now. Ha! Ha!
 
Since it is just my husband and I that day, I really do not do anything in the way of decorating. Have not for years. We usually just plan a quiet day at home. I have not sent cards in years. Do not receive many either, just from a couple of his aunts.
 

Yes.

Haven't put up a tree in years, well, I do have a 2-footer on the bookcase, but that doesn't really count. Electric candles in the windows and wreath on the door is about it.

Very small gifts this year. Retirement changes things a lot.
 
We always had a full size live Christmas tree and lots of decorations all around. Now that the kids are grown and we travel to see the Grand kids for most holidays we have scaled down drastically. I always put up the manger my Grandpa gave me as a child and a tiny tree in our sitting room,some greens on a shelf in the dining room with candles. Years back we entertained quite a bit but now so many are not with us anymore and there is always the threat of bad weather. Such a hassle and disappointment to prepare and people not showing up. I'm glad to have my daughter take over. I sit back and enjoy the Grand kids.
 
Since it's just me and I go to my daughter's for Christmas, I don't do anything now. I say to myself, "Why bother? No one's going to see it but me." I used to decorate and put up a tree but that was when it was two of us here. Times have changed.
 
I put up a small ceramic tree from the 70's, a miniature nativity scene and a couple of other small decorations.

I don't send any cards and I still receive one from an old friend and one from my CPA.

I like to buy myself a nice poinsettia and a giant amaryllis bulb.

I buy small amounts of some foods that I consider Christmas treats.

As far as gifts go, I normally don't receive any and I don't buy any, I still fill a couple of envelopes with cash on the off chance that someone will turn up and after the first of the year I put any leftover cash into the general fund.

That's about it.
 
Yes. I have the spirit for it, but lack space and money to expend on decorations for the day, not to mention my fear of the danger of standing on ladders and hanging dangles. I don't want to fall.

A good Christmas meal with family and presents are as far as I go.
 
no decorating here---2 foot tree lights made into it -i dont send cards i get one every year from my brother-- i dont buy presents i just hand a few gift cards to a chosen few and that is it
 
Yup, Since the kids have grown up, things are down to the bare minimum.

I do have one of those ceramic Christmas trees (That light up) so I'll probably get it out when the time comes.

If I can stay out of trouble (And jail) on New Years Eve, I'll see if I can find that Easter Bunny.
 
Falcon said:
Yup, Since the kids have grown up, things are down to the bare minimum.

I do have one of those ceramic Christmas trees (That light up) so I'll probably get it out when the time comes.

If I can stay out of trouble (And jail) on New Years Eve, I'll see if I can find that Easter Bunny.
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Harvey?

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I still decorate my condo. Lights on the terrace, a wreath on my front door. Inside a large artificial tree, more Xmas indoor decorations etc. Stockings by the fireplace, even my cats get stockings. Some baking, but not the level of holiday entertaining

or zillions of Xmas goodies plates I used to hand out every year as presents while the kids were at home. For years I was known as "she who bakes." loll. Those loved ones who cannot spend Xmas with me will receive care parcels, those who can prezzies and a Xmas dinner with all the trimmings. Time to make shortbread so it has time to ripen before Christmas!
 
I plug in a small ceramic tree also, and surround it with the Christmas cards we get, that's about it. We usually make a special dinner, but it's just the two of us now. Never was one to put up outdoor lights, etc. We used to put up a big tree, but no more. :christmas2:
 
I have toned it down some, but still put up the tree and decorate it. I lash together some pine tree boughs and attach pine cones to them to hang above the front room windows (inside) and a window in the dining area, and I make a wreath for the door with what's left. And there's a few doo-dads that I like to set on my bookshelves and my desk.

Until a few years ago, I would go all-out; had an electric train running around the tree, and a little light-up village on the bookshelves, trimmed the house with lights. The reason I've toned it down a bit is my back problems. Maybe after I'm all healed up from surgery (up-coming), I'll do Christmas like I used to. I do still have young grandchildren who visit me often, and they love it.
 
Don't decorate much anymore. Give gift cards to family. Will make peanut butter candy for some people that expect it each year. Probably have dinner with daughter and grands. They will give me Kroger and Walmart gift cards to help with my budget. I will make homemade cranberry sauce and take English peas to go with the Christmas turkey and dressing. Put up my ceramic tree like Falcon and I lost the Easter bunny a few years back so no need to look for him.
 
terry123 said:
Don't decorate much anymore. Give gift cards to family. Will make peanut butter candy for some people that expect it each year. Probably have dinner with daughter and grands. They will give me Kroger and Walmart gift cards to help with my budget. I will make homemade cranberry sauce and take English peas to go with the Christmas turkey and dressing. Put up my ceramic tree like Falcon and I lost the Easter bunny a few years back so no need to look for him.
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Hi Terry. My aunt used to give me a small tin filled with pecan pralines, fudge, and divinity every Christmas. Her pralines were so awesome I looked forward to them every year. One year, instead of the divinity, she made peanut butter fudge. I'd never tasted anything so yummy! She passed away a few years ago. Thanks for reminding me about her home-made candies.

Great memories.
 
We don't bother much about Christmas now that the kids fave grown and flown. Funny enough, it's the Kids who want a more traditional Christmas. I have no real religious beliefs, so I'm more inclined to celebrate the Solstice.
 
I've tried to however I've had some grandchildren in the last couple of years. That daughter and SIL don't "do" decorations but like to come enjoy them at Grandma's.
Oh the sacrifices..........haha.
 
We may have a family Christmas at our place once every 4 or 5 years...in which case we put up a tree and decorations, etc. The other years, the celebration takes place at the daughters/granddaughters places, so they decorate, and we just bring ourselves and gifts....putting nothing up at the house in those years.
 
We have toned down from decorating the house inside, lights outside, a little each year until now it's only a couple of Christmas cards we stand up on an entry table. No tree. But I think less decorations is a normal thing when the kids grow up, move away and as we age. In reality, aside from the religious aspect, if we consider that, Christmas is for children and when there's no kids around, well, just turn on the TV. We used to get great Christmas programming. Today, it's pot luck.
 
I have a few things that I put out every year, but since I live "next door" but under the same roof as DD/DSIL and the g'kids and they have a big tree and outdoor decorations, it's really all I do...a ceramic tree made many years ago by my Best Aunt, another 2' artificial tree that was in DH's hospital room before he died, Christmas-themed kitchen and bath towels.

Last year DD wanted something "different" to hang from the brackets that hold ferns the rest of the year so I made her two silver and blue hanging baskets with battery-operated mini lights. They were pretty enough to keep and will be used again this year.

When DH and I still lived in the Frozen North, we did a lot of decorating even if kids and g'kids weren't there. He had an electric train to circle the tree, hung up lighted evergreen swags on the front porch, put lights in the shrubbery in the front yard. It was a lot of work to decorate, looked pretty, and was a lot more work to un-decorate!

Nowadays, if I need a Christmas fix, I just open the door between my place and the kids' place and walk down the hall.
 
In my building, many of the people decorate doors. Some do more than that, of course, but I'm pretty much a door decorator. I hang various wreaths, etc. according to the season. Right now, I have a very autumn-looking wreath on the door. In a month or so, I'll replace it with a bouquet of frosted "fruit" that I use throughout the winter. Most of the stuff is available at Michael's, and a lot easier than dealing with real greenery.
 
Christmas is my favorite holiday! But yes, do not decorate as much as I once did. Late husband would hang lights and set up deer in front yard, since his passing no longer do that. Have small Christmas trees in urns on each side of door that light up and a wreath on the front door. That's about it for outside the house.
At one time would set up 4 - 5 Christmas trees inside now only 2. These will go up before Thanksgiving. Still decorate around the house with different holiday decorations. Yesterday I went to Michaels and bought a new wreath for my front door along with some other little goodies. Getting ready to start decorating.
 
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