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Going by mall-time, Christmas time started last Friday. By Target/Walmart time, Christmas time started the day before Halloween. My families’ tradition is that you can’t play Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. And my tree went up on Sunday. But it’s still November, for crying out loud. It doesn’t feel like Christmas time yet.
I don’t know if it’s different for those of you who get snow and the leaves changing colors and all that, but for me it usually doesn’t feel like Christmas time until I wrap the first present. And since I’m currently doing revisions/copy edits, tha
t isn’t going to be for another week or so. Hopefully. Because I really haven’t even started shopping yet. And I still have a Thanksgiving bouquet sitting out, though it’s looking kind of wilted. And I never actually took my Christmas lights off my house, because last year I got tired of the nails under the eaves falling off and I stapled the lights up. Sigh.
Anyway, does it feel like Christmas time yet to you? Do you do something special to usher in the holiday? How’s your buying going? And please don’t tell me you’ve already wrapped a present.
58 Comments on “Is It Christmas Time?”
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Well, it was 14 degrees here this morning, but it still doesn’t feel like Christmas. Maybe because there’s no snow.
I started listening to Christmas music while I was making Thanksgiving dinner. That’s about all I do to usher in the holiday.
I did some shopping online yesterday. No wrapping yet because nothing’s arrived.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:38 am.
Fourteen degrees, Lori? I’ve never even seen 14 degrees. And I’ll admit that I might have listened to a few Christmas tunes a day early. Maybe. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:58 am.
Growing up in Montana when it was cold like that without snow in December, I kind of felt cheated. First, snow’s required for Christmas. Second, if it’s going to be that cold, there should be snow to go with it. I hope you get snow soon to go with your cold.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:06 pm.
We hang the lights during Thanksgiving weekend and this year it was 67-degrees on Thanksgiving day. Grumble, grumble went DH up onto the roof with me.
The tree came into the house yesterday and got its white twinkle lights. I found a banister decorating idea on pinterest and we had fun replicating this last night too!
Black Friday found me online shopping and I am about 80% done. Just little “fun” things now.
No presents wrapped. No snow either – not feeling Christmas yet!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:53 am.
Oh, kez, you are SO far ahead of me. Is it the snow that makes it feel like the holidays?
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:47 pm.
Yep. The snow makes it feel like Christmas. I love the glow of the icicles on the house through the snow. Standing in the warm house drinking hot chocolate while watching it snow outside is near perfect! Having a plate of decorated Christmas cookies doesn’t hurt either.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:25 pm.
Christmas time has yet to arrive at my place. We need to buy a tree and decorations but hopefully this will be this week then it can go up on the weekend after my nephew’s birthday party. I have gotten started on the present buying but still need to buy food stuffs like chips, dips and biscuits and the lollies. Then there’s the salads but they can be purchased on Christmas eve along with the kabana sticks. Thankfully I have quite a bit of Christmas music on my computer so I can let rip while decorating the tree and stuff.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:01 pm.
Oh and we are expecting a heatwave over the next few weeks or so, so no snow here.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:03 pm.
Kelly, I know you’re used to having Christmas in the middle of your summer, but is snow still a part of the holiday theme in Oz?
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:48 pm.
Sadly, no it isn’t Suzanne.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 5:02 pm.
We got snow on Friday, and it has stayed on the ground, so it feels a lot like Christmas now. I haven’t put up my tree, but I plan on doing that this weekend. The lights are up outside, and we turned them on last night.
I have started wrapping. I wrapped about 10 presents yesterday. I tend to wrap as I shop. That way I don’t end up with a ton of wrapping to do the night before Christmas.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:11 pm.
Oh, AmyS, you are far too organized. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:48 pm.
Trees up, lights are up, there are some presents under the tree (because bro’s family comes here at T-giving and delivers them then). And one present has already been unwrapped! Yes, Hank-the-pup found the Christmas-wrapped, plastic-shrink-wrapped bone left under the tree for him from his aunt, uncle, and cousins. We got it away from him before he started gnawing on it, though. Must wait until the 25th of December!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:20 pm.
I think Hank-the-pup has an unfair advantage. *g* It does feel different once the tree goes up, doesn’t it, Christie?
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:50 pm.
I was in the San Francisco bay area for Thanksgiving and we found two radio stations playing Christmas music 24/7. Costco has had Christmas stuff up since before Halloween. Since my friend relies on nephews to put up the outside lights and put together the fake tree it was done this last weekend since they were available then. We were in Union Square in SF on Friday for the lighting of the Christmas tree @ 6:45pm and the temp was still 63! Very warm for November in the city!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:42 pm.
We have one of those radio stations here, LauraR! I think they start on 11/1, and go nonstop through 1/1. That’s a little too early and a little too much for me.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:52 pm.
My husband started putting up the outdoor decorations at the beginning of the month. The grand lighting was Thanksgiving night. The tree was up and decorated on Sunday. The village and train are now under it. Sometimes one or both cats are laying in the village. Some presents are bought but not wrapped except for the one that went to church on Sunday. We took a bell from the wreath at church and bought something for an elderly man.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:47 pm.
That’s so cool, Sandi – we always pluck the tree at the bank to buy gifts for needy families, too.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 12:53 pm.
There are 2 radio stations in LA that have been playing Christmas music for a good while, now. I have been refusing to listen to them because it doesn’t feel like Christmas to me, but my dh keeps turning it on whe he’s driving the car.
It’s not going to be Christmas for me until the tree’s up, decorated, with a couple of presents under the tree, and I start making my fleur de sel caramels for my many, many friends. With all the caramels that I have to make, I need to get started this weekend because the following weekend I’m selling my jewelry at a local art center.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:03 pm.
I forgot to add that I didn’t even know of the other LA radio station until about 2 months ago, when I did a phone survey about LA radio stations. But my dh knew about it. Then, again, we listen to completely different music.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:09 pm.
Is one of those stations KOST 103.5, Janae? I swear, next year they’ll be starting Christmas music over the 4th of July weekend.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:12 pm.
That is one of them, and I betcha they will be starting Christmas music at least that early next year. Drives me crazy!! The other one is 94.7. I had never heard of it until the phone survey.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 7:55 pm.
It should feel like Christmas time when they start playing Christmas songs on the radio. But it doesn’t quite work that way.
My tree is up. I have 80% of my gifts purchased (but not yet wrapped!). The trees are bare and the temps are cool. It still doesn’t feel like Christmas and I think I know why:
It’s still November!
Christmas is in December. That explains it.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:15 pm.
You’re right, Claudia. It’s just too early. But there are still presents I need to buy NOW, or they won’t get here in time.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:13 pm.
It turned cold here over the weekend, and this morning I woke up to snow flurries. That is what does it for me—cold and some snow. I can’t get in the spirit of things until I have that, and can’t understand how those of you in warm climates ever get in the mood.
No tree up yet. Still figuring out how to do it with the dog around. No shopping yet, although I do know what I am getting for my sisters. Totally clueless on dh as of now.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:27 pm.
For me it’s more about music and baking and shopping than the weather, but I didn’t like it last year when I wore shorts on Christmas day. Sigh. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:14 pm.
I just went and read all the posts from people who have already decorated, bought gifts, wrapped them, and presumabley done the advance work on Christmas dinner. I am so depressed to be so far behind I will probably put it all off another week now!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:30 pm.
Madeline, I’ll stay behind, as well, so don’t feel alone.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:44 pm.
People are already working on their Christmas dinner?!! That’s just crazy. I make the same thing every year, so I don’t have to plan it. I won’t be shopping for the stuff until the Saturday before.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm.
They started playing Christmas music on both my favorite radio stations BEFORE Thanksgiving this year and sort of got me in the spirit. Only bought two presents so far and those are for the Babe. The rest will come after the girls give me a list. I never decorate and the girls don’t usually get their tree until a couple weeks out. The Babe has such fun helping decorate the tree, it’s a pleasure to watch.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:43 pm.
I was listening to that station this weekend while decorating!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:56 pm.
I think I’ll start listening to Christmas music in the car now. That does help, Donna, doesn’t it?
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:15 pm.
Well, since it’s snowing right now and looking like a winter wonderland out there, yeah I’m getting in the Christmas spirit. We always decorate the house the weekend after Thanksgiving, so that’s all done – artificial tree up, mantel done, and lights outside are up. The family room tree will go up 2 weeks before Christmas because we go get a real tree. Don’t start me on shopping. I haven’t bought one thing.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 1:53 pm.
Join the club, SuzyQ. At this rate I’ll be wrapping IOUs. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:16 pm.
It is chilly outside, so it feels like winter (I do love having seasons again!) and my tree is up, cards are mostly written and some of my shopping is done. I have to order almost everything online since shopping choices are a wee bit limited here. I order them early to make sure I can get them wrap them and send them on their merry way.
None are officially wrapped, though.
I have also been playing Christmas music.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 2:05 pm.
I do most of my shopping online too, Sheridan, just because it goes faster and I always seem to have a writing deadline around this time of year.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:17 pm.
If I had deadlines around this time of year I would cry. I tend to have them in Feb. So I can lie to myself that it will get done after the holidays, see? Come Jan I am kicking myself.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 5:57 pm.
I have bought a few presents but nothing is wrapped yet. The outside of the house is decorated but nothing inside. Since we get a live tree and it stays up until the 1st of January, we won’t be putting it up until the middle of the month.
We don’t get snow here but since I live at the base of the San Bernardino mountains, I can look out my window to see the snow (hopefully we will have some soon) without having to deal with the cold and shoveling that comes with it.
We will decorate in the office this week and a few trips to the mall will put me in the holiday spirit.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 2:24 pm.
Yeah, Pamiam, I do have the feeling that snow is much prettier when it’s not on my lawn. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm.
It does feel like Christmas here! We always start the weekend after Thanksgiving, so the decorations are up at my house, and at the farm. It’s cold, and we saw the first flurries of the season during the football game last Friday….however it’s going to be 50 degrees this weekend, so I guess it’s all relative. No presents bought or wrapped here yet. Guess I should probably get moving on that…
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 2:29 pm.
Get some for me while you’re at it, Haley!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:18 pm.
I love Christmas, but this year it’s going to be just me and Hot Cop for the season, which is a first. I plan on putting up my tree tomorrow night, whether I’m in the holiday spirit or not. Until then, I’m going to juice upon Christmas music and see if that does the trick.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 2:53 pm.
I recommend John Denver & the Muppets, Karen. They always make me feel Christmasy. *g*
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:19 pm.
Right now it feels like Christmas because I have the festive music playing softly in the background. There is a fresh balsam candle burning also filling the house with a Christmas tree scent. I have bought and wrapped a few presents, but I am not quite done. As for decorating I have done a little, but the house is for sale so I won’t do much more. Just enough to make it warm and cozy!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 3:25 pm.
Christmas IS cozy, isn’t it, Kelly? That’s a good way of putting it.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:20 pm.
It is snowing here in NY area but it doesn’t feel like Christmas yet. Radio started to play Holiday music on weekends before Thanksgiving and of course, the stores started to push it too. I have bought a few Christmas gifts but I am going to try not to do anything else for Christmas till Dec 1. I like to have Christmas stuff up till Jan 6 so I try not to push it out too early. It will feel like Christmas when I get the first Christmas card.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 3:49 pm.
Oh, Christmas cards! I love getting those, Philomena. And I’m terrible about sending them. I need to work on those, too.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:22 pm.
oh, dear. Cards too. aaarrgh. So much to do. . . .
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 5:56 pm.
In the shops over here Christmas can sort of start to appear from August/September. I think Harrods or Selfridges put out their Christmas shop in July – which is a little on the early side.
Our city Christmas lights were only switched on last week, there’s the odd house with decorations up but not very many. I’ve only ever been allowed to put our decorations up the weekend before Christmas, but I’ve persuaded Dad to do it a little earlier this year! We’re buying our Christmas tree on Saturday, all my presents are bought (not wrapped yet though), and this year I’m very excited! I hold out hopes for a white Christmas! (But as it’s flooding all over the country at the moment it’s not looking promising…)
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 4:33 pm.
Temperatures below 80!!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 5:40 pm.
Well, I Rudolphed my car, put up my usb powered mini tree, played Christmas Rapping by the Waitresses and “did” Black Friday and bought my BIL his annual golf balls.
I’m good.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 7:39 pm.
Late to the party today, thanks to one BILLION errands! I have just finished a book skidding home just before Thanksgiving, and we’ll be heading to NZ right after Christmas, so I’m not sure how I feel about the holidays this year!
It is the first year I’ll be shopping for my granddaughter, and her first Christmas, so it should be great no matter what.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 8:40 pm.
It was 10 this morning and the high was 39 which was warmer than normal. I did wrap some holiday presents that I had to send for my 4 year old niece out east. I put them in the same box as her birthday presents. I’ve bought presents for 2 of the 4 kids (okay, adult children). The third will be getting gift cards to help with fixing up her & her hubby’s house. The fourth is tougher as is the hubby. Despite this all, it just doesn’t feel like Christmas is that close. Maybe because I have to teach for 3-1/2 more weeks before winter break. UGH!!! I need that break to come sooner.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 10:32 pm.
The rule in our family is no Christmas tree until after Thanksgiving. I set mine up after I got home from Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom’s. Mine is only four feet tall and sits on top of the television hutch to prevent dogs from watering it and cats from climbing it. My cats are too fat to jump that high. They all like to watch the lights.
No snow here in LA (Lower Alabama) but we’ve had some nights in the 20′s so the cold has arrived!
I have NO Christmas presents bought let alone wrapped! I do have a list.
And working in retail I am already sick of Christmas at work. I try to do things at home to get over that. I read Christmas set romance novels and anthologies. I watch Christmas movies and play Christmas music.
And Suzanne can I say again how much I LOVED Rules to Catch a Devilish Duke !!! I think it is one of your best ever, which is saying something! Thank you for another great addition to my Christmas reading shelf!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 10:53 pm.
Oh yes, I’m feeling the Christmas spirit. I’ve been feeling it for several months now. I’ve bought quite a few new ornaments, as I purchased a black tree after Christmas last year, which I plan to decorate in shades of pink, silver, and clear ornaments. Also, a few “fun” ornaments thrown in. I got tree up at work with my student workers decorating it.
The only presents I have purchased this far are for me. I don’t have a lot to pickup so it shouldn’t be too bad. Biggest item on my agenda is getting my trees up in my home and a few decorations outside.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:11 pm.
Does not feel like Christmas to me yet.. I usually don’t get in the holiday mood until I have all my nieces and nephews here for our annual Sparkle in the Park.. It is a beautiful light show in our park and they have a carasol and the kids get to ride it with Sanata.. That is on the 15th of December.. It usually gets me in the holiday mood.
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:14 pm.
I’m with you. It feels like Christmas once I’ve wrapped a present. I’ve bought several, but have yet to wrap any. It’s really cold here, but it hasn’t snowed yet. We’re supposed to get snow this week, however. My kids have been watching Christmas movies since September, and our tree went up this past weekend. It’s getting a little more festive around here, but my husband hasn’t put up the outdoor lights yet. I might start wrapping this coming weekend, but it depends on when I can get the kids looked after… I wouldn’t want them to see all the gifts before Santa comes!
Posted on November 27, 2012 at 11:43 pm.
I’m sweltering today, so yes, I know Christmas is on it’s way. I’ve been eating watermelon, salads & mango sorbet.
I have nearly all my presents wrapped.
Posted on November 28, 2012 at 3:52 am.