Grands will fly down from ID to NM over the holidays so I will go all out over there this year in many ways, decorate the ABQ house, take day trips, maybe overnight in Santa Fe or Taos. Over the last 20+ years I usually have taken a holiday trip with a girlfriend and only minimally decorated my house. Back in the day raising our children we lived in a small town in the mountains of NM and used to cut our trees ourselves, very memorable.

Our tree goes up traditionally the Monday after Thanksgiving. For many years we went to a Christmas Tree farm in Illinois and picked out our live Christmas tree. Now we have a very nice three piece seven foot tree with lights already on it that we decorate with various Christmas memorabilia/decorations from past Christmases. Always, the last ornament that goes on the top of the tree is the lighted Angel. As long as I can remember, the Angel was always on our Christmas tree as I was growing up. After our mother passed, my two brothers and one sister drew “lots” to choose “treasures” accumulated over many years and all the rest was donated to charity. The first item I chose was the Christmas Angel. It’s at least 75 years old (maybe older) never had the light changed (as far as I know) and the most inspirational ornament on our Christmas tree.

We put up a tree but it is always a bit of a hassle. We rent a big place somewhere we can expect a White Christmas, and wait until the whole family arrives, buy a real tree and decorate it with the stuff we lugged with us...including a stand. We have learned to take a saw along to even the bottom. The White Christmas expectations have not been met the last few times but our ugly sweater cookie decorating contests are epic.

Love those Christmas sweater cookies! We make biscochitos and empanadas which are plain in appearance but taste great!

We also make a huge pot of posole. A few extended family members love menudo but I won't touch it or chicharrones.

I put up my tree on or around Dec 1 and take it down New Year's day or the day after.

I feel that any more than that and the tree and decorations become less special.

I lived in Manila and the decorations go up on Sept 1 and stay up until the end of January. Christmas music is played in the malls and stores for four months. By the end of November it's just another day. By Christmas is nothing special.

One month makes it special.

We have a 5 foot lighted fake palm tree. It stays on lanai all year long and I can have Alexa turn on the lights whenever I want!
When we lived in Massachusetts I was horrified to see anyone's fake tree. Times have changed!

Day after Thanksgiving. Comes down the day after Christmas.

small ceramic handmade tree about the first of december and comes down on new years weekend.