For the past three weekends I've kept saying that I am going to absolutely put up my tree and decorations. Unfortunately I have to first dust, vacuum and thoroughly clean my apartment. (In some ways it is still in a state of post hurricane preparation.)

There's not a lot of desire on my part to do any of that. Especially when you consider at this point I'll have to take it all back down after two or three weeks.

Instead of decorating I have done some Christmas shopping, where I've found very little to buy. I've putzed around on the computer, posting on assorted forums. Generally not done any decorating.

This weekend is my personal deadline. I'll let you know how it goes.

How about the rest of you? What would you rather do (or are doing) than decorate?

At least put up the tree and some lights, Leo. Or put a nice wreath on the door. There's no rule that says you have to put up every decoration you have.

As for me, decorating isn't too difficult. I put the tree together, which has built-in lights, and my three little elves put up all the ornaments while I put up the outdoor lights.

Tracey is not a big fan of Christmas, so she makes the decision on wether or not we'll have a tree. If she decides we're gonna display it, she usually insists on putting it up and decorating it herself. My job is to hang the lights outside, and to design our Christmas card (which I'll be displaying in here).

I'm supposed to go out with the family this weekend to cut down a Christmas tree - this would be a first for us, actually going out to a "farm", picking the tree, and cutting it down. The whole "experience" also includes a sleigh ride and hot apple cider around a bonfire.

Thanks to all of this air travel, though, I've come down with a bit of a cold and would much rather spend the weekend bundled up in a blanket in front of the TV! Since our graduating daughter is driving this initiative, though, I'm afraid I may lose.

We can't have a real tree any longer. My daughter and I are both too allergic. However, we have a living tree in the front yard that I decorate with lights and tinsel. It's an excellent compromise.

Dan- where are you getting the tree from? I have many fond memories of getting a tree with the family on Mt. Spokane, or up by Chewelah or Colville. We'd usually get a permit to get one from the national forest, rather than a private farm, though.

When I researched this a few years ago, I found a farm up near Elk... that's probably where we'll go, but I'm open to suggestions.

No tree as of yet. I did pick up some bar stools from my folks to donate to my office's GLO family. (I forget what the acronym is for, but it's for a family who's down on their luck and has a couple of kids.) The family needed a couple of bar stools and my folks had some from their move that were barely used.

Anyhow, I'm hoping to gather some energy tonight and get some cleaning and decorating going. I think once I get past the hurdle of not wanting to start it, I'll be fine.

Dan - your idea sounds nice, with the sleigh ride & the cider. Our trips usually involved cross country skis and a little bit of getting lost.

There was the year that Dad got the idea to use a rope between his waist and the tree to pull it back to the car over the snow, since the skis made it too hard to carry.. That made the question of which side of the tree goes in the corner REALLY easy.

Sounds fun!

Had a couple of the kids and one grandkid over Friday, and put the tree up. Did far less decorating this year - just so busy.

Rather than put up decorations? Well, since I still don't have a place to live yet, I guess actually getting my stuff out of storage would be at the top of the list.

But closing on the house tomorrow (fingers crossed) and hopefully I'll get all that later this week. Then the decision will be whether I put them up at all, since the kids will be out of town Christmas week and I'm flying out to visit my daughter.

Decisions, decisions....

I'd rather have knee surgery....on myself...performed BY myself. Guh. Can't wait fer Janeeary.

You've been dealing with Christmas since.....right around Hallowe'en, right DADDIO?

Before then. We're getting Valentine's Day stuff right now...

You're not displaying it already I hope?

No, as we have plenty of Christmas goods yet. But if it sells through in the next week or so....it will be out there.

*hangin' mah head*

Sorry. Its mah reality, friend!

Understood. But, is it me, or does it seem to get worse each year? I mean, stuff seems to be hittin' the shelves earlier and earlier. At this rate, you'll be puttin' out Christmas stuff shortly after New Years!

I'd rather light the Chanukiah. It just makes a lot more sense. Being Jewish and all.

At the decorations make sense for that and have a purpose to its history. I'm still trying to piece together how a tree with lights and ornaments relates to the Christian origins.

The use of an evergreen tree is a reference to the eternal life we live through Jesus.

Besides, all the pagans were already doing it for their solstice parties.