Holiday decoration question

[MEmama]

For those of you who like to decorate for the holidays, do the rest of your family members care? Like, do they appreciate it or do you do it for yourself? Has the interest (yours or theirs) changed over time?

[Ellie]

I think they all care (only two of us now, though). Mr. Ellie and I jump right into the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Mr. Ellie brings down all of the decorations and puts the Christmas tree together, and then he puts up his own decorations (outside lights, candles in the windows, etc.) while I trim the tree and whatnot.

[J-rap]

I like to decorate but I don't go overboard.  My dh isn't into decorating for the holidays, with the exception of a Christmas tree.  He always made it a special occasion to chop down a tree with our kids, and decorate it.  We never had outdoor lights though, or anything outdoors.  Anything else is my idea, and he doesn't mind my choices.  He also wouldn't care if I didn't do anything.  (Except for a Christmas tree!)   I know my kids loved the decorations growing up, and kind of take after me in their own apartments:  simple but something.  Well, except our ds.  He really doesn't get into decorating his own apartment at all, although I know he enjoyed the Christmas magic that decorations help bring when he was younger.  I have a feeling that when/if he has kids of his own, he'll enjoy placing some Swedish Tomtens around the house at Christmas.  🙂 

[Annie G]

My interest has waned. We’ve been parents for almost 40 years and I’m just tired.  Dh loves to have the house decorated and though I campaigned for no exterior lights this year, he said he’d just do them himself if I don’t want to help. And he would, without making me feel guilty, but I’ll help. 
The kids and grandkids probably like the decorations but nobody actually mentions it. They would if I didn’t decorate, though!

[JustEm]

I only decorate because my kids want to.  We don't go overboard though.  We have lights that we put up outside and 2 christmas trees.  That is about it.  I want to get in the habit of adding one or 2 decorations a year but just haven't done it yet

[WildflowerMom]

I’ll find out this year.   Every year, I put the tree up (ok, I pull it out of the closet fully decorated 😆) sometime before thanksgiving.  I don’t plan on doing anything until December.  And honestly, I don’t care a whole lot about it right this second.  2021 has just sucked royally and I’m done, ykwim?   I do have all the gifts bought and mostly wrapped, but I just don’t care right now about decorating.   

[Loowit]

I really enjoy decorating.  It is something I look forward to every year.  DH is fine with it and happy to help.  DD looks forward to it to.  I think the boys like the decorations but they aren't as into helping with them anymore.

There was only one year that I had a hard time decorating.  My depression had gotten really bad and I just couldn't bring myself out of it.  The kids were pretty young at the time, but they and DH decorated that year for me.  That really meant a lot to me.

I am looking forward the Thanksgiving weekend.  DD will be home and we will spend the weekend decorating together.

[regentrude]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

For those of you who like to decorate for the holidays, do the rest of your family members care? Like, do they appreciate it or do you do it for yourself? Has the interest (yours or theirs) changed over time?

I used to decorate a LOT. Until I realized that it didn't bring me the happiness of my childhood Christmasses - because I am in another country, miss my traditions and extended family, and because I am now the mom who has to make the magic happen. Worked my butt off until I realized none of my family care at all. Scaled way down since then.

[Pawz4me]

I think we’re going to totally skip decorating this year. DS25 is the only one who ever really cared. He cares a lot less than he used to, plus he’ll probably only be here for a few days. It’s not feeling worth the effort and upheaval right now. 

[Selkie]

I've scaled way back on decorations in recent years and I don't think anyone cares. I purged most of our decorations and gave them to the nearby thrift store that benefits an animal rescue.

This year will be pretty minimal. A string of lights on the deck, a small live tree, the Christmas banner on the fireplace, and fresh greens on the mantel and doors.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

For those of you who like to decorate for the holidays, do the rest of your family members care? Like, do they appreciate it or do you do it for yourself? Has the interest (yours or theirs) changed over time?

My kids are mostly adults.   when they were little, they appreciated it.  I have no idea now.  My boys complain about putting up the tree (9', pre-lit).  It's dh's busiest time of year, so I decorate the tree myself. Dh does appreciate my efforts.  Last year, due to my illness, I had to have help.   

I definitely started out decorating for myself - due to my background, the Christmas decorations were what I looked forward to at Christmas.  My 'style" has simplified a lot.  I now prefer greenery.  I have a huge collection of European glass ornaments - but they haven't been out of their boxes for at least five years.  My tree is "snowflakes", snowballs, pinecones, and icicles.  (takes up a lot less storage space too.)  My mantel is greenery and candles, I've added silk poinsettias that are various places.  so, it's mostly greenery.   Some nativities, an advent calendar.

I have two christmas cookie jars I've hardly ever  put cookies in (I have stashed candy in them) - that I'm now trying to sell.  I've sold my (very small collection) of dept 56 village.

[Laura Corin]

They all care. Husband starts to yearn for decorations earlier than I'd prefer to put them up, so we meet in the middle. 

[Sneezyone]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

For those of you who like to decorate for the holidays, do the rest of your family members care? Like, do they appreciate it or do you do it for yourself? Has the interest (yours or theirs) changed over time?

Yep.They care. DS's birthday is 4 days before Christmas and if I don't decorate, he feels like the month-long DS-fest has been canceled. Every year, on Dec.1, I hang their advent calendars on their doors. Now, I alternate between money (to buy their own gifts for giving), bible verses, candy, and love notes. 

[Lecka]

No, they don’t care.  

I would describe them as neutral.  

[HS Mom in NC]

Oldest and her husband like a tree and decor-they decorate inside their house in spite of their goblins...I mean cats. 

Middle and her husband don't care about a tree at all anymore and don't put one up.  They also have cats that I don't think factor in.  They do like some lights outside, so they put those up. She's always loved outside lights, so when she was living with us she was always in charge of that.

Other than having a tree, I don't think youngest and husband care that much. I put up stockings, a tree, and an advent candle set. I've always loved the idea of decorating the house with lights to look like a gingerbread house, but so far I haven't had the energy. Maybe someday.

Edited November 8, 2021 by HS Mom in NC

[freesia]

Mine do. My 16 year old in particular notices if we leave out any tradition or decoration. I always decorate but have never felt it always had to be the same. We do a tree and then I kind of bring out other things as I feel like it—except now ds 16 is always asking where xyz is. 

Edited November 9, 2021 by freesia

[Anne]

Another empty nester here.  We always have a tree plus some nativities and I don’t see that changing any time soon.  What else goes up just depends on my interest/energy in a given year.  Some years we have inside lights in some of the rooms, some years outside lights, some years both…. Still TBD what will go up this year…

Anne

[alisoncooks]

Mine care and appreciate it, but they don’t care as much as I do. So mostly it’s for me…but they’d be sad if I didn’t. (The kids help decorate; we usually make a thing of it and binge holiday movies. DH helps by dragging everything out of the attic at my request.)

In fact, Facebook has informed me that I’m behind schedule because I had already decorated by this time last year, lol.  I’ll probably get started tomorrow. 

 

[Ali in OR]

I love sitting in our decorated living room in December with Christmas music playing. So I would always do at least that room for me.

[marbel]

My daughter is the main driver of Christmas decor these days. I do like having some lights, greenery, and some classic Christmas decorations around, but am kinda over the tree. It may be because our artificial tree is getting old and a bit raggedy looking, but we haven't been able to replace it. Maybe next year.

My husband doesn't care. My son doesn't participate much but he enjoys putting up his particular special ornaments. He also enjoys the festive atmosphere of cookies and drinks when decorating is happening. 😎

If it was just me, I would do up the mantle beautifully with greens, garlands, and classic Christmas balls in glass bowls and/or vases. Red and white flowers on the kitchen table. And some lights. And Christmas music for about 3 days before Christmas till January 6.  

[Tap]

They all love it. I think the biggest part, is the lights.  We live in the PNW where it is completely dark by 6 in December. Coming home to a warm house full of pretty shiny decorations and soft twinkle lights, is very warming. I don't do flashing bold lights. Just soft, white lights. Any that flash are on very soft, fade in and out settings and are limited. I even have a dimmer on my tree, because I find the lights on the tree are a little brighter than my liking. 

I have lit up book cases full of wood Santa's and mercury glass. It is warm and inviting. My main colors are white, silver, dark red, soft green, and black. 

I know some people like bold, bright, vibrant colors and sounds....but for me, Christmas decorations are about a warm, relaxing, visual hug. 

[Faith-manor]

My family appreciates it. Dd and I are going Danish/Viking/Norse crazy this year with splashes of Scottish elements to represent heritage on my side. We have been having fun planning it, building off what I did last year. Mark has been cutting out wood ornaments with his laser printer so we have a lot of reindeer and other elements to sand, stain, and paint.

[busymama7]

We are those people who most would consider go overboard.  We love it.  We have grown kids but also two under 10 so have been at this a  long time with no real end in sight.  I do see us simplifiing when we get older but with so many kids to help and presumably grandkids maybe not.  We put up three trees, lots of nativities, a village under one tree, garland all around banisters (open upstairs so there's a lot!). Pretty much every flat surface in our home has something on it.   Lights and candles and poinsettias and wreaths and candy canes and Santas and trains and and and 

Like I said we love it.  My dh is a driving force and does a lot of it and a lot of the take down.  There have been years I've been sick or pregnant or whatever and he just does whatever I can't although I am much better at lighting the trees so I try to do that.  ☺️

Edited November 9, 2021 by busymama7

[Faith-manor]

I should state that for years, I had no Christmas joy. It is an insane time of year for musicians, particularly pianists. Through the years that I had young kids, I had my own music studio putting on a Christmas recital, a church that hired me to play for every Wednesday night Advent service, one school and one church who hired me to accompany their musicals, a community choir to conduct through a concert, and an annual Bach harpsichord concert to perform. I was exhausted. But I also felt I needed to decorate heavily for the children. We also attended a church that guilt tripped everyone about putting anything out that wasn't religious in nature. So I would see beautiful Father Christmases or elves or candy canes or .....and be sad because I thought I shouldn't buy those things. I was already "on the fringe" with the church because of being a classical musician instead of a gospel style only pianist. I know they did not appreciate me working with other churches on their classical/sacred concerts nor the secular musicals at the school. I was generally not a happy person all those years through December.

But now I don't have those religious trappings, nor the jobs, and retired from having a personal studio. The only thing I will do is perform a piano, not harpsichord, concert for a group this year where they have to be vaxed an masked, and are a long distance away from me while I play. I did it last year as well. I love playing Bach. And now we have embraced some heritage traditions - Danish/Scandinavian/Norse - that had been lost in Dh's side of the family, and having SO much fun with it! 

I totally sympathize with people who just do not enjoy it, but do it for their families. I get that.

[Emba]

My kids love decorating. I do not. I’d it were up to me, I’d have a very minimal Christmas decor, maybe just stockings and my ceramic Christmas tree. The kids are all big enough now that I just let them do the decorating.

[Bootsie]

The others in my family do not care much about decorations.  In fact, if I didn't put in a Christmas tree or get out stockings I am not sure that anyone else would or would care.  DH and DS have enjoyed projects of doing outdoor lights a few times.  I have Christmas ornaments from my childhood that I remember making or remember the person who gave the ornament to me.  I enjoy having keepsakes that I can remember once per year but aren't constantly out  needing to be dusted .  I have ornaments the kids made.  When my kids were small I tried to establish tree decorating traditions--special foods, music, etc. and my kids were not interested in participating in any of it.  They shown no interest in taking any of the special ornaments that have been given to them over the years.  The rest of the family jokes that I put too many ornaments on the tree.  DH would put up the tree and maybe put 20 ornaments on the tree (clumped together) and call it done.  

[prairiewindmomma]

I decorate because I like it. My family doesn't enjoy decorating, and won't help me. I've scaled way back from what I used to do....mostly it's just a wreath on the door, a tree, and a few other little things. The days of evergreen garlands everywhere and tons of special decor are over.

[lmrich]

I like decorating, but it is way more fun with help. Two years ago, my dd brought over the kids she was babysitting. The 6 and 4 year old little girls loved helping me decorate my tree and did it quickly. I wonder if I can invite them to come to do it again? 

[Lecka]

I made an effort when my kids were little.  Right now with teens I don’t think they would notice or care if we didn’t decorate at all.

I was the same way, and as an adult it turns out some things are special to me now, even if I didn’t care at the time.

I think the main thing is we aren’t a really visual group of people.  

[busymama7]

2 hours ago, lmrich said:

I like decorating, but it is way more fun with help. Two years ago, my dd brought over the kids she was babysitting. The 6 and 4 year old little girls loved helping me decorate my tree and did it quickly. I wonder if I can invite them to come to do it again? 

My kids have often helped empty nesters decorate their tree.  It is wonderful for everyone!

[Carrie12345]

My family cares SO much more than me. 
Technically, I care, but I don’t handle clutter well and, in our small space… it’s very overwhelming for me. I try to hold them off until Black Friday, and demand removal the weekend after January 1.

This is our last year here. My hope for the new house is to keep most of our beloved (but cluttery) knickknacks in our family/rec space and just add basic holiday touches to our primary living areas.

Outside decor is yet to be debated, lol.