The Evolution of My Christmas

[rayinpenn]

One of the nice things about walking for exercise is the things you get to see. My favorite route takes me through an over 55 community. I like it because it is the safest, as there are sidewalks and little traffic. There are hundreds of lovely not too small homes on close lots surrounded by lots of green and walking trails. Oh, did I mention everyone waves and says hello.

Yesterday, to accommodate the rain I had a late start on my walk. 4:30 PM around sundown. Just up the block from my house I came upon the modest Christmas decoration in the picture below. The house had some wreaths and bows and nothing else. In the oldster’s neighborhood Christmas was out in force but no display was over the top. It occurred to me, they have discovered what it took me years to learn.

I’ve come to appreciate the modest display. I’ll be honest, I was once a light stringer and a multiple reindeer guy, but something happened. I was outside, alone taking down the lights on one bitterly cold January day freezing my fingers off when it started sleeting and occurred to me this is insane. Outside Christmas decorations had become my purview over the years.

That year a plan was hatched, a wreath, a few led lights inside with a red bow on timers in each window (inside). I think at night it looks stunning. Guess what? As a guy who always loved the holidays I love all the more them more without the promise of cold hands.

When I think about all the expense, time, and cold fingers I have to chuckle. First the big bulb sets with their screw in replaceable bulbs that got hot to the touch. You better believe those used some juice. Then the smaller sets where if one bulb went out the whole string was dead. Finally, thank God LEDs. The sets I bought years ago are still running strong.

Has your holiday display evolved?
Hope you have Happy holidays

 

[rayinpenn]

 

[Jerry1]

I do a little more than you, but it’s very minimalist. One special tree and a string of lights across the short side of our house (faces the street). Takes less than an hour to put up or take down. I feel the need to have something up, but it doesn’t take much. Someday I’ll get DW to get a much smaller tree (like a table top size). But there too, I can’t imagine having no tree.

 

[pacergal]

As our kids got older (and we did , too!), our displays got smaller, both outside and in.
Three strands of LEDs across the front of the house is all I have this year. Didn't buy a wreath.
Inside, the tree, the nativity set, and a few figurines and candles is all I put out. DD took most of our decorations for her place, which is fine with me!

 

[razztazz]

I hang a wreath on the door and change my porch light from a normal bulb to a red bulb.

 

[Midpack]

We have wreaths, garlands and lights all across our front porch, and batt powered "candles" in each front window. For us, that's elaborate.

Our neighborhood holds a FB contest with formal judging on Christmas decorations, and there are many young families - so most homes in the neighborhood are decorated with the Griswolds as inspiration. There are two blocks on one street who worked together (every house on both sides) to create a theme they all observed - it's pretty amazing.

And those fan powered inflatable characters are very popular here, there's a home on the next block with a 10-12 foot tall Santa and Rudolph!!!

 

[2017ish]

At our old house, prior to 2004, we used to decorate a fair amount at Christmas, although Independence Day was our big holiday.

Now, no one can see our house from a street or another house, so we don't do anything at all. Still fun to drive around looking at neighborhoods that put on a display though!

 

[justlikebike]

DW and I walk daily around our neighbourhood. I try to guess the average age of the people and marital status. Massive decorations with blow-up characters. Younger with school aged children. Lights strung up along the roof top. Middle aged couple no kids/older kids at home. Lights only at head height or lower several bushes ringed in lights. Older couple. No lights maybe one wreath in the window. Single.

 

[O2Bfree]

We've stepped up our Christmas decorations a bit in the past 10 years. I put LED lights around the inside of the three windows by the tree and also make a wreath studded with LED lights to hang by the door outside. DH hangs lights on the cuphooks around the eves outside, and I put a few strands on a cement pagoda and nearby prostrate cedar in back. All lights are on timers to come on in the evening then again in the morning darkness. The days are so short here in the winter, and we really enjoy the warm glow of the lights coming through the blinds in the bedroom before we get up. It looks like the sun is coming up.

For years we didn't get a tree because we don't exchange presents, but got a tree one year on a whim and have continued to do so because we like being greeted by the cheery brightness in the morning. We still don't do gifts, but I've collected a heap of colorful Christmas tins and gift boxes to pile up under the tree. Really looks like we made a grand haul and I still get to play with the boxes!

 

[ncbill]

Down to just a Moravian star over the entry landing.

Gave away our inflatable decorations to a family with younger kids once ours were grown.

 

[Gumby]

We have a wreath on the front door and "kissing balls" of evergreen foliage hanging on the porch where we usually have hanging flowers. We also put a single candle in each of the street facing windows, which looks appropriate for our 1857 Greek Revival home.

Inside, the young wife has a fresh cut 3 foot spruce tree on a bureau, which can only be decorated with non-breakable ornaments due to the cats. She also hangs stockings in each of our three working fireplaces, puts evergreen ropes on the mantels, sets out a few wooden Nutcrackers here and there about the living room, and hangs wooden stars on fishing line from the crown molding along one wall.

 

[savory]

I do not celebrate Christmas but I do look at the decorations. I mentioned to DW that in our relatively new neighborhood, we have not noticed a home with the single (candle) light in the windows and a simple wreath on the front door. I think I like that because it has a beautiful simplicity and it seems to speak to the religious part of the holiday vs blow-up cartoon characters.

 

[FIREd]

I decided to keep it simple this year: a 4'-tree in the living room and a few paper stars hanging on the front door. I was going to decorate my new fireplace but, with the latest lockdown, that project fell through the cracks.

 

[Ronstar]

I agree with op. The modest display is more pleasing IMO. I have a couple of red and white bows on my workshop lit by the exterior lighting. I like it simple just as it is.

 

[audreyh1]

Our first year living together (1988) we got a tree, decorated it, put some gifts under it - probably what was going to my family later.

That was it! Too much trouble and we never bothered again. We never decorated our houses either.

No kids.

But we generally don’t do holiday celebrations unless visiting family. And gift giving is spontaneous, rather than tied to a birthday or other event. If we are traveling overseas on a birthday or anniversary we’ll have a special celebration and we have done more exotic travel specifically for a major anniversary. That’s about it.

 

[RobbieB]

I spent the time to install little screw hooks where needed and this whole thing goes up and takes down in 30 minutes.

4 strings of lights and the garland. And hey, this is California and no fingers get frozen -

 

[Koolau]

55 years ago, I helped my dad install a string of Christmas lights on the front porch. We would remove the bulbs each year after Christmas, but leave the string. I noticed last visit that the string is still attached to the old house. No idea if it's still functional or if the folks living there ever use it. We never are there at Christmas (brrrr!)

Locally, we put up a couple of stands of Christmas lights on the lanai. This year, DW put the 2 foot Christmas tree out on the Lanai. I doubt it's visible except for adding a faint glow.

 

[kgtest]

Fell out of a 40' Evergreen stringing lights this year. Felt like Clark griswold...dropped a few rungs down and the force from the stop popped me onto my butt backwards. Fun ride. I'll never forget it. Tree looks great though.

 

[rk911]

I hang a wreath on the door and change my porch light from a normal bulb to a red bulb.

we just hang a wreath on the front door. there are some indoor decorations that are my wife's and bro-in-law's option to put up as i'm happy with or without them. Christmas means a lot more to me than decorations.

 

[Sunset]

We have cut down the light show.
I put out the same lights but instead of balancing on a ladder to string along the gutter, I lay them back and forth over our front bushes.
Then I change the regular outdoor house lights to colored bulbs.
Finally a battery operated lighted wreath goes on the front door.

I can get it all done in 20 minutes or less, and no falling down.

 

[Major Tom]

I have 2 strings of LED lights connected together. They have been draped over my main bay window on the interior side for over 2 years now. I don't take them down - I just plug them in every year for the month of December. I also have a Christmas stocking hanging from the bed post. It has also been there for over 2 years. Putting up my Christmas "decorations" just involves plugging the lights in at the beginning of December, and then unplugging them on Jan 6th. Oh, the simple joys of living on your own!

 

[ckelly78z]

My wife, and I have come to this conclusion as well, that less is more on the outside decorations. My favorites are a classic lighted sleigh, with wreaths, and bows, and a candle in every window of the house. We only put white, and blue lights on our tree, and hang some garland swags on the mantle, and overhead arch.

Driving around the countryside, and neighborhoods, I have seen some hideous displays that border on gaudy, but to each, their own !

 

[jollystomper]

I put up 2 300 light strands outside. One across the top of porch, which has hooks for hanging and can be done with a step ladder. The other across shrubbery on the side of the house. One strand is LEDs, the other not. I will wait for the "50% off or greater sale" after Christmas to replace the non-LED string.

I also have 3 light projectors that I aim at the house, for the "moving stars and snowflakes" effect.

Everything is on timers, right now from dusk for 6 hours. From the 23rd to the 26th I sent them from dusk to dawn.

When the kids were young they used to love going to nearby tree farms and cutting down a tree. But for the last 15 years or so we have used an artificial tree that has held up very well. I do the lights and garland, DW does the decorations. It sits in our living room, in front of the picture window so can be seen.

Last year during the after Christmas sales I added a small 3 foot LED Christmas tree that was 75% off. I like it, the tips of the leaves are LEDs that change color. We set it up in the family room, where we tend to spend more time.

 

[atmsmshr]

Like others, when the kids were young (and so was I), four hours each year spent on stringing outside lights on the porch eves with a ladder and once even climbing the oak for decorations.

That faded when the kids learned to drive for today's display of icicle lights on the porch and wreaths on the palm trees guarding the entrance to the driveway. DW puts out Santa Claus gnomes by the mailbox, and garland and a wreath on the front door.

Sometimes in Januaries past, it has been so cold in Florida that I had to wear jeans instead of shorts when taking down the display. (Ray - DW and I are refugees from the Commonwealth and understand Jack Frost. )

 

[Chuckanut]

I bought a small artificial tree, put up some lights inside and outside and had my own Christmas season. The garage has six boxes of Christmas supplies of which I use about four boxes worth, so setting up for Christmas is quick and easy.

I celebrate Christmas. I love it. And I have family and friends who love it. It's a wonderful festival in a rather dark, damp, cold time of year in my area. And, it has a spiritual significance me. Christmas reminds me that our Creator has not given up on us.