When do you all put up Christmas decorations at your house, and when do you take them down?  One woman at my chapel has actually said that it is venial sin to put up decorations before Christmas Eve, and a mortal sin to put them up before Gaudete Sunday; she also believes it to be sinful to take the decorations down before Candlemas.

I know this is nonsense, but it did get me thinking, would it be better to wait until closer to Christmas to decorate, rather than right after (or even before) Advent begins?

We put out a few small things for the first Sunday of Advent, including table linens and the Advent wreath.  The tree goes up the Saturday before Christmas.  We take everything down after Epiphany.

First of all...why is this anonymous?  How ridiculous!


Now, here's how our tribe does it.  


Outdoor Christmas lights on Thanksgiving week.  

All Christmas decorations, especially stockings, on the first Sunday of Advent.  That includes the Advent Wreath!  (Those stockings are to be filled with chocolate gold coins and oranges on the eve of the Feast of Saint Nicholas (aka, Krampus Night).

The manger scene comes out in stages:
     Stable first week of Advent
     Animals on the second week of Advent
     Shepard and his sheep on the third week of Advent
     Joseph and Mary on the fourth week of Advent
     Jesus and the angel on Christmas
     The three wise men are put out on the 26th, but not next to the manger.  They
     move closer to the manger every day until January 6th, the Epiphany.  

Christmas Tree is purchased (or the fake tree is put up) either on Christmas Eve, or a few days before, depending on circuмstances.
     The Christmas Tree is decorated on Christmas Eve
     The Tree is not lit up until Midnight of Christmas EVe

There are no rules. Do the decorations how you want or in what way works for your family.What is important is that you keep Advent. Is it better not to put up decorations and spend your Advent as the decoration police or putting up decorations and keeping the sacred mysteries of the Incarnation and our redemption always before you? If people are worried that you have a tree up, chances are their faith is about as real as a plastic tree.

Maybe for Lent you should give up listening to morons with no authority.

December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception is traditionally our day for putting up decorations (in Ireland).  It is also traditionally the day you start your Christmas Shopping.

I put up lights, Christmas tree and Crib usually all in one day.  We take it down on Jan 6th Feast of the Epiphany.

We aren't supposed to decorate for Christmas before Christmas.

Says who?  You?  What authority do you have over the matter?

We put up our Christmas lights up in November.  A couple of days ago, I put our tree up and decorated it.  On December 8 we went to Mass and confession.
Yesterday, went to couple of Shrines. Prayed the Rosary and went to confession at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia where I got my Christmas cards too.  We keep our decorations up until the Epiphany.

Usually around Christmas while we are safe at home, work, play or Mass , Christians are slaughtered in large numbers.  

Tell those who think putting up decorations up before Christmas a sin should be more with atheists restricting Christmas decorations and cribs.

Quote from: Tiffany

We aren't supposed to decorate for Christmas before Christmas. Advent is a penitential season.  

I've seen nativity scenes go up without baby Jesus.

Putting up decorations, especially lights, is quite a penance.