Come November, and my Christmas Tree goes UP! Now before anyone writes me off as crazy, I want to plead my case. I put the Christmas tree up early for these main reasons:
- My mum always did
- It’s a fun activity to do with the kids
- It gives me somewhere to keep presents as I wrap them (expect presents for the kids; I hide them until Christmas Eve)
- I love Christmas and like to string it out
- It makes the house feel festive
- I put the Christmas down on Boxing Day so I put it up earlier to enjoy it longer
I asked this question on my facebook page: When do you put up the Christmas Tree? Below are the results:
If you want to see the survey results on when others put their Christmas Tree down, click here: When Do You Put the Christmas Tree Down?
Different Types of Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is often the centrepiece of a home in the lead up to Christmas day. It’s where presents wait, pictures are taken and where all the action is on Christmas day. The plastic Christmas Tree is fairly common in households in Australia but there are many other options for Christmas Trees. Below I’ve listed 8 ideas.
1. Plastic Christmas Tree
Our Christmas Tree is your regular store bought plastic tree (standing 6 feet). We purchased it on the post-Christmas sales one year.
{Plastic Christmas Tree}
2. Cardboard Christmas Tree
A cardboard Christmas tree can be stuck to the wall somewhere in the house. Simply, cut out a cardboard Christmas Tree shape, decorate with paint and collage, and stick to the wall with blu-tack. The presents can go around the base of the tree on the floor. This project is fun for kids and is inexpensive to make.
{Cardboard Christmas Tree}
3. Stick Christmas Tree
Last year, my friend sent me a picture of her Christmas Tree. I absolutely love it!
Hunt for the perfect branch/stick and decorate with paper Peace Dove decorations and you will have a simple, elegant and rustic Christmas Tree!
{Stick Christmas Tree}
Keeping in with the same theme, you can collect sticks and arrange them in a tin to create a Christmas Tree feature.
{Stick Christmas Tree Feature}
4. Artificial Stick Christmas Tree
I made an artificial stick Christmas Tree last year. I purchased the artificial sticks from Spotlight and arranged them in a pot/vase. I decorated them with handmade decorations. The only trick is to keep the decorations light-weight.
{Artificial Stick Christmas Tree}
5. Table Christmas Tree
Christmas Trees don’t have to be huge. Even a cute table Christmas Tree can add a bit of Christmas cheer to a home.
{Table Christmas Tree}
6. Outdoor Christmas Tree
Last year, outside the home we were living in at the time, were lovely conifer trees. We made Christmas Wreath decorations (which are cheap to make) and put a few on the trees. They looked gorgeous! I also love it when backyard trees are decorated with fairy lights and a few baubles.
{Outdoor Christmas Tree}
7. Fresh Christmas Tree
I didn’t realise there were so many places to get fresh Christmas Trees in Australia. I love the idea of a fresh Christmas tree but then, I wouldn’t be able to put it up so early would I?
{Fresh Christmas Tree Farm}
Fresh Christmas Tree Farms in Australia
- Sydney: Dural Christmas Tree Farm
- Brisbane: Real Christmas Trees
- Melbourne: Christmas Trees on the Run
- Adelaide: Santa Trees
- Perth: Wilbury’s Christmas Trees
- Canberra: Christmas Tree King
- Tasmania: Killiecrankie Christmas Tree Farm
(couldn’t find any in the NT sorry)
8. Sticker Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree Wall Stickers provide a minimalist approach to the Christmas Tree. Perfect for small spaces.
{Wall Sticker Christmas Tree}
You can find a variety of Christmas Tree wall sticker designers here:
Giggle Designs: Christmas Tree Wall Stickers
Bright Star Kids: Christmas Tree Wall Sticker
Jane Reiseger: Christmas Tree Wall Sticker Designs
Below are links to my Christmas Tree Decoration Posts
Quick Tip: Christmas Decorations Without String
Christmas Peace Dove Decoration
Christmas Craft
To see pictures of the entire range of Christmas Crafts on this blog, click here: Christmas Craft.
39 Comments
Lucy
November 14, 2011 at 4:29 amWhen the kids break up from school – that Friday – Daddy comes home early from work and we get in a tagle with the Christmas tree lights and eat gingerbread….
I grew up with a fresh tree and allof the dropped pine needles in the carpet. Gimme a plastic one anyday – fresh is over rated…
xx
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 11:58 amSounds like a lovely tradition Lucy. Love gingerbread..
Naomi Ellis
November 14, 2011 at 7:13 amI really want to get a real Christmas tree this year and lucky for me I have bus I can fit it in and just bring it home! Great Christmas post. N x
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 11:58 amOoo, wonderful Naomi! Can’t wait to see a pic of it!
Quick Tip: Christmas Decorations without String
November 14, 2011 at 7:29 am[…] When do you put up the Christmas Tree? […]
tiff
November 14, 2011 at 7:36 amWe usually put our tree up on the 1st of December – the day after Ivy and Noah’s birthday. We usually make a big thing of it, have a special dinner, play Christmas music, dance and take lots of photos.
This year though, we won’t be at home on the first. Our family will be in Sydney, while Ivy is granted her wish.
So, I’m undecided as to when to put it up. When we come home or before we leave? The thing is I’ve always had the stance, since Ivy and Noah’s birth that we should wait it out, so as not to confuse celebrations but waiting until we get home seems wrong too.
I’m so far behind this year with everything Christmas. I haven’t even started our Christmas card (which is also a tradition in our family.
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:01 pmI haven’t started my Christmas Cards either. Thanks for reminding me to organise it!
I reckon put it up earlier; I’m sure the twins would love to have it up for their birthday (but I get the thing about wanting to keep the celebrations different)…will you actually be home for their birthday or away?
Kimberly Patti
November 14, 2011 at 8:40 amIt’s nice to see more people putting their christmas decorations up early. I always put my tree up early and I am constantly being told “It’s too early”, “You shouldn’t put your christmas tree up before Dec 1st because it’s bad luck”.
I like to put my tree up early so that the house feels more festive. It helps me get into the festive spirit without having to resort to going to a shopping centre to feel christmassy. Christmas can bring out the best in people brings families together and I think that is as good a reason as any to start feeling festive and christmassy early.
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:01 pmIt helps me get into the festive spirit too Kimberly.
Sabree
November 6, 2015 at 8:40 pmI’m deciding to put my Christmas tree up early this year. I feel like around Thanksgiving my house is not festive enough. I love the holiday season and we just brought our first home. This Christmas is extra special to us. I want to make sure each decoration is in the perfect place. Starting early gives me time to play with everything!!
Happy Holidays..
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
November 7, 2015 at 11:29 amOh how exciting Sabree! Yes!! Put it up early!! And have a very special Christmas in your home. Special.
Rachel Cunliffe
November 14, 2011 at 10:47 amWe only ever get a fresh tree around the first weekend in December so that it lasts. We have a lot of family birthdays in November (none in December) and it always seemed strange to mix the two lot of celebrations and wait until all the birthdays are done.
But… I started listening to a bit of Christmas music the other day!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:03 pmDo you find the live tree drops a lot of needles?
Rachel Cunliffe
November 15, 2011 at 4:53 pmI guess it does over a period of the month we have it up, but it’s just a little bit each time I vacuum really. Nothing beats the smell of a live tree 🙂
Laura
November 14, 2011 at 11:37 amI love it that people put up their christmas tree early, we enjoy celebrating christmas and have already brought out the christmas music! if its a fun family tradition and the kids think it a blast, why not!! In our family we decided that we would put it up as close to the 1st of dec as possible, around our wedding anniversary just because having a tradition is good, and it ALWAYS comes down boxing day. this year my christmas tree is in storage so we are going with a table top tree and an arrangement of glittered twigs
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:22 pmCan’t wait to see your glittered twigs Laura. We brought out the Christmas music too. Michael W Smith Christmastime is our fav.
Andy
November 26, 2014 at 10:53 pmI stumbled upon this thread whilst thinking the same question, I’m guessing it’s different in the US to the UK, but over here the ‘tradition’ has always tended to be 12 days before/after. After all, Christmas IS technically 24th December until 12th night (6th January). I always find it strange when people put trees and decorations up more than 2 weeks before Christmas then take them down on boxing day!
BookChook
November 14, 2011 at 12:41 pmWe’re a family of three adults, so Christmas is not as exciting as it used to be. BUT I do love my tree. I bought it at Freedom. It’s a bit like your artificial sticks from Spotlight, only it’s a twisty tree, and has fairy lights along each branch. It’s about four foot high, and really looks lovely, with or without extra ornaments. And it will go up soon, I promise, now you’ve reminded me.
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:22 pmOoo, sounds nice! So the fairy lights are already attached?
BookChook
November 15, 2011 at 2:54 pmYes. I googled but can’t find a pic, so will take one soon. It’s not a conical artificial looking tree, but a more natural twisty branched tree, and the little lights are white.
Julie
November 14, 2011 at 8:25 pmYou’ve inspired me! I usually put it up sometime in late November, so, not as early as you, but I definitely can’t wait until December 1!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:23 pmYAY!
Kirsty
November 14, 2011 at 8:35 pmHi, I’ve just started following your blog the last few months or so and love it, you do a great job! well done 🙂 As for your question, however, I’m with you, I also put my tree up in November, much to the complaints of some family and friends (which seriously, my house, I can have it up in August if I wish?! lol) Funny though, as you said in your post, these things have to be justified… Ours goes up just after my birthday – 20th Nov – because 2 weeks after that is my husband’s on the 4th, my daughter who will be 6 on the 5th Dec and my father in laws on the 6th Dec. I like it up to get more out of Christmas because for a good week or so, life is not about looking forward to Chrissy but it’s all about birthdays!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:27 pmHi Kirsty
Thanks for leaving a comment; I’m glad you’re here! I think you and I would have a lot in common 😉
Denyse
November 14, 2011 at 10:57 pmKelly,
I am so glad you wrote this post! I loved all of the examples of trees too. Your kids look terrific under their tree!
I “had” soooo many traditions as a parent, then I re configured traditions to suit me as a grandparent. We first became grandparents 2 days before Christmas Day in 1996.
I made sure there was an ornament on the tree representing our early Christmas present!
Because I am such a Christmas kid, I have always been one for traditions & in our days of being parents, the tree went up straight after my birthday 30 Nov, and we always played a certain Christmas music LP ( a record!) then as grandkids came along, each had a new decoration for each Christmas they’d been around, and as numbers grew, their “own” decorations went into a box with thir name on it. Photos were always taken of tree trimming day- a weekend day when parents could drop the kids over for me to enjoy! The whole activity was recorded on video & in pics. This year, a crap year for my hub’s health & with no real reason to put a tree up…. The traditions have ended. But! Wait, there’s more. My DD & 3 eldest grandkids are having our big tree now with all of the decorations from here. Our DS & his kids will get theirs as well. Im happy (I think) with the decision but now I have changed my idea about rules… I’m with you – it can go up anytime now because like you, I always took ours down on 26 Dec!
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 15, 2011 at 12:29 pmLove this comment Denyse. I just love hearing about grandparents invest in their grandkids lives. Yep, I’m all for putting up the tree early but it comes down ASAP after Christmas.
Gail
November 18, 2011 at 8:18 pmNever thought about putting it up in November – interesting! I aim for Dec 1 for us. We also do the new Christmas decoration for each child each Christmas (and a new Christmas story book) so we play Christmas music (usually Colin Buchanon) as we put up the tree and take a photo of the children putting their new decoration on the tree. This year I don’t know what to do as we are moving house (and state) mid December. As for taking it down, each year I wonder when to do it! (but I think I wait a few days.)
Kelly Be A Fun Mum
November 24, 2011 at 9:52 amWe do a Christmas decoration for each child too Gail! Love it! Moving is the pits, and I’ve had to move in Dec before…we put it up after we moved that year… Hope everything goes well with the move!
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December 5, 2011 at 9:55 pm[…] group of these look adorable! In fact, you could easily decoration an entire Christmas Tree with these […]
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December 13, 2011 at 11:00 am[…] When do you put up the Christmas Tree […]
Julie
November 12, 2014 at 4:36 amMy children has puts our Christmas tree up in middle of November for the past 2 years it make then think of there dad and I happy for them to put it up is it to early
Hayley
November 19, 2014 at 9:31 pmOur has been up for 2 weeks already, but in my defence. I just brought a second hand tree and was checking it was all there, in the process of moving it around, I have managed to break apiece now it needs fixing. I am not sure I can be bothered to take it down and put it up again. Maybe I will hold off from decorating until the 1st 🙂
shontell
October 20, 2015 at 6:23 pmJust put mine up bit early but I did the same last year, I’ve got Halloween and my birthday to go first but having no kids means I don’t have Halloween to plan for so gotta get into Christmas ????
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
October 21, 2015 at 6:45 amHaha. Love it.
Dee's Nuts
November 10, 2015 at 8:18 pmI usually put mine up the 21st of October lol,I love Xmas:-)
Kelly - Be A Fun Mum
November 11, 2015 at 8:44 amAwesome.
Aurora Broude
November 15, 2015 at 10:21 amMe and my mom always put up our tree after Thanksgiving day or on the weekend.
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