Ever since I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed Advent Sunday. It’s the day when the first few Christmas decorations start appearing around our house.
Although I tell myself that I’m not going to buy anymore Christmas decorations (because we have too many), I always end up buying something new every Christmas. Introducing this year’s buy
Over the next 14 days, more Christmas decorations will appear, with the grand finalé being switching on the lights on the Christmas tree.
Do you have have any Christmas decorations up yet, or is it still too early to put them up?
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Hugh's Views & News 
Beautiful decorations and some sweet memories, Hugh! All we have in the van is a tiny Christmas tree my best friend gave me years ago. It fits in our small miscellaneous box and will come out on Christmas Day. At least that’s when I remembered it last year. 🙂
It’s good to hear you have something festive to brighten up the end of this tough year for all of us, Liesbet. I’m still wondering where you’ll be on Christmas Day. No doubt, somewhere warm and sunny.
Well, there is talk now about spending Christmas with a few friends in the desert near Yuma, which is on the border of California and Arizona and close to Mexico. It should be sunny, but I have no idea how warm it actually will be. We do remember Yuma being the warmest places in the US Southwest, so there is hope for 20C/70F weather. 🙂
Nice decorations. I need to buy some, I’m stuck here in Spain this year, and Christmas just isn’t the same here. Back home in Norway, now that’s Christmas for you 😀
Yes, I can only imagine most of the Christmases being white ones in Norway. It must always look very festive there.
When they’re white, they’re definitely very white. Not all of them are, though, and the snow seems to come to stay later and later. We were home last year, and it was extraordinary beautiful for Christmas with frosted trees, big lumps of snow covering the spruces. Then the snow went away until February, something that never happened when I was a kid. I’m afraid the white Christmases in the south of Norway might be disappearing.
It’s very much the same thing in the UK. The last white Christmas I can remember was back in 2010. Since then, they’ve been mild and wet. It’s such a shame because it makes all the difference when December is cold, frosty and snowy.
Sure do. There are probably worse problems waiting, though. We’ll just have to buckle up.
Absolutely, although I think the lack of snow in the winter months is a sure sign of one of the bigger problems we all face.
I usually wait until near the Day but our grandchildren were over at the weekend and I took out a few bits and pieces for them. Now I’ve started, I think I’ll carry on and finish this weekend.
I love your decorations Hugh.
Thank you, Caz. I rather enjoy putting up the decorations over a couple of weeks rather than all in one day. Taking them all down is another matter, though.
Ugh! Taking them down 😦 Like you, I love putting them up !
Love your seasonal finds Hugh. Yes, it’s just about that time to deck the halls! 🙂 x
Thank you, Debby. This is just the beginning. And I’m looking forward to opening window number 1 on my advent calendar today. Window number 24 looks so tempting to open! Can I resist?
LOL, can you? We’ll find out I’m sure. 🙂
I love your holiday ornaments, Hugh! We’ve become lax about decorating since my daughter and grandson moved away, but seeing your holiday cheer puts me in the mood (and makes me want to shop E-bay!)
I’ve purchased quite a few Christmas decorations on eBay, Jacquie. Some of them were antiques, although I’m not so sure. I think they’re more collectables. However, I love them – and that’s what counts.
I usually wait until the shortest day to bring in the tree and put up the decorations but I have a feeling that, like most of the country, I’ll be doing it sooner this year. I think we are all desperate to have some light and colour and cheer in our lives this year.
I agree, Mary. Many people already seem to have decorations, and fairy lights up. We all need some brightness and light to end this year on.
I hadn’t even thought about getting the decorations out yet. Maybe that’s a throwback to when my birthday – today as it happens – had to be the focus so until that was done and dusted I wouldn’t conceive of Christmas. Maybe next week… love the xmas pud.
I can fully understand why putting up Christmas decorations are put off until at least December 1st in your house, Geoff. I’m at the other end of the scale in that they come down the day before my birthday, although I have missed a few years of them not being down in time.
Happy Birthday!
Love the pudding and the Santa…my decs are not up yet…sun and Christmas decorations are not a good mix 🙂
I’ve never experienced a hot and sunny Christmas, Carol. The only time I was meant to spend Christmas in a hot country, I ended up breaking my arm a few weeks before going. I wasn’t allowed to fly, so Christmas was spent at home. At least it got me out of the washing up, though.
Probably the only plus point so much washing up at Christmas…For me Christmas should have a frost in the air if not snow it just seems more in keeping with the time of year and Christmas but hey ho one can’t have everything 🙂
Exactly, and given the year we’ve all had, I’m thankful that many of us will be here to witness this Christmas, Carol.
Absolutely, Hugh for some it will be a sad time…
I’m a holiday nut. Everything goes up the day after Thanksgiving. We have friends over to have a decorating party. This year we included my son’s girlfriend. Hopefully our tradition will get bigger
Laugh Enough today so you don’t need to tomorrow. Then Laugh Tomorrow
A decorating party sounds a wonderful idea. It reminds of one I went to many years ago, although the ‘decorating’ was stripping wallpaper off walls. It was fun, though.
It really is. although no one shows up in January to help take it all down
True! And it’s not a job I enjoy doing. Everything always looks so bare after the decorations come down.
So true
Our neighbours have decided yesterday was the day for all the lights to go on outside their homes – and that this year would be more brash and bling than ever before. Driving past houses this time of the year I always imagine the bosses of energy companies rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of all those pounds being clocked up that are going straight into their coffers…..
Indeed, Karen. Although when we purchased some new outdoor Christmas lights last year, we noticed that they were low voltage and came with a low energy rating, so don’t use up as much energy as older lights do. However, after all the doom and gloom of 2020, it’s nice to see the lights already up and twinkling away.
What gorgeous decorations! I love the snowman!
I could have bought a larger version too, Esther, but only picked up the smaller version. I love him too.
I love your decorations, Hugh, especially Santa’s sleigh. I think a lot of people are decorating earlier this year to bring some cheer. Normally I would have done ours but we’re surrounded by packing boxes. I’m hoping to have moved in time for Christmas…fingers crossed.
I had no idea you were moving house, Cathy. Are you staying in Wales? Good luck with all the packing and the move when it happens. I hope you’re settled into your new home by Christmas.
Thanks, Hugh. It seems like everyone is moving at the moment. We’re going a little further south and just over the border, south of Oswestry to be more central.
I don’t know it but just checked it out on Google. It looks a lovely location, Cathy.
Since we don’t do the Advent, which sounds like a lovely tradition, we skipped straight to putting up the tree. https://purrseidon.wordpress.com/2020/11/29/sunday-selfies-227/ ….The theme this year is World Peace.
Advent lasts right up until the last Sunday before Christmas. I think many people also see Advent Sunday as the day that the Christmas tree and decorations can begin to go up. Your Christmas tree looks spectacular and very festive.
Seasons Greetings to you.
Meowser that sounds like a lovely tradition, too…. Similar to lighting one more candle each day for Hanukkah, which is also a lovely tradition. I love the variety of ways that humans find to celebrate.
Purrseidon
Beautiful and festive, Hugh! Ordinarily we enjoy an advent service at our church. Instead, we were sent a zoom link to view advent this evening. No decorations for us this year, as you know, because of the impending move. At least I can enjoy a festive peppermint mocha creamer in my coffee this morning. We’ll be living with my BIL for a few weeks once we move to Spokane and he’s already put up a Christmas tree 🎄. Happy Advent!
We’ve just enjoyed a long walk on a sunny and chilly late autumn day, and I was amazed to see so many Christmas trees and outside decorations up, Terri. Many people were putting them up as we walked past their homes. I saw one guy trying to untangle a huge pile of Christmas lights. That’s a job I’ll be doing over the next two weeks and wishing I’d put them away tidily last January.
Enjoy the online Advent service, Terri.
Happy Advent 🎄
I love your decorations. I particularly love this year’s purchase. Our outside lights are up and the rest will be going up soon.
Thank you. Our outside lights will go up this week. I leave that to my partner, though.
You have reminded me to get my elf out – elf on the shelf was relatively new idea when we saw it at someone else’s house, but when I saw elves at the garden centre I couldn’t resist getting one.
I believe ‘elf on the shelve’ is a relatively new idea in the UK. My great-niece has one, but I’m not so sure she believes the elf is really watching her. She does believe in the ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’ list, though.
I’m hoping to put ours up today, if I have the energy!
That’s why I take at least two weeks to put up ours, Ritu. A bit at a time is the best way; otherwise, it can all look very rushed.
True. We have a house viewing booked tomorrow, so it would be good to have some festive cheer up, to warm the heart of a prospective buyer!
I had no idea you were moving. I’ve heard it said the smell of freshly brewed coffee or homemade bread helps a sale. Whether that’s right or not, I’ve no idea. Are you moving far?
It’s been on the cards a while. I love our house, but it’s time for our forever home.
Can’t be too far as Lil Man has his GCSEs this year, and my work, obviously!
I’ve heard about the baking smells… But I’ll be at school when they come, tomorrow!
It’s tough though. The market is such that whenever we see something we like, it gets snapped up, pretty fast!
Wow! I would have expected the housing market to be quiet, especially at this time of the year. Good luck with it all, Ritu.
I love it! Every Christmas decoration has a story to tell. Getting them out ever year is so much fun. We usually wait until December 1 but I started decorating last week. I feel like we need a bit of an extra boost this year. Last night we went for a walk around our neighbourhood and there are a lot of houses with Christmas lights. It definitely lifts the spirits to see it.
I agree. Michelle. Seeing the Christmas lights certainly helps boost spirits, and we all need lifting after what this year has bought us. I like your idea that every Christmas decoration has a story to tell. I’m going to have to work out which of our Christmas decorations is the oldest.
I don’t know why, but your comment went straight into my WordPress spam folder. Good job I check that folder at least a couple of times a day. I hope none of the other comments you’re leaving on other blogs are ending up in spam. Hopefully, this was just a one-off.
Seasons greetings to you.
Looking very festive Hugh ..I’ll probably do mine this week.. I’m going to have a lot this year because my grandson will be 2 1/2 and also my son is coming back from Melbourne 🥰
Thank you, Alison. Your grandson is at the age of when all the magic begins. I have a great-niece who was two in Sept. She’s a little frightened by Father Christmas, but loves the thought of all the toys he brings to those on the ‘good’ list.
I don’t think my grandson has seen a live Santa..my daughter does not want to encourage him to sit on old men’s laps 🤣 fair enough ..that thought did not cross my mind when I took her
I don’t think it will have crossed any parents’ mind back when I was a child and visited Santa, Alison. I loved the thought of telling him what I wanted for Christmas and getting a small gift from him. On the other hand, my sister screamed the place down and wouldn’t go anywhere near him. 😂
Haha ..I can imagine my grandson doing that