 to hang up. For us this expedition marks the moment when the festive season really begins – and everyone feels part of it. Even better, we don't need to spend a fortune. Then of course comes the all-important ritual of Decorating The Tree. This usually involves my attempting to adorn the upper part in something like a reasonable, orderly fashion, while the kids frantically cram as many baubles on the lower branches as physically possible. This year we might even mix it up by adding a statement decoration – go big or go home, right? One tip I'd like to share, though: if you're starting early, think about going artificial. Because there's no fir tree – 'non-drop' or otherwise – that can cope with six weeks of festivities without dropping those hard-to-Hoover pine needles onto the){kind=link}
Yes, it’s only November, but ignore the Scrooges and get the house ready for Christmas if it makes you happy, says dad of two Andrzej Lukowski
I know that for some people, putting the Christmas tree up in November is taking things just a step too far in the direction of festive overload. But seriously, is there really such a thing as too much fun?
As a child, I couldn’t wait to help put up and decorate the tree, and I loved how special and magical it made the house feel. It heightened the anticipation of all the joy to come, and gave a lift to the darkest months of the year. And now that I have kids of my own, I really appreciate how magical they find a tree.
So in our family we ignore the Scrooges, and as soon as Christmas trees start to line up on high-street pavements, we get the decorations out from the dusty cupboards and ready for action. One tradition we’ve established with the kids over the years is to take a trip to the shops and choose a few more decorations for the house. We might opt for new baubles for the tree, something to put on the front door, or even some new Christmas stockings for the kids (OK, and maybe the grown-ups too) to hang up. For us this expedition marks the moment when the festive season really begins â and everyone feels part of it. Even better, we don’t need to spend a fortune.
Then of course comes the all-important ritual of Decorating The Tree. This usually involves my attempting to adorn the upper part in something like a reasonable, orderly fashion, while the kids frantically cram as many baubles on the lower branches as physically possible. This year we might even mix it up by adding a statement decoration â go big or go home, right?