The Forestry Forum

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Poll ends 12-11-06

Maybe I'm a grinch but I try to have as little to do with Christmas as possible other than visiting with friends. I find the hype depressing.

I ask my brother what he is getting me for Christmas.  The answer is always "The same thing I got you last year".  I say "Good, I'll give you the same".  NOTHING  We get together for a big dinner.  I don't buy too many things, but my wife makes up for it, especially for the grandkids.  I really don't like the commercialization of Christmas.  So I tend to stay away from the city.  We have a company dinner at a restaurant that the folks like.  I give them a year end bonus depending on how well we did.  We have a great evening visiting and telling stories.  I like the getting together more than the gift giving.  If I really want something, I've probably already got it.  But I tell them clothes.  Thats fine as it saves me shopping for them.

Christmas is for us all.  It's a time when your concerns are for others to be happy.  What a wonderful thing to teach youth.  Christmas is the only celebration of the year where the goal is that we care for others.  

The celebration of Jesus' birth and the beginning of a period of acknowledgement of a life of good works and an ultimate sacrifice.

My wife is a decorator and Christmas is her favorite.  There are all manner of decorations in the yard and up a long driveway that leads to no-where.   The rooms of the house have trees decorated to the top and candy and nuts on the tables.  The only way for it to be seen is from the air.  We get no visitors.  But, the spirit is there and if a spirit could be seen like an aurora, you could see this place all the way to the mountains of the Carolinas.

My wife puts up a lot of Christmas decorations, but they are all inside the house. We are so far back off the road that  even airplanes could not  see outside decorations. :o

Bob

2000 feet from the road, over the RR tracks and out of sight.   No reason to decorate outside.  I don't think the cows would care.


besides...........[/size]

These are not from this year, but it looks the same other then we aint got lights on the tree at the end yet.

(https://forestryforum.com/images/03_21_04/jeff_christmas_decoration1.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/images/03_21_04/jeff_christmas_decoration2.jpg)

I love to see Christmas decorations!  I hate to decorate! More than that, I hate to take the decorations down in the freezing January temps!  I do put 1 string of lights across the front porch bannister (my token decoration) and I help Donna put up the tree which she decorates. That is the extent of our decorations.

I can buy into that routine Charlie  :)   Been pretty much the same around here, and I'm not pushin to change it any.  (now if the Grand kids would ask "where are the lights?", then it might change  :) )

Have a neighbor down the road going all out this year. I'll enjoy watching theirs. I think my lights will dim when they switch them on each night.  :)

Nausea.  Some houses in town are trying to outdo each other with the Christmas lights and decorations, and the giant inflatable snowmen and santas on their lawns, and I feel nausea.  It started the day after Thanksgiving.  At least have the common decency to wait to waste all that electricity until December 1. 

As for me, I do what the wife tells me to, within reason.  Her birthday is mid-December, my oldest boy was born on Christmas Day, and so it's kind of a special season around here, but the over-commercialization makes me ill.  We do a nice tree, quite a bit of indoor decorations, and maybe put some lights on a tree outside, but that's it.

We decorate the house outside and put things on top of our flag pole for a few reasons but the most important one is that of a small bus load of kids.  When Tammy was the transportation superintendent for Harrison schools she made many friends but some of her most special friends were the kids that ride the special needs bus that comes up the hill right by our house and turns and comes right by the drive. Tammy would always inform the driver of that bus when we put something special on top of the flag pole or first put up the Christmas lights. Even thought Tammy has gone on to other things, those kids and some new kids still come by. The bus driver stops if there is something new so all the kids can see before they continue on.  We decorate all year round, usually its just something small, one item or so, but it brings huge rewards when we happen to be outside as the bus comes by and it slows down and we get all the waves and smiles.

Tammy and I did some "drive by"  decorating at the cabin that got a big laugh from my sister once she noticed. It took her all of one evening after we did it to notice. Its like one of those joke grenades. Ya throw it out there and wait til it goes off. She busted out laughing and we had forgot what we had done and she caught us off guard.  Pete has this god awful head mount of a northern pike at the cabin. it looks like a dang frog. We decided to dress it up a bit for da holidays.  ;D

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/santa_fish_pike.jpg)

 Rita will do lights across the deck & decorate a charlie brown Christmas branch. I don't do presents but she'll make up for it with the grandkids  :D .

My wife loves to decorate for all the seasons.I put a couple outside outlets on a light switch.Don't have to go out in the cold to plug and unplug lights.Not enough,we still have to get power from the basement.We live on a deadend road,but with the leaves off they can still be seen somewhat.I like to see the lights and such.I prefer the colored lights.I feel Christmas decorations should have color.I will be wearing a santa hat the first of Dec for the whole month.I like to wait until Dec to leave the lights on.The wife has started and I will help.Things will be tested to see how they look,but not left on until Dec.We have about 10 of those big blowups.We have the room to spread them out.A navity scene is new this year.

Had a plot clear-cut across the road about 12 years ago. A couple of large trees were left so I made some lighted decorations and hoisted them up the tree maybe 30 or 40 feet up. Made a real good effect when there were no other lights visible from that location. Cut outs included a nativity scene, angel and stars, all of which were about 5 or 6 feet tall. Trees have since grown up in that area so don't have a place to put them now. But was very effective for a few years.

I'm a bachelor.  No decorations.   ;D

When I was little we had a Christmas tree. A plastic one, but it was the nicest plastic one I've ever seen... :D  When I left home, the tree came with me. It was about 6ft tall, and gorgeous. By the time my kids were about 5, the tree was 30 and starting to fall apart...

When Stephanie was in Kindergarten she came home with a really cute drawing of a Christmas Tree on a big piece of paper. So I stuck it to the wall, and stuck the presents under it. I did buy another tree a couple of years ago, but now the kids aren't home at Christmas so I don't other decorating.

Stephanie asked whether we're putting the tree up, but, they're going to their dad's on Dec 15th, and won't be home till Jan 5th, so not much point. We're doing our Christmas thing this Saturday. I've done most of the pressies, but I still have NO idea what to get my son...

A bodyboard, I think.

I don't decorate outside, for the above reasons. Also Andy is the biggest Bah Humbug bear you'll ever meet...  ::)

We'll hopefully be down the farm for most of the time over Christmas, but my Mum is coming into town on Christmas eve, for a week. It'll be the first Christmas with both parents (well, obviously my Dad won't be there) but it'll be the first one with Andy and I and both sides of parents. It's a real pity the kids won't be home...

There's always next year!

asy :D

We've never been too much into outside decorations.  But, some of the farmers around here will put either a tree or a star on top of their silo.  It can be seen for miles around and is pretty cool to see real early in the morning.

Our town puts up Christmas decorations every year, even though there are some years they don't take them down.  They lit the town tree down on the square and had Santa arrive.  That always happens the day after Thanksgiving.

With 5 kids what do you think? They want them, I put them up. ::)

It's about Jesus for me and the wife but for the kids it's mostly about lip service for Jesus and self-service for them under the tree.
We have however been able to maintain some semblance of reality with the gift-giving, keeping it in check in our family. We do a Chinese Christmas every year at my moms.
At my wifes mom it is quite different. Although normally she is quite UNmaterialistic, she carries on a tradition started by her late husband called The Money Box, which is wholly materialistic.
She spends all day folding up $2000 into small little tight wads. Every demonination is represented, the $1 of course being most ubiquitous. Everyone takes turns pulling a bill from the box.
I thought it was kind of anti-Christmas spirit at first and really it is, but she is pretty close to the Baptist version of Mother Theresa so I figure it's okay to participate in the one indulgant activity she allows herself. I have to admit, it is fun. It builds and builds in excitment weather you want it o or not. Some will walk away with $?? and some with $???

I used to be in Paschale's position, but since Jill moved in it's like North Pole..South here.

She LOVES Christmas and loves to decorate....Inside mostly...No big lawn balloons here... ;D ;D ;D

I never really know about decorations.  We always have a tree and stockings for immediate family and grandchildren.

Outside, about all I ever do is to string lights on the fence up by the road.  It depends on whether the lights work this year (I leave them up all year) and, if not, whether I have time and motivation to replace them.

Quote from: Paschale on November 28, 2006, 01:01:36 AM
I'm a bachelor.

Married men live MUCH longer than their single brethren, or..............................................maybe it just seems longer.  ;D

Quote from: Paschale on November 28, 2006, 01:01:36 AM
I'm a bachelor.  No decorations.   ;D

Dat like fishing without a worm on the hook?  ::) ;D

Hey Paschale, there's a thought. Mebbe putting up Christmas decorations would attract a good looking lady.  :D :D I'll have to try that one.

Quote from: Paschale on November 28, 2006, 01:01:36 AM
I'm a bachelor.  No decorations.   ;D

You should at least hang the ol' ball of mistletoe somewhere, if things work out right, you could find yourself with a whole bunch of decorations someday....   ;D ;D ;D lol

Quote from: sawguy21 on November 28, 2006, 10:26:42 AM
Mebbe putting up Christmas decorations would attract a good looking lady.

I've always heard that beauty was only skin deep........................... :D  We've kinda left the ladies out of this discussion;  maybe they'd chime in and give Paschale, sawguy (and the rest of us) their opinion. 8)

 :D :D :D 8) 8) 8) _{merry christmas everyone}

Well!  Since you asked... :D     I love to decorate for the Christmas season. I would have lights up on the rooftop of the house if I could. One year when we lived in a 1 story home, Norm lifted me up in the bucket of the tractor and I strung lights all along the front of the house. It was beautiful! We have not decorated outside since we moved, but this year I did get a nice wreath with lights for the front door...so I am sloooowly working my way back up to lighting up the whole front.  ;)   

The lovely Christmas tree is another story. Every year since the boys were little we have gone out and cut down the tallest tree I could find. They are fabulous! The guys at the tree farm see me pull up and they just point to the old growth timber section. ::)  After trapsing around the tree farm for hours looking for just the right tree, we crawl under it and saw it down with a hand saw. They don't let me use a chain saw for some reason. Then the guys load it into the pick-up and home we go where Norm is waiting with the chainsaw and the tree stand and  50# bags of sand to hold it steady.  ;D  It takes the good part of the day to get the tree upright and turned just right so the pretty side is toward the room. Then out come the lights and all the pretty Christmas balls and I put the Christmas music on and Norm gets out a ladder and we decorate the beautiful tree. It is truley my favorite time of Christmas...

I'd like to add the only problem we have with the trees is some owl with spots on it that live in them...they do taste like chicken thou. ;D

Patty, that is one of my best memories from my childhood. Family friends had a woodlot and our family would spend an afternoon hoofing through the snow looking for the perfect tree. Dad cut it with a handsaw then we dragged it back to the yard. The owners always had pots of coffee and hot chocolate with fresh baking waiting for us.  8) Mom and dad are gone and the family is split up so it ain't the same now.

We get helicopter traffic once or twice a week so outdoor decorations wouldn't go totally unnoticed...
I think it's usually Henry Kissinger's helicoptor so perhaps a really big Menorah would be better.  ;)

Deb is a lot like Tom's wife only she's been going through withdrawal while we've been living with my Dad.
We'll finish up the house and be moved in sometime in the spring so next Christmas look out.  :D

Sawguy, you need to start your own traditions now.  ;)    cut_tree


I thought my boys would carry on the tree thing when they moved out, but boy was I wrong. My oldest seemed to be almost gleeful when he called to tell me they got their tree-in-a-box put up. My gosh, it came with the lights already strung and everything.  ;D  I was devastated.  ::)   He sent me pics and everything....laughing all the way!

Patty, that is interesting, and have observed some of the same with my kids.

But maybe they will create their own tradition or display and excitement, and not try to compete with 'Mom' (after all, how do you compete with Mom? they're unbeatable :)). 

I got nobody to start my traditions with. My sister does not do Christmas, keeps a low profile with her hubby, and her son does tha thang with the inlaws.

We keep it simple.  I put a tractor on the front lawn (this year I'll use the John Deere), and it gets outlined with lights.  The wheels get chaser lights so it looks like they are moving.  We put a stuffed Santa (weighted down with bricks in his pants) on the seat.  Then, lights outline the house and windows.  A pine tree gets some lights, and the back deck rails.  Then the gazebo has it's own tree.  A wreath on each door and a swag between the garage doors, and we're done (with the outside).  On the insde, there's the tree, and several lighted santa's, snowmen and a Christmas bear that reads "Twas the night before Christmas" when you turn it on.  I have preserved and kept several items of the boys artwork from when they were little, and they are hung carefully (with a million inside smiles from their Mom).  And then, I unwrap (very, very carefully) the Nativity Scene that I purchased when I was sixteen.  That get's the place of honor on the two foot wide sill in the living room. 
To me, that is Christmas and presents aren't important, but when you walk in my house, it feels like a special Christmas Village and smells like warm cookies. 

Paschale....at least get a wreath!!   :D

Quote from: Roxie on November 30, 2006, 05:58:35 AM
................
Paschale....at least get a wreath!!   :D

Which looks like a ring and which just might............ ::) :) ???   naaahh

We  just got off the hill.  Three trees in the back of the Geo Tracker/woodsmobile :o 
the smallest was six feet tall. 
one for the deck, one for the basement and one for the living room.  let the fun begin. ;D
.

Hey Raphael,

Can you get Kissinger to swing past here and pick me up? He can drop me off in Roxie' yard, I really want to see her Tractor!!!

I bet your Grandbabies LOVE the decorations, Rox!

asy :D

Yeah, they do Asy!   :)  What's really neat too is that, several of our Amish friends load up the kids in their buggy's and do a drive by each year to see that tractor.  We can't disappoint the kids!!   ;)

I used to make a nice display out in the yard, not just lights on the eaves, and some floodlights at the base of the Birch trees shining up through them, I like the way it looks, real nice, especially with big snow flakes coming down.

This year there's not much celebrating going here though, so I doubt I'll even risk taking the ladder out to put up the lights.

No point anyways, I will probably find somewere else to be at Christmas this year at least.  ::)

first time we literup, it blacked out four counties. ::)

Now THAT'S festive!   8) 8) 8)

Hey Tex, I just knew you were an old softy at heart.  ;)    I imagine your scene brings smiles to many. Good for you!

Dont let him kid ya. He thinks it'll attract elves and he has a 222 with night vision scope.

 :D :D :D :D :D :D

I must say I am surprized that the majority voted no decorations.
I just don't have the commercial christmas spirit. I absolutley hate shopping, unless it's for tractor parts or hunting gear or such. So at Christmas time I don't even go in the big stores. Celest puts up a few lghts inside and some mistletoe. I don't buy any guifts but I do give my nieces money, this year it will be a bag full of dollar bills.

Huh, reading this sounds kind of grinchy. But we do have a big dinner with lots of relatives. We do hot mulled cider and are festive. I just burned out on the santa claus thing.

Merry Christmas everyone!
and certanly have a great new year!

Jon

Jon, I like your kind of Christmas, swapping lies with friends and family is the best part.

I'll second that. :)

My sister makes wreaths. 50 to 75 for sale and she hangs them on the my barn and what ever doesn't sell gets hung on the house...... mostly Balsam-hemlock mix also juniper,white pine and spruce..... her largest wreaths are 6' all wreaths are double sided.....

At present there is a 36" w/ red bow on the farmers porch...... I hope thats all i will have to take down in March.

I am kinda a grinch at first, but I warm up to it and then have a great with it all. We a have a fake tree, we all have allergies!  I have 3-4 boxes of decorations that my gramma has been giving me a few each year.  Rita has several boxes of outdoor stuff and it took me 5 hours to put up what I did, and theres more to go.  I get part done and then want to just keep adding to it.

Tractor all decked out,...  Great, now I have to go to wally world to get more lights! 

Pashale, you never know what might happen.  I have a friend who works at the pentagon, he saw an apartmet that was eminating a green glow.  Kawasaki green to be percise, so being a Kaw-boy he had to investigate.  He met his future wife that night and now they have been married for a coulpe years and are very happy.   Heck its worth a try! 

I saw the best decorations that i have seen in a while today. Its a little pine about 5' tall by a culvert at the junction of two state highways no houses around. Someone put some tensile on it and about a dozen red balls, it made me feel good when i saw it. I need to get a camera.

limbrat, there is a perfect little balsam growing on an old boompier out in the middle of a wide part of the Androscoggin River. It can be seen from the road. I always wanted to go put some battery powered lights on it for the Christmas season. ;D

I checked 'don't decorate' because I usually only put lights on a tree outside  that no one but me can see. Might put a bow on an arm load of fresh cut balsam branches and hang them inside for the smell. I used to just decorate a house plant so I guess my decorating is escalating :D

 8) Hello everyone, I was doing a search on Paulownia trees and low and behold, I found you guys! :o This is the first year I put up NO decorations! I made barbeque spareribs on the grill, a pasta salad, some collard :) greens and a nice peanut butter chocolate chip cake. Not too traditional, but me and the DH loved it! We only gave each other a little gift or two because we purchased our retirement property this past year, (45 acres of beautiful land down south of here) so all our resourses have been going towards that. :) Oh, that guy on your left? His name is Alladin, he's my breeder bull Dromedary camel.