FESTIVE parents have proudly shared photographs of their Christmas trees up in their homes – months before the big day.
Although tradition dictates that trees should be put up at the beginning of Advent, four Sundays before Christmas, many families have been starting early this year.
Mum-of-six, Laura Wright, decided to put her tree and decorations up over a week ago – before Halloween and Bonfire Night are even celebrated.
The 36-year-old, from Runcorn, Cheshire, stands by her decision, saying: “I love Christmas, it’s my favourite time of year.
“I have six boys and they all love Christmas so much, it just makes us all so happy.
“They helped put it up [on October 16 ] while dancing along to Christmas music.
“We don’t care what people say about being too early, if it makes you happy, do it.”
Danielle Shakespeare, from Tipton, West Midlands, also put her tree up in early October so she could make the most of the period with her three children before they fly the nest.
The 33-year-old said: “Years of working through the Christmas period, now my children are growing up, I want to enjoy the festive period for as long as I can before they move out and leave me.”
Victoria Rogers, 35, goes further than just putting up her tree early, she has gained a reputation for creating artistic and wacky Christmas trees.
The mum-of-one, from London, said: “I started joining all the Christmas Facebook pages full of Americans and they go big that’s when I started seeing the candy cane themed trees and just fell in love with all the designs, the ribbons, the decorations on the tree so I started making my own three years ago.
“Last year I wanted to go totally different. I managed to find a black upside-down Christmas tree.
“That tree was made whilst being upside down and I wasn’t sure how I could get ribbon and the decorations to stay on the tree so I put a few hanging decorations and hooked loads of beads off the end of the branches and then wrapped some empty boxes to go on top just to finish it off.
“This year I’m going back to my candy cane theme by adding the floral display on the fireplace. No one has ever said it looks tacky, they love it. I normally have a big bow on my front door too.
“Some of the neighbours do say I’m crazy, but if the shops can have all their trees and decorations up now then so can I.
“It has been up for a couple of weeks because I’ve been working on it but now I’m happy with how it is. It’s staying like that.
“It always comes down the day after Boxing Day because I want some normality in my house before the New Year and I have to return to work.
“My son thinks I’m mad for putting them up so early, but I don’t care, I’m not the only one that puts them up early and a lot of my friends and family and neighbours love to see what I do each year.
“I’ve always said it’s never too early but I wouldn’t have my Christmas tree up in June.
“Everyone has their own opinion and if we enjoy having the decorations up now then we put them up it’s my house not theirs. they don’t have to look at it every day.”
Some families have even combined Halloween into their Christmas tree decorations.
Michelle Louise Franks-Wilkinson, 44 from Leeds, West Yorkshire, decorated her tree for her nine-year-old son, Mason, that featured a witch’s hat and banners reading ‘Beware‘.
She said: “My son is autistic and he wanted the Christmas tree up but I knew it was too early for Xmas so we decided to make a Halloween tree, he loved it and had a big smile across his face.
“He doesn’t understand the rest of the year but when it starts to get cold and dark he knows Halloween, bonfire and Xmas are on their way.
“He loves the tree up and all cozy and he loves presents to open he knows he will get nice things from Santa.”
Traditionally, the Romans waited until the afternoon on Christmas Eve to put up their trees.
Many families opt for four Sundays before Christmas which would be Sunday November 27 this year.
Most households wait until it reaches December so start putting up their festive decorations.
However, over the years, as more retailers have started cashing in on the special day early by promoting Christmas before even Halloween has taken place, a lot of families also start getting into the spirit months before.
