Yes, we’re those people.
I get annoyed when stores skip straight to the next holiday. You know the scene: wandering through Target and spotting Christmas displays before Thanksgiving even arrives. Not ready. Let me enjoy Thanksgiving first. And yet this year we did the unthinkable.
We put up our Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. I know—feel free to give us a virtual eye-roll or an “oh no you didn’t.”
We warned our Thanksgiving guests in advance and, to our relief, they treated it like a fun novelty. That means we’ll soon be able to confirm whether turkey and mashed potatoes taste different when eaten in the glow of a Christmas tree.
Why the rush? Normally we decorate during the first week of December—sometimes the second, if we’re running behind. But this year we’re moving in mid-December, and we wanted to enjoy the tree for the usual few weeks before the move. It’s also Clara’s first Christmas, so we decided to set it up early so we could savor the season a little longer before packing everything away.
This year’s palette is champagne, metallic green, silver, and pink—chosen with Clara’s first Christmas in mind. We already had many silver and champagne ornaments, so we picked up pink and metallic green bulbs on sale at the craft store. The goal was to achieve a frosted, feminine look that wasn’t too over-the-top for the rest of the household. I resisted the impulse to add pink feather boas as garland, partly for the guys and partly for our practical sensibilities.
We did include a few sentimental ornaments that don’t perfectly match the color scheme. A humorous chihuahua ornament from John’s godmother landed on the tree because it’s too funny not to display. We also added a “just married” moose ornament that we brought home from our Alaskan honeymoon; it’s not particularly glamorous, but it’s meaningful, so it stays.
A few other personalized pieces snuck in too—like a silver Empire State Building ornament that reminds us of our early days living in New York City. It blends nicely with the champagne and silver tones and brings a touch of nostalgia to the display.
Overall, the tree turned out soft and sweet. John approves, and Burger—the dog—seems blissfully indifferent. The look is decidedly baby-girl friendly but not overly pastel, so it fits well in a room with a geometric rug and a clean-lined, modern sofa. As usual, I used faux sheepskin rugs as a tree skirt, a quirky tradition we’ve kept for several years.
We did run into a small issue with the pre-lit tree: the bottom strand of lights was out. The fix was simple—wrap an extra strand of lights around the bottom to brighten it up. We could hunt down the single burned-out bulb and replace it, but for now the added strand is a quick, effective solution since we already had an extra set on hand.
So that’s our tree this year: early, sentimental, and slightly unconventional. How about you? Are you planning a specific color scheme or theme for your tree this year—edible ornaments, jewel tones, or something playful and unexpected? I’d love to hear about your ideas, whether you’re ready to decorate now or prefer to wait until after Thanksgiving.
Pssst—if you’re itching to dive into holiday decorating early, check your own project stash for inspiration from past festive projects and favorite ornament finds.
Update: You can also gather a list of favorite holiday decor ideas and budget-friendly finds to help plan your tree and seasonal decorations.