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Mr.Bill

(24,284 posts)

8. My mom and dad put up the tree after we went to bed in the early 50s.

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Sat Dec 25, 2021, 03:14 AM

Dec 2021

They told us Santa brought the tree. I actually suspect it was done because on Christmas Eve you could buy a tree for about 25 cents. My dad would never admit in in later years, though.

We weren't poor, but we weren't rich either. Our parents did lots of interesting things to cut corners and save money. My wife came from a family with five kids. Their Sunday routine consisted of going to church, And since Catholic Communion required fasting that morning, their first meal was a hearty lunch. Sunday evening was popcorn night while watching the Ed Sullivan Show. The kids looked forward to this and loved it. Can you imagine how much money their dad saved over the years by feeding five kids popcorn for dinner one night a week?

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Did people really put the tree up on Christmas Eve years ago? [View all] Polybius Dec 2021 OP

My mom said they put their up on Christmas Eve when she was a kid. StarryNite Dec 2021 #1

Yes, very commonly. I know my own parents' families did. Ocelot II Dec 2021 #2

We did when I was young... 2naSalit Dec 2021 #3

That Was our Practice, Sir The Magistrate Dec 2021 #4

I still do UpInArms Dec 2021 #5

Wow why? Polybius Dec 2021 #6

I am usually sick of Christmas long before Christmas because the season starts too damn soon. Ocelot II Dec 2021 #9

I was born in 1947. MyOwnPeace Dec 2021 #7

My mom and dad put up the tree after we went to bed in the early 50s. Mr.Bill Dec 2021 #8

It took me many years to realize it, but our tree went up on Christmas Eve because Nay Dec 2021 #16

That's interesting, I wonder if there's a variation by region? malthaussen Dec 2021 #21

This was 60 years ago, so maybe just a difference in the era. And it was in Florida. Nay Dec 2021 #25

I'm the same vintage, different region. malthaussen Dec 2021 #27

When you're attaching actual burning candles to a resinous conifer inside your house, it is best RockRaven Dec 2021 #10

My parents always did that. Even when the stores started Tomconroy Dec 2021 #11

Yes. Christmas Eve to Epiphany is when the tree was up MaryMagdaline Dec 2021 #12

My family did. Mister Ed Dec 2021 #13

This message was self-deleted by its author sl8 Dec 2021 #14

That was my family tradition growing up. (born in '54) Nittersing Dec 2021 #15

There is actually some old Celtic reason why you don't bring in the Scrivener7 Dec 2021 #17

Perhaps it stems from the 12 days of Christmas starting on the 25th/Christmas Day. Solly Mack Dec 2021 #18

We usually put ours up about the third week of December, although I recall one year we bought our dameatball Dec 2021 #19

Dunno about "people," but... malthaussen Dec 2021 #20

My recollection is that the tree went up when the kids were off for Christmas break rurallib Dec 2021 #22

My mother said that this was the tradition when she was a child. Irish_Dem Dec 2021 #23

Our family has always put it up around December 10th. Elessar Zappa Dec 2021 #24

Same with my family as a kid Polybius Dec 2021 #26