Traditionally, we get the decorations out, the tree up, and everything set around the beginning of December (as early as the weekend following Thanksgiving, but by the second Sunday of Advent. They then stay up until January 6 (Epiphany/Three Kings’ Day/Twelfth Night).
However, this year was crazy, so we had no tree, about half the decorations out and up around the place somewhere around the third Sunday of Advent.
I usually try to get the shopping done around mid-December (earliest I’ve done it was one year when I decided to see what all the fuss about Black Friday was,and did it all in one day. Never again…), but this year I was still canvassing stores on the afternoon of the 24th (never did find what I was looking for…).
I send out cards (does anyone here still do that? We’ve gotten fewer and fewer over the years, and I’ve noticed even my parents are getting fewer from their peers than normal. Dying tradition…? :-( ) as well, and also aim for completing them by mid-December. This year got the last ones out three days before the big day, whew.
So for us it’s decorations/tree, shopping, and cards, and that gets us ready for Christmas. Now I just need to get ready for 2013…