Is It Too Early To Put Up Your Christmas Tree?

When is the right time to put up your Christmas tree? That's the age old question that has boggled the human race since the inception of Christmas trees.

Here's a quick glimpse into my feelings on Christmas. I was a retail associate at a huge box store for 15 years, seven as a sales floor associate and eight as an assistant store manager. Retail broke me. I have a certain disdain for the commercialization of the holiday now, except for my love for Christmas music. I'll bust out a Pandora Christmas channel in June sometimes.

When the Christmas season comes around, I'm usually numb to all the holiday cheer and good tidings. In fact, my wife made me drag out the tree and trimmings last weekend so that she and the kids could put it up. She knows how I am with the season, but that doesn't stop her from getting mad at me for my lack of excitement.

Did we put up our Christmas tree too early? I've heard of some people who keep their Christmas trees up all year long and just decorate them for every holiday that comes up. Anyway, I didn't know the answer to that question, so I Googled it and found a website with a great explanation.

Traditionally, the Christmas tree is to be set up at the beginning of Advent. Advent marks the weeks before the birth of Jesus and always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. So this year, according to this tradition, the proper time to put up your Christmas tree would be Sunday, November 29. The original purpose Christians brought an evergreen tree into their homes during Christmas was to symbolize their everlasting life with God.

Whether you want to put up your tree during the traditional time or after Halloween, I say go for it. I don't think most people look at their fake plastic trees and think they represent anything other than a decoration for their homes during the holidays. And why should we shame someone for loving a holiday so much they want to put up decorations months before? Let them live their lives the way they want to.