Guess I'm the maverick here. I do dearly love Christmas just like everyone else, but I don't like how it's been dragged out. I prefer to have a short special Christmas season. We put up our tree (real) 1 or 2 weekends before Christmas and it comes down on Jan. 6th. The outside lights go up a little earlier if possible before it gets too cold but we don't turn them on until the tree is up. When my boys were real little the tree and indoor decorations didn't go up until they were in bed on Christmas Eve. Even after the divorce my ex came over for a couple years to help me stand it up but eventually one year the youngest asked if we could put it up like other kids at school did instead of having Santa bring it. By then I was happy to agree to that. (ah-Christmas Eve sleep
The cookies will be started Mon. after Thanksgiving though. I use them for presents, teachers, bus driver, etc and for church Christmas Play on 8th.