Don't Be Scrooge when it Comes to Decorating for Christmas

How often do you go to the stores in the beginning of November or as early as late October and see the Christmas decorations and hear the Christmas carols? That alone can put just about anyone in a good mood. Do you wish you could decorate like that or possibly hire someone to do it for you so you don't have to deal with the hassle? Most of the time, the failure to decorate comes from lack of motivation. Possibly you don't have children and therefore don't think you need to decorate. You could also dread the day you have to pack the ornaments and decorations away. This can all be a lot of work.

Remember how good it feels when you're in the stores. Regardless of children, you should try to bring that happy feeling to your home. Follow these easy tips for making the best of your decorating time.

Commit a day to decorating - Plan a specific day of each year that you set aside to plan preparing Christmas decorations. The date most people decorate is the day after Thanksgiving. Maybe plan it for the weekend after Thanksgiving. The day should fit well with your schedule so you don't tend to put it off. The earlier after Thanksgiving, the longer you get to enjoy your decorations and you won't feel like you're putting the decorations away the day after you took them out!

Turn on the music - Usually around Thanksgiving, you can find a radio station that plays Christmas carols 24/7 or take out your favorite Christmas CD. Playing the music helps to get you in the decoration mood.

Enlist help from friends and family - Get a commitment from friends and/or family to help you on that day. Make it like a small decorating party. Have finger foods and share stories of past Christmas times with each other while you decorate. Children especially like to decorate. Get a few neighborhood children to help.

When you do finish your decorations, you will be glad you're done. It's a great sense of accomplishment because each day for over a month, you can reap the fruits of your labor. You can be glad it's done and over with. Be sure to plan a certain day of the year to take down the decorations so you don't procrastinate and leave them up all year! I have found the typical date for packing up is the day after the New Year! Again, the dates are up to you and should work best for you. The most important thing is to commit to dates in advance so you don't put it off any longer than you need to.

Merry Christmas!