Obligated To Decorate For Seasons/Holidays?

[Meeko]

I decorate HUGE for Christmas, but just a few token things for all other holidays.

[bunnyslippers]

I have two small children of my own, so I enjoy decorating for the holidays and making memories with them. I go all out for Halloween and Christmas, and the rest I keep simple. The daycare clients have to walk past my kitchen table to get to my basement, so I always change the centerpiece and the placemats for whatever season is approaching.

The daycare space is decorated the same every day. We will do seasonal crafts and display those, but I don't decorate the space differently for every holiday. Just my home!

[countrymom]

if you all want a christmas fix go to frankenmeuth to the christmas tree store (I might go over this weekend) omg, its everything christmas. Its really overwheming.

[Brooksie]

I LOVE decorating for the holidays Its not necessary to go all out, but I think its a good visual for the kids while I incorporate what ever holiday is happening into the curriculum. I think it really makes the place bright, and fun and festive. I still have up the pumpkin and fall leave decor that I had for Fall/Halloween, and I'll probably add a couple turkeys this weekend (we just did our first turkey crafts this week:: turkeys on TP rolls with hand cut outs for feathers,. So cute) But I'm especially excited to decorate for christmas! This is my first time in this house at christmas and I'm going to go all out this year. Garland on the porch and lights and a ornaments and everything. I love holidays, and I think when you decorate and really show off the festivities it instills that same feeling in the kids.

[Southern Mama]

I have jewish families, so we mostly do "winter" decorations. Being in Florida, these kids have very little concept of winter anyways.
I have lived in FL for 27 years. I grew up in rural Vermont. Christmas decorations in Florida are lame. Spray on "snow", inflatable snowmen, palm trees wrapped in lights.....all this in 80 degrees, still using mosquito repellent, green lawns. Some folks try the "tropical christmas" look....santa wearing hawaiian shirts, seashell ornaments....ugh, even WORSE than the fake snow. Baaa Humbug.

Hahhaha! OMG! You gave me a good giggle! My brother has lived in Florida for about 10 years and is always sure to email or text pictures of himself by the pool on Christmas day. He can keep it! I love my winter weather! Give me warm hoodies and cute coats any day!!

Also. My daughter's name is Magnolia and I thought I was a big time hippie in high school in the 90s so of course I loooove your screen name! lovethis

[My3cents]

I think the older we get the less I want to take care of-

I used to be a big huge decorator. I think I drove my kids nuts with the decorations.

I don't want to do it all anymore- it is a lot of work.

I am scaling back picking out a few things here and there to display. Same with the daycare. Less is more these days-

I do decorate for my kids and do tons of projects with them- because I like doing that stuff-

I hate to admit I am getting older and just want to simplify my life more-

[KristinLynn]

I would say I sit somewhere in the middle. I've always been a big decorator if the mood strikes me, but I agree that having all the kids in the house inspires me to go the extra mile to spruce things up for the holidays, even the little ones.

I'm definitely a Christmas nut. I like to send custom Christmas Cards I make on Shutterfly with pictures from the winter to the parents of the kids I've had for a while. Last year I tried to get them to put a little play together, but they're just too young! (most of my kids are toddlers) Sigh, maybe someday I'll finally get to direct my own Charlie Brown's Christmas special!

[tenderhearts]

I don't feel obiligated too but I love decorating for he holidays, especially fall/Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's so beautiful, fun and cheery, and yes the kids LOVE it. I don't go all out or anything but enough of where it's cute and fun.

[Mommy2One]

I have jewish families, so we mostly do "winter" decorations. Being in Florida, these kids have very little concept of winter anyways.
I have lived in FL for 27 years. I grew up in rural Vermont. Christmas decorations in Florida are lame. Spray on "snow", inflatable snowmen, palm trees wrapped in lights.....all this in 80 degrees, still using mosquito repellent, green lawns. Some folks try the "tropical christmas" look....santa wearing hawaiian shirts, seashell ornaments....ugh, even WORSE than the fake snow. Baaa Humbug.

We live in Central Florida and I completely agree! It's so hard to feel Christmas-y when I'm in shorts and a t-shirt. I seem to be craving the changing seasons more as I get older. I'm wishing I hadn't nickled-and-dimed my vacation time away so we could spend a long weekend somewhere snowy, even if it's just Georgia.

We decorate the inside of our house in white, silver and blue and everything is snow themed. With the blinds closed and the A/C on it almost feels like Christmas. ::

Having a 3yo seems to be helping with the Christmas spirit too. My husband and I are both so excited to do Christmas activities with her that we already have most of our December weekends filled and I'll be starting a Christmas Countdown activity calendar Saturday.

[sanderson]

I also try to decorate for each of the seasonal holidays. At least the entryway, living room and bathroom anyway. Have you ever used removable wall decals? There are tons of holiday options online and all you need to do is stick them to your wall.

[Laurel]

I have jewish families, so we mostly do "winter" decorations. Being in Florida, these kids have very little concept of winter anyways.
I have lived in FL for 27 years. I grew up in rural Vermont. Christmas decorations in Florida are lame. Spray on "snow", inflatable snowmen, palm trees wrapped in lights.....all this in 80 degrees, still using mosquito repellent, green lawns. Some folks try the "tropical christmas" look....santa wearing hawaiian shirts, seashell ornaments....ugh, even WORSE than the fake snow. Baaa Humbug.

I'm in South Florida too. The first couple of years it didn't seem like Christmas but then I got used to it. Now I just don't like to decorate except minimally...maybe ::

In my mind, I've always wanted to do the following kind of decoration but never have. My ideal Florida decoration would be some snowflakes hanging from strings in my little screened in area in front of the front door. By the door would be a sled up against the wall and some boots and a snow shovel maybe. In the front yard would be a melted snowman (not sure how I would make that). Just some scene that looks like the family has just come in from being outside in the snow.

Oh gosh, I rarely put up the tree anymore (keep trying to give it to my adult kids as it is a gorgeous one but nobody wants it) but I 'almost' bought one from Target last year. It was awesome. It was a palm tree with lights already on it. I like when people decorate their palms outside but only if it isn't that tall of a tree and they put lights on the fronds. Just wrapping it around the trunk looks dumb to me.

Laurel

[Laurel]

I think the older we get the less I want to take care of-

I used to be a big huge decorator. I think I drove my kids nuts with the decorations.

I don't want to do it all anymore- it is a lot of work.

I am scaling back picking out a few things here and there to display. Same with the daycare. Less is more these days-

I do decorate for my kids and do tons of projects with them- because I like doing that stuff-

I hate to admit I am getting older and just want to simplify my life more-

Me too! I have two provider friends though who are my age and they still go all out. They don't get why I don't. I don't get why they do.

Laurel

[Laurel]

My husband and I don't celebrate most holidays traditionally. We don't do Christmas (for us it's a day off to sleep all day!) but I do decorate for Christmas/winter because I think it looks beautiful... I love the colors, the lights, the warmth - it's nice and romantic on cold winter nights I don't use traditional colors or themes though...

We really only celebrate birthdays and Halloween, so we decorate for these as well.

Otherwise... I don't decorate for Easter, Thansgiving, etc. I don't feel obligated to either. It's not our thing and if parents expect that kind of thing we are not the daycare for them!

I think on another thread you said you were an atheist. Me too. However, first we kept celebrating Christmas for our own children (plus I liked it then, okay sue me ) and then once they were grown we tried two years in a row not celebrating. It was sooo wonderful. No shopping, decorating, cleaning, cooking extra, etc. Not to mention Wow did we save money! However, then we had grandchildren so we did it again although in the last few years just very minimally.

What kind of decorations do you put up if not the traditional colors or themes? Just curious.

Thanks, Laurel

[itlw8]

nope One more thing for me not to get put away in a timely manner ANd I think it is all marketing.

I do decorate the front porch a bit in the fall as my flowers fade. in the spring and summer I bring flowers indoors. that is about it.