Pros and Cons of Going All out on Christmas Decorations

My parents had totes and totes of Christmas decorations. In the home of my childhood, you'd find jars of Christmas candy, a heavily laden tree, two manger scenes, seven stockings hung by the fireplace, an army of nutcrackers, a waste high Santa Clause, a snowman set, wooden angels, Christmas candles, and so on. There was so much stuff! Then there were the rolls and rolls of Christmas lights that covered the house, fence, trees, mailbox, and so on. My family went all out for the Christmas.

My first Christmas as a married woman was in a small apartment. That year, I colored a paper Christmas tree and stuck it to the wall, hung six ornaments, put out a manger scene, had snowmen salt and pepper shakers, and called it good. From these contrasting situations, I write my list.

Pros of Going all out on Christmas Decorations

1. Decorations can build memories. I fondly remember spending countless hours playing with the army of nutcrackers, peaking into the candy jar, and rearranging the manger scene dozens of times. These are heart-warming memories!
2. It brings the Christmas season in with a bang. Santa's workshop couldn't have resembled Christmas more than our living room. There could be no doubt 'twas the season.
3. It is a fun family tradition. The day after Thanksgiving, my eldest brother would rope us into stringing so many lights. Our fingers would be icy, and it was often dark before we finished. We would rush inside for cups of cocoa or apple cider. Traditions surrounded the decorations.

Cons of Going all out on Christmas Decorations

1. It can be too much. I remember the relief I felt when the living room became livable. No longer did I need to move a million items to get a book from the shelf. No longer did I feel squished when my family watched a movie together. Finally, I felt like I could breathe.
2. It costs a lot of money. Most Christmas decorations cost money! The more decorations one has, the more money has been spent.
3. Decorations take up storage space.  Decorations don't magically go away for the 300 plus days they aren't in use. Our closet that held the Christmas decorations was a closet stuffed to the brim. 
4. What goes up must come down. It is much more enjoyable to decorate than to pack stuff up. I had an aunt that kept her Christmas tree up until the summer due to lack of time. I had a co-worker proudly announce that her decorations were finally down weeks past Christmas. Decorations are a pain to put away after a busy holiday season.

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Kristen