luvs - If it is any consolation, I always feel that way when I have to put the Christmas stuff away. Every year I tell myself - not going to decorate so early and not going to this much effort next year! LOL

Aw, but you enjoyed it while it was out? I think some holidays are fun to have out longer whereas some Holidays have a "shorter" life span. Right now,I have 3 different sets of Valentine tables settings up trying to deciede which to use on Feb 14. But once deceided, they will be off the table till the night before or the day of. I like having Easter Vignetttes up longer though.....

I think I will have to invite some people over for Val dinner so I get motivated to do my table. I really don't have that much , but I know I could do something! My everyday dishes, (Dansk, Fiance Fruits, white center with pears, etc around the rim and blue band) don't lend themselves to Val Day, so I will have to use something else. I don't have an all white set. I am on the look out for a nice porcelain set at a good price, and of course I will gave to sneak them in to the house!

Luvs, I had my Valentine table set up on our kitchen table and had to take it down also. I moved the stacking plates, lame and candlesticks over to the bar and put the table linens and dishes away. Late the night before Valentine's I will set the table back up for our dinner. I am still playing with the Valentine's setup on the round table in my living room and have added some more to my Valentine's tree. I will be so happy when I get my dining room suite here and can leave my pretties up longer.

The ornaments are SO easy to paint. I've seen your work and know what a wonderful painter you are.

Labmomma, I say the same thing every Christmas and still set out almost everything I have and BUY more. I just can't help it! :~)

Kathleen_li, I sneaked my green glass plates and mugs into the house and got busted earlier this week playing with a St Paddy's Day table. All he said was that things just keep showing up in the house. LOL

I could leave up my Christmas decos for months and probably not tire of them. Every year I tell myself i'll have them up a few days after Th'g, but I never get them up until a week befor Christmas, and leave them up for about two weeks after Christmas.

One of the things I really enjoy is lighting candles because it makes me *think* of the holidays. I light them every night. I buy Carolina candles from Kohl's in the Sandalwood scent, but use a larger size patio candle for only .64 I found on sale at Joann's,so bought a bunch. I use these in decorative holders where a larger candle is needed,but don't like to use a votive because they are not self-contained,and I end up with with a pile of wax very difficult to get out. On occassion, i'll use a self-containd votive, but then I end up with too many of the glass containers.

I know it sounds crazy, but I find buring a lot of candles,usually 12 or more, in a room also helps in heating it up. It's also adds a wonderful fragrance to the house that can linger for hours.

The Carolina candles used to be sold in department stores and I see them in certain drug stores. They're half the price at Kohl's. ;o)

patty_cakes

Pattycakes, I used to burn my candles frequently and often had them burning in more than one room--then one year one somehow caught a silk candle ring on fire, and burned my coffee tabletop before we got it put out. Now I only burn them in the room I am going to be in, and I really prefer floating candles for safety reasons. I have lots of candles around the house, and love the look and fragrance--but really don't burn them all that often now. If you are lighting that many, please use care to be safe. Have any of you used the jar candles and the warmers? Seems like a nice safe way to add fragrance to the room. I also like simmering oils in my tiny crockpot. Luvs

I'm so glad I put my Valentine decor up as early as I did. I love coming into the rooms filled with that beautiful Red and having my cupids up. Usually the day after V Day is when I take everything down. I think Easter isn't until April so I'll put up my fairies, maybe or my Noah's arks until the middle of March when I'll get out someof my Easter Bunnies.

EXCEPT for Christmas, I think putting decos up for other holidays a week before is enough time. With Easter being a spring holiday, some of the things can possibly be left out because they fit with the season, such as flowers, but IMO, the chicks and eggs should be put away.

As for the bunnies, I would but them away also, but like Judith, bring them back out for Christmas. They're just one of those things that can be used for both holidays.
Birds too.

As for any Valentine/Easter candy,you can leave that out until it's 'all gone'!LOL ;o)

patty_cakes

You are funny, Patty...
I always buy too much candy for the bowls, but you know it's ok to eat the dark choco, good for your heart!!I don't think it is good for the hips though, LOL

Luvs, I use candles more for the prettiness than the aroma. I guess the candles I buy are too cheap to put out much fragrance. I like to use the little burners that you put wax potpourri in & use tea lights to melt it, but also the electric little crockpot with liquid potpourri.

I like to put my holiday decos out at least 2 weeks before any holiday except Christmas which goes up the weekend after Thanksgiving. I'm one of those people who most people gripe about putting their decos up too soon! ;~)

I do like to take all of my holiday decos down the day after the holiday, again except Christmas which I leave up until after Epiphany. I usually start taking down everything except the tree after New Year's Day though.

Leftover candy?? I never heard of that. LOL

I can realte to being tired of the valentines decor already...LOL
I also put it up too early and the other issue is that I bought all these great things for Eatster and I can't wait to play with that...LOL
It is killing me to wait but I just know if I play around with it now I want to keep it up and that would just be all wrong.
I don't mind Christmas being up longer and with the easter stuff I can remove the eggs and chicks and real easter looking things and use it as a Spring setting. Spring really does not arrive here until April or later...so that look has to last for a while.

Leftover candy? I have to agree with Sandi on that! ;o) I haven't taken my Valentine's down,and won't until the holiday is over. Just won't do the St. Pat's things so early--maybe just the week before and down right after. However, I agree, some of the Easter things can be kept out longer especially any flowers and such--and I have some bunnies out year round. I also cleared some things out of the glass front cabinet in my family room and plan to display some of the new bunnies and plates in there year round. Good place to store them and I just love looking at them! ;o) Yep, I'm a true bunny lover. That one pic that Judith shared with us of the window with the wreath, topiaries and bunnies really called to me. I have an inset window (one that I had all my snowmen displayed in) and think I might be able to do something similar to that pic in it. I have two bunnies up there all the time except Christmas already--just need to add more greenery and things. I'll have to see about finding or making some topiaries, and a wreath. Fun to have projects to look forward to, isn't it? Luvs

Luvs, did you go to the site I gave in the Tablecloths post . It shows you how to fold you napkin as a bunny!!!

I read that post, but haven't been able to check out the site yet--had the little GD today. Thanks for that link, I am sure I'm going to enjoy it. ;o) Luvs