I guess for me Christmas is the one I do most and now in a much smaller house so very simple . Got a funky LED tree last year and it at least fits in the new house . I do pillows on the sofa and reindeer out on the front deck and some pots there too with Christmas lights and a bit of decor. Not much for doing a ton of seasonal decor . I did buy 2 awesome frosted glass pumpkins this year for my dining table they light up Maybe orange napkins???

just use what you like and want to look at during winter.

I put up a few Christmas decorations, but I don't go overboard. I put lights on the deck railing, but those are up all winter.

That's the only season I decorate for.

Wish I could claim this as mine. It is a home in Salem, MA known for its holdiay decorations.

At Easter, they have hundreds of peeps. Very fun.

I don't decorate for the seasons. It looks nice, sure, but I don't want to be bothered with taking it all down.

Darn cute pictures, but can you imagine getting rid of all those pumpkins when the time comes? They also look like a terrible tripping hazard.

I thought maybe I was the only one... which would not be unusual...

To me that Salem MA house looks like a house of horrors. I cannot imagine how this is allowed to go on - especially when this house seems to be some sort of local attraction. You would think that someone in some type of authoritative position would tell them to get all of that stuff off of the steps. The gazillion pumpkins 🎃 🎃🎃🎃🎃setup has the handrails totally inaccessible, and there is barely enough room to even walk through pumpkins - and this is on steps. This is not “decorating” - it is craziness... quite literally.

“…but can you imagine getting rid of all those pumpkins when the time comes? They also look like a terrible tripping hazard.”

This one made me laugh…and also almost feel a little itchy!🥴

And talk about tripping!😳

This is about the extent of my stair pumpkins.

I decorate seasonally mostly because I tire of the same old look. Although I have reduced my decorations as I get older. I decorate a bit for summer starting in May, so ready for a change by September. At that point, I decorate my mantel, entry table, dining tables for fall. In November, I add a few Thanksgiving-specific items. Christmas decor goes up the weekend after Thanksgiving. Following Christmas, I leave up decorations that are winter but not Christmas, such as a frosted looking wreath, wintery-looking stems in a vase, etc.

My mantel and a favorite display in the kitchen.

Once the kids left home I completely stopped decorating for the seasons. No one else cared or offered to help, so I couldn't be bothered to pull boxes out and then put it all away.

We have lived in warm/hot climates for the past 16 years, so we don't have real seasons. Imagine my shock my first Halloween in the warm climate, when I realized that pumpkins don't last for months when the weather is warm! They actually turn to mush quite quickly.

It creeped up on me. I think being a stay at home mom for those 10 years, looking at the same "four walls" I decorated seasonally for my sanity. 'For the kids" sure if you really think they care...we did have fun back in the day wrapping the tree trunks in this plastic that had tree faces on it. I've been seeing a big push for 'fall decore' vs specific holiday to carry us through from Sept to December., focusing on color, texture vs pumpkins and turkeys. If we ever 'downsize' much will have to go away but I yearn for the new look as the first of a month draws near. Right now my home has fall leaves and apples announcing fall. Soon jack-o-lanterns and scarecrows will take their place until it's time for pumpkins and turkeys. Of course there's Christmas but I am more than ready come January to cull all the trees, bells and Nativity sets and set out my snowmen. I think the longest my home stays static is Memorial day through Labor Day with it's patriotism announcing our love of country.

This thread is inspiring! I've switched out my regular decorative pillows and place mats for fall colored ones, put a smattering of pumpkins around the house but won't really get busy until after Halloween. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and the turkeys and Thanksgiving themed items will come out then! I like to put pumpkins and mums outdoors, especially on the patios where I can see them through the windows, but haven't gotten around to that yet.

I have one or two things for a season -

for halloween a handmade witch for the front door,

fall: grouping of white ceramic pumpkins for the dining table,

thanksgiving: vintage turkey platter behind the stove,

xmas: enamel ware bathtub filled with vintage xmas ball ornaments for the table + live tree -

i like having 1-2 vintage items that i really enjoy out for a bit for the holiday but i purposefully avoid buying anything new and I stay out of the lovely home store near me as i don’t want to be tempted 🫣

i also switch out my throws from summer cotton to fall/winter wools etc and adjust bedding

my mantra is anything i buy I have to then manage - and the older i get, the less i want to manage..

For autumn I throw a wreath on the door and an autumn pillow on the rocker and usually a mum in a pot. I do not do anything inside. I do not put out pumpkins as I am afraid to attract bears.

For Christmas I throw a wreath on the door, change out the rocker pillow to a winter themed pillow. Inside I put candles in the windows, hang stockings, put up chirtsmas tree. I put a Christmas themed pillow on the bench in my foyer and then have some poinsettias.

That is the extent of my holiday decorating.

Yikes, going through this thread right now, I remembered my son told us this week he will be coming for Christmas with his girlfriend. Love to have him visit, but now the stress (for me) of deciding if I do no decorating like the last few years or pull out some Christmas stuff!

Our neighborhood clubhouse goes over the top with Christmas decorations, so plenty of opportunities for seasonal photos!

Chispa, it doesnt have to be extravagant. And he is your kid so you know better, but I would have at least a bowl of ormaments or bells or a candlescape to nod to the season. When we had the B&B, we went all out. A tree in the inn plus one in our apartment plus one in every guest room plus garland and theme trees in the common hallways. Snowflakes above the stairs, a wreath on every door, candles in the windows and even lawn deer. We have retired and given quite a bit away. We still have a tree for us with ornaments collected over the years and a wreath with the handmade ornaments the kids made for us many years ago. Not sad to say goodby to the garland So messy!

“…when I realized that pumpkins don't last for months when the weather is warm!”

We’re in Southern CA and I’ve had some last long enough to use the following year. These small Blaze pumpkins lasted through two falls. The pumpkins I put outside stay in shade and do fine with our warm temps.

Aunt Thelma, I joke with my DH that the neighbors must think we are Jewish, because we haven't done any outside decorating since we moved in 4 years ago and not even a glimpse of any Christmas lights indoors!

Inside I have only put out my tabletop seashell trees on the kitchen island. They look good on a silver tray on my Taj Mahal countertops!

😂

Very little. Finally caved & hired someone to install Christmas lights on the exterior. Very little inside other than 3 ’ & 4’ prelit trees from Balsam Hill. Reason is that I hate taking everything down .

i know someone who starts decorating in October, 4 or 5 Christmas trees plus tons of decor, looks like the Costco holiday decor aisle exploded in her house!

Chloebud, I was in LA and the first year there I got the large orange pumpkins like we used to buy in the northeast. Placed them on our front steps and they did not last long at all. Carved ones even less!

chispa, I’ve found the heirloom varieties can last a long time. The regular orange Jack-o’-lanterns can do okay, but, yes, carving can really mean less time. Keeping them out of the sun can help. One of my biggest concerns are the squirrels and bears. However, we have plenty of both around and have yet to have a problem…knock on wood!🤞🏻

ETA - Another thing I always think about when I see these homes with a zillion pumpkins is the cost. I don’t know about some locations, but around us pumpkins can get pricey, especially the heirlooms. Trader Joe’s has the best prices I’ve seen for heirlooms at $9 each no matter the size. I think they’re about $17 each at our local nursery. Our grocery store sells the heirlooms for 99 cents a pound. That can be a better deal for the smaller ones.

Love to decorate my dining table to suit the season. Decorate early for Christmas as I tend to want to pack up things just after New Year’s. I finally figured out that taking pictures made it so much easier than trying to remember. Here are a few and try to create vignettes that suit the locations.

Since my house is in warmer tones-beige, caramel, off-white and touches of black, I like to put up a few things for fall-mostly changing out greenery in vases for fall colors, a bittersweet wreath on the front door, a fall outdoor mat, and a few pumpkins here and there. It all fits back into one tote.

For Christmas, I do my tree, which is filled with ornaments I've collected over the years, a tree for my granddaughter that we fill with ornaments we make together every year, and everything else fits in one tote as well. I used to have 5 or 6 totes of decorations that I pulled out but I got it down to things I really love that can easily be stored away until next year.

Less is always more, and I like to take the time to curate and invest in the right pieces so I can use them every year and not keep buying more and more STUFF that will eventually get thrown away. Also if you use the same decorations every year they become nostalgic and hold memories within them.

I used to do a lot more when my kids were young. They're all grown and moved away, so unless I'm hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas I do very little. Thanksgiving is a natural front door decoration and some mums. Christmas is garland, wreaths, one tree. If I'm hosting I'll decorate the dining table with seasonal items. But it's so much work getting stuff down two flights of stairs from the attic, and not worth it if it's just my husband and me. He doesn't notice anything anyway!

Interesting how many don’t decorate as much when kids are gone. My mother was the exception. Even in assisted living she would have me put out as many seasonal decorations as possible. I even found some heart ornaments I put on her lighted tree branches for Valentine’s day. Kind of miss doing that for her now. For those who have nice decor they don’t use ask if any of the senior facilities could use the unbreakable ones for their resident areas. Most facilities don’t have the budget for decor.

That’s a great idea valinta

"Also if you use the same decorations every year they become nostalgic and hold memories within them. " I 100% agree! I love that when my offspring and now grands come home they look for certain things depending on the season!! I cannot imagine the time and energy to start from scratch!! I love all my things and the memories they invoke. That is why downsizing will be a challenge. Great idea Valinta. I know the place my parents live always looks dressed for the seasons!!

I usually like to keep seasonal decorating pretty simple. I love the idea of doing fall decor without making it all about Halloween or Thanksgiving. A few pumpkins, some leaves and warmer colors can make a room feel really cozy.

After Christmas is actually the part I struggle with too. I usually just take all the Christmas stuff away and leave things pretty simple for a while. Sometimes I’ll add a few candles, pinecones or some greenery to make the room still feel cozy.

I like changing a few small things rather than completely redecorating every season. It’s easier and I don’t get tired of the decor so quickly. I really like the idea of using shells in spring and summer too!

I think someone posted this here once as an example of Halloween overkill.😳

That certainly is frightening.^^^^

Be still, my beating heart! I love these "holiday decorating" discussions in the last three months of the year. In fact, it is the only time I decorate my home seasonally. Otherwise, it tends toward minimalism. But come the end of September, when I have been anticipating all the fun of fall and Christmas decorating, I can barely make myself wait another moment.

Today, I went to Trader Joe's for groceries and as I knew they would they had all their autumn stuff out. There was all the pumpkin-flavored food, which interests me not at all. However, there were the large pumpkins ($5 for orange and $9 for other colors), smaller white ones, the bouquet of "pumpkin" sticks (actually ornamental eggplant), new bouquets of autum-colored grasses and tiny pumpkins ($15), and, oh, so much that I wanted. But ye gods, that would have been so expensive. I bypassed it all. I might have bought something but the weather here in southern-central coastal California is so hot right now, hovering between 85 and 95. There appears to be no break coming for at least ten more days. I thought about that as I hovered over the pumpkins and bouquets and took in the (admittedly faux) delicious smell of their cinnamon-infused brooms. I do not want to risk pumpkins going bad in this heat for fear of attracting ants. Also, I just bought a new mattress and platform (frame) totaling $5255 and I am not feeling up to spending much if anything on non-essentials for the next several months while I replenish my daily savings accounts.

While I do have on gorgeous glass ceramic pumpkin on the coffee table, I have more faux pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and materials in a couple of plastic storage bins in the shed. Despite the heat I plan to pull it all out this weekend and decorate.

As for those stairs with the gorgeous pumpkin displays my first reaction was to squeal in absolute delight at them. I love all of them but especially the first image from Salem. At the same time I saw the incredible danger of a narrow walkway up the stairs and no handrail availabilty and thought, "I hope they use the back door all the time." Those are scary; no need for skeletons.

I hope many more people will post and comment here. I know I do when the holiday discussions roll around. Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas are my favorites; I might even do a little Halloween if it's not scary. Ridiculous I can handle with amusement. Lovely is, well, simply lovely. I can hardly wait to share my decorations with everyone. I think I can take pictures this year and I certainly look forward to admiring everyone else's choices in decor.

BRING ON AUTUMN DECORATIONS!

Wow, the house in Salem, Mass. is quite something!

Chloe, yikes!

Well, Halloween is the main yearly tourist event in Salem, so people/businesses don't move there unless they want to be part of that. I used to live in that area a long time ago, and even then, I rarely went to downtown Salem during fall as it was too busy with tourists. It has got to be even worse now, in the age of Pinterest/Instagram.

We live nearby and avoid the main highway throughout october. it is like a month long mardi gras.

“However, there were the large pumpkins ($5 for orange and $9 for other colors)…”

I did buy a few heirloom/fairy tale varieties at TJ’s. They didn’t charge me for the first one since the checker couldn’t ring it up for some reason. The heirlooms are charged by the pound at our regular grocery store (99 cents/lb.) so it can be a better deal. At TJ’s you pay $9 no matter what size heirloom you want. It can get expensive for those who want gobs of them cascading down their front steps!

That's what I think, Chloe. I'd love that cascading look down my front stairs (as I use the back door to come and go). But I could see the price being a minimum of $250 and that just won't fly with me. Maybe ... if I ever win the lottery.

And the pumpkins ultimately do not go to waste as we have a Sulcata Tortoise rescue here and the founder asks for leftover pumpkins every November--the giant tortoises love them--and the zoo is thrilled to get them too as long as they are not decorated or carved.

That's amazing about the tortoises and the pumpkins--wish there was somewhere here that took them!

Yes, great about the tortoises! I’ve heard about the zoos, especially for the elephants.👍🏻 They’d likely love all of these!😳

These are a couple favorite things I always put out on October 1 for Halloween.

Forgot my witch!🎃

I add a few Halloween items to my fall porch display about mid-October. They are more cute than scary like Chloebud's above. I also have an ancient 3-D puzzle of a haunted house that I assemble. I call it my annual cognitive and dexterity test. ;)

To see lovely pumpkin displays, I visit my local arboretum.