On the First Day of Sock Yarn, Simply Sock Yarn gave to meeeeeeeee......
Five skeins of Life in the Long Grass yarn!
To have a chance at winning five skeins of your choice from this stunner of an Irish dyer, simply answer the following question in the comments below:
What's a holiday tradition that starts the season for you? Is it shopping for a gift from the Angel Tree? What about your kids' Christmas concert? Perhaps the first snow?
For me, it's putting up our tree. We don't do a themed tree or anything, but instead a 12 foot tall tree in the middle of our family room that holds all the family ornaments we've collected over the years. We each get a Hallmark ornament every year, plus there are dozens and dozens of ornaments the kids have made and all sorts of things we have made together over the years. We can't even fit them all on the tree each year even though the tree is HUGE. I have thought of getting another tree, but I just don't have the time to put up another one.
Another decoration that we really like putting up are paper chains that we make out of those inexpensive holiday paper packs you can get from places like Hobby Lobby. We string the paper chains across the windows each year and we write little notes on the inside of some so that each year we can read them - things like "My family is awesome!" and "I want a dog!" or "Mom made me write something". You can see the pile of them on the floor here that we are getting ready to string up. Scroll through these pics if you want to see the paper we use and how it started.
LITLG Singles in Firefly
What five skeins might you like to choose for your prize? Perhaps you're like our shop friend Diana and you want to knit a Pavement sweater in the Moonbow color of Zebra Sock.
Or maybe you want to choose five skeins of your own in Singles to join in the new Stephen West KAL. Whatever you choose, we have oh so much Life in the Long Grass yarn for you to choose from. I really don't think you'll find more of this yarn anywhere else in the US. We have A LOT.
We have 11 more Days of Sock Yarn coming up, so do stop here at the SSYC blog (the shop journal - I've been writing/sharing shop and life stuff here for over 17 years) every day until Christmas Eve so you can win. Full details of the contest can be found here.
Definitely, putting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Staci J | December 13, 2022 at 09:13 AM
The first advent mass, putting up our tree, and this year putting out all the elves I knit!!
Posted by: Sara Moening | December 13, 2022 at 09:17 AM
Ours is also putting up the tree. We have many years of handmade ornaments from an annual ornament exchange I have participated in for the past 10 plus years.
Posted by: Kate | December 13, 2022 at 09:17 AM
For me it is around Thanksgiving when I decide what I want to knit for gifts. Next it is on December 1 when I start knitting advent yarn if I get a yarn advent.
Posted by: Kelli Franklin | December 13, 2022 at 09:17 AM
On Thanksgiving weekend our immediate family gets together to shop for a family in need. We do this instead of buying for each other and over the past years we often did it while on a Zoom call! Because we live in different cities we rotate who selects and delivers the gifts!
Posted by: Theresa Maxwell | December 13, 2022 at 09:17 AM
Singing Christmas carols while doing the dishes after Thanksgiving dinner. It was the rule growing up that Christmas didn't start until after Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Cindy H | December 13, 2022 at 09:18 AM
Watching Miracle on 34th St, the 1947 version!
Posted by: Mary Lee | December 13, 2022 at 09:19 AM
Thanksgiving dinner with family starts off the season for me. And watching the MACY’S parade on tv.
Posted by: MaggieH | December 13, 2022 at 09:20 AM
Gorgeous
Posted by: Phyllis | December 13, 2022 at 09:20 AM
My family puts our tree up the day after thanksgiving too! Not themed either, just ornaments we’ve collected over the years. :)
Posted by: Hannah | December 13, 2022 at 09:20 AM
Putting up the tree after Thanksgiving while watching A Christmas Story.
Posted by: Kim Baker | December 13, 2022 at 09:20 AM
Black Friday with my college roommate. This started 40+ years ago and we rarely miss a year
Posted by: Diane | December 13, 2022 at 09:21 AM
I start to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, inside and outside. The tree goes up last.
Posted by: Rose Birchall | December 13, 2022 at 09:21 AM
"Shop Local" Saturday and Giving Tuesday set the pace here!
Posted by: Jen M | December 13, 2022 at 09:22 AM
Putting up the Christmas tree and buying the first gift. I think wrapping the gifts really put me in the mood too.
Posted by: Beth Seabolt-Brown | December 13, 2022 at 09:25 AM
Wrapping presents!
Posted by: Jerrilynn Bayless | December 13, 2022 at 09:26 AM
Knitwise, the season starts when Laura Aylor's Just for You pattern drops. It's always on my birthday, and it's a little self care knitting each day that keeps me centered.
Posted by: Laura | December 13, 2022 at 09:26 AM
Ours is shopping for the perfect tree. Going from lot to lot till we find the one that fits our home and taste.
Posted by: gerri | December 13, 2022 at 09:26 AM
We go to the tree farm Thanksgiving weekend to hunt for the perfect tree. It is a weekend of decorating the tree and house.
Posted by: Laura H. | December 13, 2022 at 09:26 AM
We always put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. That kicks off the season for our family. 😁🎄
Posted by: Lisa Halsema | December 13, 2022 at 09:27 AM
Our family tradition has always been decorating the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. I've done themed trees in the past, but my favorites are the ornaments gifted to me for the first 21 years of my life. My grandmother always picked up ornaments for my cousins and me on her travels.
Posted by: Morgan James | December 13, 2022 at 09:27 AM
Putting up the Christmas tree kicks off the season for us... like your tree lots of different ornaments and memories from years past...
Posted by: carol fun | December 13, 2022 at 09:27 AM
Putting up the Christmas tree, going through all of our ornaments collected over the years.
Posted by: Tammy Rade | December 13, 2022 at 09:28 AM
“No Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving” is a long-standing family rule. I love the British cathedral choirs and always start with one of them.
Posted by: ElizabethD | December 13, 2022 at 09:30 AM
I participate in an “Adopt a Family” Christmas program organized by a local charity. We are given our family information before Thanksgiving so we can shop the Black Friday sales! We are very blessed to be able to give a little Christmas to families that need a little help. Honestly, this is the most meaningful shopping I do for Christmas.
Posted by: Joette Krusinga | December 13, 2022 at 09:30 AM
Our friends have yearly party on the 1st Saturday in December called the drinking of the tree lol! They decorate a tree with nip bottles and so it goes. It’s a family friendly party we have been attending for 20 years. In the early years, we all had young kids who’d eventually fall asleep on various couches. Now some are old enough to join in and others have stopped coming. I have noticed as we’ve aged the party starts and ends earlier-lol!
Posted by: Jessica McConnell | December 13, 2022 at 09:31 AM
I started collecting snowmen years ago and have enjoyed putting them out every year. This year, I decided that I am going to offer them to my nieces and their children. They are busy right now with their families, so I will get things photographed and offer them as a Christmas in July from their Auntie.
Posted by: Connie | December 13, 2022 at 09:32 AM
Our Christmas holiday starts after Thanksgiving when our decorations and tree adorn our family room. The lights go on about 4 pm when it starts to get dark and cheers us up. I do love all those twinkly lights!
Posted by: Bonnie Westbrook | December 13, 2022 at 09:32 AM
We go to the Christmas tree farm the day after Thanksgiving and cut down our tree!
Posted by: Alice | December 13, 2022 at 09:32 AM
I get the Christmas bins out the weekend after Thanksgiving. I love to listen to Christmas music while opening the bins and decorating the house.
Posted by: Margaret | December 13, 2022 at 09:32 AM
The last day of class for the semester. Once I am done teaching I start looking forward to Christmas.
Posted by: Larissa | December 13, 2022 at 09:34 AM
Our neighborhood tree lighting starts the season for me. All of the neighborhood gathers and eats cookies and drinks hot chocolate and watches the tree lighting.
Posted by: Tracey | December 13, 2022 at 09:34 AM
The Christmas stockings are the first to start the holiday season. Five stockings to represent our small family, each one hand made for each of us. It brings joy and so many memories!
Posted by: Faye | December 13, 2022 at 09:35 AM
My newish tradition to start the season for the past few years has been picking up a Wish Tag. These are created by Things of My Very Own, a local organization that provides year-round assitance to children of families in crisis.
This year, i have another new tradition - hanging my Arne & Carlos advent calendar of mini nordic sweaters. I finished them just in time for the start of Advent, so theyre up now, hanging high enough to elude the cats!
Posted by: Pat | December 13, 2022 at 09:36 AM
My work 12 days of Christmas is amazing. We decorate, do a secret Santa, have a theme day. Carry ins, treats every day and a big breakfast on the Santa reveal day. That definitely sets the mood for me.
Posted by: Joyce | December 13, 2022 at 09:37 AM
My annual search for Chanukah candles starts anytime from early November as Chanukah start dates vary from year to year.
Posted by: Judy | December 13, 2022 at 09:38 AM
Seeing the decorations along our nature trail
Posted by: Sheila Hensler | December 13, 2022 at 09:38 AM
My kickoff is getting out the seasonal mugs. Then my warm mug of coffee or gingerbread tea and Christmas music music helps get me through the work of decorating. ☕️🎄
Posted by: Staci | December 13, 2022 at 09:38 AM
We have since the birth of our first child, put up the tree after his birthday. This is a thirty year tradition.
Posted by: Ann | December 13, 2022 at 09:39 AM
I buy Christmas gifts all year long and am usually done by Thanksgiving. The one thing that I hold off on is Christmas music. I try to wait until Thanksgiving day to start listening to Christmas music.
Posted by: Sabrina Snyder | December 13, 2022 at 09:39 AM
I start my Christmas shopping with book and chocolate buying for our family Jokabokaflöd tradition!
Posted by: Sandra | December 13, 2022 at 09:40 AM
My favorite Christmas tradition is unwrapping all the memories attached to each special holiday ornament .
Posted by: Linda Rominger | December 13, 2022 at 09:41 AM
Our town holds a light up night after thanksgiving and that kicks off the holiday season for us.
Posted by: Teresa | December 13, 2022 at 09:45 AM
It starts with making a list of people for whom I want to buy a gift and what I’m thinking to buy for them
Posted by: Diane | December 13, 2022 at 09:48 AM
From childhood to this day, our Christmas season always begins with the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade followed by watching Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. Seriously limited TV choices back in the old days but still generates the same joy for the festivities to come.
Posted by: Wende Wyman | December 13, 2022 at 09:48 AM
My tradition that officially starts off my holiday is 2-fold! My mom (cancer took her 5 years before my first son was born) never got to meet my 5 sons, her grandsons. One was I keep her memory alive is by baking her Christmas cookies with my boys each year. I remember helping my mom clean the counters and floor of all the flour that got everywhere when shemade them with us as kids. We mix th dough, get out the box of cookie cutters, and roll and cut and bake and frost and decorate and eat them while we.... Which leads right into the 2nd part...decorating the tree. One of my favorite things is hearing the boys reminisce as they find ornaments they made years ago.
To sum up, homemade cookies and handmade ornaments make my Christmas. And if Bing happens to be singing White Christmas then it's even better!
Posted by: Kathy | December 13, 2022 at 09:49 AM
I guess my first tradition is changing decorations from Thanksgiving/fall to Christmas/Advent and putting out my advent wreath with new candles.
Posted by: Kelly Nalley | December 13, 2022 at 09:50 AM
Going to tree farm to find and cut down the Christmas tree. Always cold, muddy and fun! Lynn
Posted by: Lynn B | December 13, 2022 at 09:51 AM
We always go to a living Nativity the first weekend of December, and for me, that's the start of Christmas!
Posted by: Dorothy | December 13, 2022 at 09:52 AM
We start using the Christmas dishes for all meals the day after Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Anna | December 13, 2022 at 09:52 AM
As a kid, we only watched Christmas movies together as a family. Charlie Brown's Christmas Special was my favorite back then, these days, I look forward to A Christmas Story. We laugh at how brilliantly the holidays are captured from the child and adult perspective and how absolutely relatable it is!
Posted by: Amber Jones | December 13, 2022 at 09:58 AM
Putting up my tree seems to start the season for me. I also have ornaments collected through the years. This year I have a wild kitten, so it is different, just new unbreakable ornaments that don't hold meaning. Next year I can enjoy my special memories again.
Posted by: Amber | December 13, 2022 at 09:58 AM
The first Christmas card comes the day after Thanksgiving. Hearing from all my friends and family far and wide and catching up with them is what my holiday is about.
Posted by: Sharon | December 13, 2022 at 09:59 AM
Candles in the windows and greenery in my windowboxes. The wreath gets hung on the door and the season begins!
Posted by: Jen Simoneau | December 13, 2022 at 09:59 AM
For me the Christmas tradition that starts the season begins the first time I hear Elvis’ Blue Christmas on the radio (or play it myself). As a child we always listened to the Elvis Presley Christmas album, and Blue Christmas has always been my favorite. It’s campy and fun!
Posted by: Lisa Capito | December 13, 2022 at 10:03 AM
I get the Christmas feeling when I watch A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim. Although the George C. Scott version is also good.
Posted by: MarthaO | December 13, 2022 at 10:03 AM
For us it is putting up the outdoor lights and decorations on Thanksgiving day. Then start music and inside decorations on Friday.
Posted by: Vicki | December 13, 2022 at 10:04 AM
I love all the old Christmas movies that are shown throughout December.
Posted by: Cathy Sm | December 13, 2022 at 10:05 AM
Christmas music after Thanksgiving, and watching the Joker's Christmas episode of Batman the Animated Series. (Not your usual Christmas show, but one of our favorites.)
Posted by: Ellen C, | December 13, 2022 at 10:05 AM
It starts for our family with two main things: hanging the Christmas wreath/decoration on the front door and going to get our tree. We go to a local farm and pick out our tree and that is always so fun.
Posted by: Kris LaVenia | December 13, 2022 at 10:06 AM
For me, it's getting out the mini stockings I've knit for my kids' Advent calendars. I put a little treat in each stocking and put a stocking by their bedroom doors each night.
Oh, and Whammageddon. Can't forget Whammageddon. I lost on the first day this year thanks to the thrift store!!
Posted by: Jessica | December 13, 2022 at 10:07 AM
My festive season begins when I reread the first line of A Christmas Carol- “Marley was dead: to begin with.”
Posted by: Tess Riesmeyer | December 13, 2022 at 10:08 AM
As retirees with grown children, we go to Fl in the fall to escape PNW rain. But the flight home usually about the 20th of Dec sparks my anticipation of quickly putting up our tree, getting to squeeze my grands, and the traditional holiday musical at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle. Such exciting hustle!
Posted by: CarolGreen | December 13, 2022 at 10:09 AM
So many things happen to kick off the holiday season, but the one event that makes my heart sing is to attend our grandchildren's Christmas programs.
Posted by: Geraldine Scott | December 13, 2022 at 10:10 AM
Our holiday tradition that starts the season is decorating the tree with our 42 years worth of ornaments, including the soft fabric ones on the very bottom of the tree for our playful cats. Then we enjoy our favorite tradition of photographing our foster kittens as they try to climb to the top of the tree. Their excited little faces are my very favorite ornament. Meowy Christmas everyone!
Posted by: Candace Cooke | December 13, 2022 at 10:11 AM
We go out at the crack of dawn and cut down a ditch tree! Smell Amazing and they offer such natural beauty!
Posted by: Mary | December 13, 2022 at 10:11 AM
Christmas Season starts for me with the first Sunday in Advent. We bring out our enameled brass Advent wreath that we've has almost 50 years and find some candles. Then we hang a wreath on the front foie, and hookup the outside lights to a timer.
Posted by: Janice Schmidt | December 13, 2022 at 10:11 AM
DEcorating the tree after Thanksgiving, and making out Christmas cards starts my season :)
Posted by: Christina Daugherty | December 13, 2022 at 10:12 AM
Christmas starts at our house the day after Thanksgiving when we pull out our decorations from the basement, set up the nativity and put up the tree.
Posted by: KTaylor | December 13, 2022 at 10:13 AM
My start of Christmas varies. This year it was putting up the tree on December 1st. It feels so great having it up the beginning of the month!!!
Posted by: Sharon | December 13, 2022 at 10:13 AM
Decorating inside and outside and hearing Christmas music is always the start of the season for me! I love décorations!! I also love the advent calendars I’ve been getting yarn related of course! I haven’t started to open my stitch markers. I was waiting for the first day of sock yarn so I can open one today!!! Yippeee!!
Posted by: Dana Snyder | December 13, 2022 at 10:13 AM
It is listening to the original Christmas songs. They start early on the radio....nice to listen while driving.....Happy Holiday
Posted by: Louann | December 13, 2022 at 10:14 AM
Christmas season starts the weekend after Thanksgiving with decorating and putting up the tree while playing Christmas music. Even more fun now that our kids are old enough to participate.
Posted by: Kelli | December 13, 2022 at 10:15 AM
For me, it's decorating on Thanksgiving. Our family has 3 birthdays in November & 2 in October. Thanksgiving is the first time to breathe before Christmas for us. I deep clean the house after work the day before Thanksgiving. Then, with full bellies we put up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving day
Posted by: Kristen | December 13, 2022 at 10:15 AM
The season always starts with the parade downtown on Thanksgiving morning.
Posted by: Marie B | December 13, 2022 at 10:15 AM
When Santa goes by on the Macy's parade that's the official kickoff for my family. And then the day after is so exciting when I can pull out my Christmas socks!
Posted by: Stefanie | December 13, 2022 at 10:16 AM
The holidays tradition that starts the season for me is putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it and our home with my family. The lights, ornaments, stockings, and wreaths put me in the holiday spirit. When we put up my grandma’s Christmas village, it transports me back to my childhood and all those Christmas Eves we spent with her, my grandfather, and all my Polish relatives that visited their home each year. It was always like a family reunion. ❤️
Posted by: Julie | December 13, 2022 at 10:16 AM
My husband starts listening to Christmas music in the car right after Thanksgiving. That starts Christmas in our house.
Posted by: Denise | December 13, 2022 at 10:17 AM
Putting up decorations which includes multi colored lights , this starts the holiday season in my home 🎄
Posted by: Lisa | December 13, 2022 at 10:17 AM
Hanging Christmas lights!
Posted by: Elle Ross | December 13, 2022 at 10:21 AM
Mailing out the gifts to my east coast family members. Once UPS has them, I am free to start decorating, etc.
Posted by: Joanne | December 13, 2022 at 10:21 AM
Mine starts with a walk in our woods to collect greenery and assorted bits for wreath making and porch decoration. Of course some of that makes in inside, but not till a week and a half before Christmas. Otherwise they dry out too fast due to the wood stove.
Posted by: Karen Ludemann | December 13, 2022 at 10:23 AM
The Christmas socks come out on Thanksgiving day. I have more than enough pairs to not repeat through the entire month of December!
Posted by: Geri Heagy | December 13, 2022 at 10:23 AM
We celebrate both Chanukah and Christmas . With eight grandkids , two daughters , two sons in law and one hubby, I start knitting early. Everyone loved the handmade socks and I have lots of joy making them.
Posted by: Madelynn Schwarz | December 13, 2022 at 10:26 AM
Driving around to see Christmas lights always makes it feel like Christmas is really here and has started! A tradition we love to start with our son!
Posted by: Jennifer Walker | December 13, 2022 at 10:27 AM
Listening to the Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping" after Thanksgiving. We don't celebrate Christmas but it gets me in a very happy mood and I get serious about gift buying.
Posted by: Robin | December 13, 2022 at 10:27 AM
The season starts for me by putting up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving and gets really kicked into gear after Hanging of the Greens at our church the first Sunday of Advent.
Posted by: Bonne Lethco | December 13, 2022 at 10:27 AM
The day after Thanksgiving, we eat leftover pie for breakfast and go buy our tree. Then we spend the day decorating it and drinking eggnog.
Posted by: Laura | December 13, 2022 at 10:32 AM
The holiday season begins early for me, when nature creates colorful abstracts out of a bounty of fallen leaves. It’s my signal to organize my projects and stash to knit some welcome gifts for family and friends. Taking time to be with loved ones makes the holidays special for us.
Posted by: Charissa | December 13, 2022 at 10:34 AM
Christmas starts when I pull out all the cards I've saved from past years. Before starting to write ours for the current year, I read the old ones and think about friends and family, some still here and some not. It gives me a connection to the spirit of the season. Then I begin writing to everyone.
Posted by: Sharon Stone | December 13, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Going to the town tree lighting is when the season starts for me.
Posted by: LAC | December 13, 2022 at 10:37 AM
The city we live in throws a party downtown the day after Thanksgiving. This year my teenager had friends over so we went en masse to watch the tree lighting and had a great time!
Posted by: Emily | December 13, 2022 at 10:37 AM
Traditions have changed for me through the years. The one that remains constant is decorating the Christmas tree.
Posted by: Nancy | December 13, 2022 at 10:37 AM
Putting up the tree on Black Friday, and Christmas movie marathons while I bake cookies.
Posted by: Brittany | December 13, 2022 at 10:38 AM
1st Sunday of Advent at church. Lighting the first purple candle starts the anticipation of Christs birthday and Christmas.
Posted by: Rhonda Atkinson | December 13, 2022 at 10:38 AM
My birthday is 2 weeks before and that would bethe beginning of the season and we would put the tree up and start baking.
Posted by: RuthAnn | December 13, 2022 at 10:38 AM
Ours started last Saturday with the Christmas Cookie Extravaganza! We baked 4 batches each of 10 different kinds of cookies. Twelve plus straight hours of baking!
Posted by: Melanie Meyer | December 13, 2022 at 10:39 AM
Our holiday season starts early. My son (26) has autism and his birthday is October 2, so from that point on we're celebrating all the holidays: his birthday, Halloween, Election Day (we vote, then go to a local pizza place for dinner), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. He starts the countdown at some point in the year with, "Alexa, how many days until Christmas?" and from that point, it's on. :-)
Posted by: Carla | December 13, 2022 at 10:40 AM
Christmas season for me starts when our choir director hands out the Advent and Christmas music to practice.
Posted by: Linda Lane | December 13, 2022 at 10:40 AM
Christmas season for me starts when our choir director hands out the Advent and Christmas music to practice.
Posted by: Linda Lane | December 13, 2022 at 10:40 AM