Getting Excited for the Holidays

I'm definitely with you this year, Peter!   I usually shun thoughts of Christmas before Thanksgiving but for some reason I find myself being pulled towards the Holiday more than usual this year.    I'm ready!

-Greg

I started putting my train together last week might get it on the rails in two

I'll pull out the O Gauge Christmas boxcars next weekend. 

Black Friday sees the Department 56 village set up in the dining room/living room area. It was set up this weekend as a "test run" on the National Capital Trackers Display at the Rockville, MD Lions Club show. 

Shortly after we usually set up a tree. Since we are usually out of town for the holidays, a large tree has not been in the cards - usually a small table top tree. Being that this Christmas is likely to be the last in our long time home, a large tree will be a requirement. I've not run a train around the tree in years but I'm seriously looking at picking up one of the new LGB Austrian sets that I've long loved. 

I really like the K-line Car. Fortunate I have one.

Christmas came before election day in my world:

By Thanksgiving Day it will come to the rest of the house! 

I set up Christmas Tree #2 in my basement yesterday, and I will add some track under it this year. Not sure which track though, as I haven't run any of my HO in quite a while. There are always at least 5 O gauge trains running at Christmas. I wanted to get that tree out of the way because Tree #1, which includes my train platform, takes at least a week to put together and decorate. I will bring the platform in this weekend, so we can hopefully complete it by the end of Thanksgiving weekend.

 I've also been working away on a scene below the bridges on my main layout. My artistic skills are severely limited, so getting this right is a challenge, but I really want it finished before Christmas. On top of that, I just wired in some new buildings, including my remake of the 115 station, and added some new Dept. 56 pieces for the Christmas section of my main layout. I love this time of year.

Me, too. I usually wait to the last minute to get going on Christmas trains but this year is different. Caught the bug early.

Just placed a fairly large order for Christmas-related stuff with M.B. Klein. Among other things picked up the new Lionel Disney set to run around the tree (this is the one Alex M. posted a video of last week). Also picked up various accessories, structures and other odds and ends. Will post pictures later. Btw, Klein’s is having a Veterans Day 15% off sale on everything through 11/15. With that and in-store pick-up where I’ll save shipping got my haul at quite a bargain. 

I've been in the Christmas spirit since mid october! I took the downsized polar express set out and serviced it and ran it the past 2 weeks ahhhhh that old time air whistle just screams days gone by. I actually had fun running conventional for a change too.

I was beginning to think this was going to be a quiet year here for the holidays am eagerly waiting to see all the christmas themed layouts most create and post pictures.

For me the holiday period starts with Halloween when I put my wife's collection of buildings and people on display with the trains.  I have attached a couple of pictures of this years Halloween display.  The Daylight and K Line Madison cars go well with the color scheme so the get the approval of the decorator (my wife.)

Next week we will make the changeover to Christmas.  A new set of drop cloths go down in place of the Fall themed ones and then I reset the track into place.  I get to play with trains from October to February and all I have to do is put out the buildings and hook up the lights!

Rolland

After working 16 years in retail, and being involved with the seasonal departments at many stores, I've come to this conclusion.  It's never too early to have the Christmas spirit.  It's not even too early to put up Christmas decorations.  Many shoppers who say "Ugh!  Already?" end up walking up and down every aisle to see what you've got for sale.  (And at least 25% buy something!)  What people do get upset about is being reminded in September (when many stores change out their seasonal stock) of all the money they're going to spend before December 25th.