2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

It's Hallowe'en this week so that means that on Friday the shops and gadgies will be racing to get their spooky shit packed away and their tinselly tat down from the loft.

Hip-hip-hoorahs* for the first BE-er to report Christmas Tree sightings in their neighbourhood, and a glass of sherry* and a mince pie* for every photo posted of said tree in this thread.


*virtual

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I will confess that we put up our lights in our back yard yesterday. To be fair, though, we were winterising and it made sense to put them up on what was a relatively nice day. We won't switch them on yet, obviously.

Winterising is a bitch. We were both at it non-stop from sunrise to sunset and we're still only 70% of the way through it. We both slept quite well last night. We were tired (as newts) when we hit the sack.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Did the winterizing as well yesterday and have to admit I looked at the Christmas lights for a long time thinking it would be nice to get them up now while its still nice - couldn't bring myself to put lights up before Halloween though :)
Those bloody trampolines are a pain in the arse when you are getting rid of all the summer stuff - I must have spent 90 minutes trying to get it all to fit back in the box it came out off

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

What is it?

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I'm glad someone asked that.

I've already taken the cushions off the patio furniture and closed the pool.

What else should I be doing?

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Packing away all the summer junk from the garden , I bring in all the patio furniture to the basement some just pack away the cushions , give the lawn a final cut , fog the lawn mower so that it starts again next spring , I prune the trees back a bit but one of the neighbours told me I should be doing that in spring rather than fall (pretty sure the other neighbor told me a couple of years back to do it in the fall rather than the spring )
Finally - made sure the snowblower and skidoo both started so its not too much of a screw around with them when the snow comes .

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Pretty much the same here. Brought the kids playhouse/toys/sandpit into the garage for the winter. Mowed the lawn. Cleaned the lawn tractor, not got around to fogging it yet. Have to get the snowblower serviced & the recoil start fixed. That's a job for this week.

We used to winterise the garden by wrapping trees and shrubs in burlap. Haven't bothered for several years and they all seem to still be surviving. Perhaps that's what Souvy is referring to, it getting much colder in Gatineau?

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Got to ask. What's fogging the lawn tractor then ? I cut the grass a few weeks ago, took the battery of the tractor and that was it.

Picked up sh*t loads of leaves yesterday as the only time they do a kerb side pick up of leaves was today. Not all the leaves have fallen so will have to do that again. Tempted to just buy a plug and mulching blade and just drive over them but there is a lot !

Pool closed a few weeks ago and cushions in the shed. BBQ moved closer to the back door as that is used couple of times a week over winter anyway.

Not even thought about Christmas lights but in all honesty think that'll be in the next 2-3 weeks.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Fogging the engine just keeps everything nicely lubed up over the winter - Just spray a fogging oil in the air intakes - some people will keep spraying until the engine shuts down I usually just spray until the exhaust gets a bit "smokey" then stick a little bit of fuel stabilizer in the tank

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Well you learn something new everyday. I might well try that with JD lawn tractor this year. It almost always starts in the spring, but once or twice it's had troubles.

Cheers.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Still using the patio furniture . . . .kids older so no plastic tat out :)

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Shops I was in last week (Vancouver) already had Christmas decorative items for sale.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

It was 19c as I drove down Kingsway today. Winter?!

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

A christmas tree appeared in Coquitlam Centre back in early September. i took a photo as i was so shocked! I disappeared almost overnight. Maybe someone got their holiday confused!

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Trees were going up in The Bay, downtown Vancouver today

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

More or less what others have said.

Front.

Empty shed, mainly to get at the winter rims and shovels, and then re-fill shed with stuff we won't use until next year. Drain hosepipes and store in shed. Cut down dead plants. Clear up fallen leaves and mow grass.

Back.

Cut down dead plants, of which there were many (our gardens are packed with plants). Dig up plants that can't be left in the ground. Pack garden furniture into newly build shed (some dismantling required). Mow grass.

Still to do.

Wait for pear tree to shed and then clean up and prune it.
Wait for gazebo canopy and huge umbrella to dry sufficiently to be taken down and stored.
Cut more dead plants.
Wrap delicate conifers to prevent bits being ripped off by weight of snow.
Cover much of front yard with tarps.
Call company to rent car shelter.
Check all downspouts and caulk things.
Install front Xmas lights (she's a kid when it comes to lights).
Drain pressure washer and find somewhere indoors to store it.
Check garage for things that can't be left to freeze and find somewhere to store them indoors.
etc, etc

It's not just me. Everyone around here does the same.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I was greatly tempted by an eight foot illuminated replica of the Eiffel tower created from wire and tinsel and offered at the Home Depot. I imagined it on the roof of our house, visible for miles. A forcible argument against was advanced and it's still in the shop.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Blimey. I understand that we're to plant bulbs when it seems the first serious frost is imminent and I expect I'll eventually turn off the outside taps from inside the house. That's about the extent of my winterising.

This year a man is coming to install an electrical inlet but that's only because it'll be our first full winter in this house.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I'd forgotten the bit about bulbs. That is still on the list. Ditto taps.

I imagine you have just had your first serious frost. We've got one this morning.

There is a most strange thing happening across the road. My neighbour is having work done on his driveway. One of the contractors is wearing shorts.

It is -5.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

There was frost this morning, not serious though. Thus far the only sign of winter was the freak blizzard on the weekend (picture here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...01397&page=166).

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

One of the women at work has had her Christmas tree and decorations up since Thanksgiving.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Shoot her.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Then eat her and throw her head in the bushes.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Can i? And get away with it?

She would taste sour.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Cranberry sauce. Tis the season, after all.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Not much chance of Christmas trees or outdoor decorations being put up here (Vancouver Island) for a while. A lot of things such as roses and hydrangeas are still blooming and some of us have got our winter vegetable gardens going. We get about one day of snow here and all the bulbs start coming up about the end of January. I'm still pulling up weeds -arrrgh!

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Do one.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

There is a woman, a large woman known for her lurid garb, who is today, in this office, wearing a Christmas jumper!

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I got a shock just now when it got light and I looked out of my office window. It was not a welcome sight.:(

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Snow?

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Window cleaner in Speedo's ?

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Yup. Not much, admittedly, but a starck reminder of what is to come nevertheless.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

this wins my typo of the day award :) A starck reminder is presumably one of the pretentious Frenchman's famous "low cost" alarm clocks...

http://files.softicons.com/download/...cost_clock.png

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Ooops!

My bad. Starck (a different one) is a company I write about all the time in my line of work. My fingers were on autopilot.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Gosh, you are posh. ;)

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I knew somebody who was working for Alessi when Philippe Starck was designing for them in the late 80s and early 90s. His idea of "low-cost, functional design" and normal people's ideas of "low-cost, functional design" were occasionally some considerable distance apart. Mind you, those space rocket lemon squeezer things looked very cool, but I never owned one so don't know if they actually worked.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

We've had snow on the ground for 10 days now! ( Calgary)

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

Bristol, your YouTube clip was fantastic! Thank you.

Can somebody tell me when I am meant to plant bulbs here? I get conflicting information from the neighbours, and the books I get from the library still leave me in confusion

We have a Christmas jingle on the radio...It came on last week and makes me feel nauseous.

Re: 2013 Christmas Tree Watch
 

I saw the first TV advert last night. A neighbour has their outside lights up AND switches them on.