"In the midnight hour, she cried Ho, Ho, Ho..."

I usually put my Christmas tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My mom used to say - and I agree - "Get one holiday out of the way before you start on another."
There was a time when I wouldn't be caught dead with a fake tree. Until a few years ago, I ALWAYS had a real tree. But now, well, what's the point? I'm alone, the trees are a mess, and they're expensive - then you just throw it away after New Year's day. (You have to leave your tree up until the new year. It's good luck.)
So, last night I pulled my sad, white, plastic tree out of the closet and put the Chet Atkins Christmas album on. That's been a tradition in my home since I was born. Chet always gets played first. Then, it was on to "Rebel Yell," by Billy Idol. Yep, oddly enough, I always play that CD - loudly - when I put my tree up. It started in the 80s: I wanted to hear the new album I'd just purchased, while I hung the garland. It's been an unconventional tradition ever since.