Mine are already up. It is a southern tradition that we put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.
I would be interested in knowing what other Catholic Freepers do with regard to this issue.
I usually decorate the weekend before the First Sunday of Advent and I do not take anything down until after Epiphany. I just love the way the house looks all decorated for Christmas, especially because I collect Nativity scenes. Other than my tree and our stockings, pretty much all my secular decorations throughout the house have been replaced by Nativities and lighted greenery.
We also celebrate St. Nicholas' day on December 6. The kids leave out their shoes and some candy and a couple of small gifts appear in the shoes.
Gaudate Sunday is the general rule in my family. Well, the weekend anyway. We'll have to get the tree this weekend, though. It'll sit in water in the backyard for a week, but it's the only weekend without commitments. It comes down around Epiphany depending on how hard certain people in the house push for it.
Thanks, that was helpful. I was wondering if there was an official position on such matters. You answered my question.