Well, we have an artificial tree (just wanted that up front ... it is not a real tree as we have allergies) and ours has been up since December 1, 2009 (yes, seriously). That was our son's senior year in high school and he just couldn't stand to have it come down ... so it was a Valentines tree (got after Christmas red and white ornaments with hearts at IKEA), then an Easter tree with plastic eggs and a dollar store bunny on the top, then a graduation tree with a cap on the top and little metallic caps on the tree (and a few 2010's as well), then an "H" tree (I made "H"s out of blue and white foam stuff and hung on the tree as our son is going to Hamilton College ... then it was Halloween and now, Christmas again. We are going to take it down finally after our son goes back to college on January 14!! I know that is long, but it was a great way of counting down until he went off to school .... don't think badly of me!!!