1st December for us too - DH is a total control freak about it so its not a day earlier or a day later.

I remember a kazillion years ago that my brother and I put up our Christmas tree when we got home from school one day - back in the days when it was just us and my Mum. Poor mum was at work and came home to the tree - lights, tinsel, the works. For some reason she got a bit grumpy with us and told us to put it all away. Don't know why. It was October after all . . .