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Throwback Thursdays…A Bribe Never Hurts

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Home Stager

Throwback Thursdays…A Bribe Never Hurts

 

There’s nothing like a Christmas tree to get everyone in a holiday mood. Our tree is up and I know many of you here have your tree(s) fully decorated as well. 

When I was a little girl, decorating the tree was one of my favorite things to do. It was fun seeing ornaments I hadn’t seen in a year!!!

 

However, I don’t know anyone who enjoys taking the tree and decorations down after the holidays. 

First of all…I love all of the lights and decorations…everything is so festive. But, let’s face it, the real reason we don’t like packing up all of the ornaments and decorations is that we’re tired. We’re pooped from family, festivities and feasts!!!

 

 Have a plunder party!!!

 

Larry’s mother had a plunder party when it was time to remove the decorations and dispose of the tree. 

Every year, she hid several small wrapped gifts in the branches of the tree. (I’m guessing she did this after Christmas so they wouldn’t find them) 

 

Larry and his sister could keep any of the wrapped gifts they found as they removed the ornaments. 

 

It Worked!

Larry and his sister still remember their Plunder Parties. 

 

Fast forward to our FL days. With their parent’s permission, we hid little gifts in our friend’s tree for their daughters to find. Tree ornaments were removed and packed away in record time!!!! 

 

 



A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood. 
Charlotte Kaslbg

Posted by

Kathy Streib
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and Interior Redesign

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Comments(19)

Show All Comments Sort:
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Kathy - your intriguing post title caught my attention and what followed did not disappoint.  Perhaps off subject but definitely appropriate in my opinion, plunder is a word that seems worth stealing (or recapturing) these days.  🎄

Dec 05, 2024 05:10 AM
Kathy Streib

I'm with you Michael Jacobs "Plunder" is a word I like.  It has a heftier feel to it than "Zap."

Dec 05, 2024 04:48 PM
Doug Rogers
RE/MAX Coastal Properties - Destin, FL
Your Real Estate Resource!

Love the plunder party idea. And 100% NOBODY wants to mess with decorations after the holidays 

Dec 05, 2024 05:16 AM
Kathy Streib

Doug Rogers I love all of the decorations but put out less than I used to. Mainly I don't want to have to pack everything up after the holidays. 

Dec 05, 2024 04:53 PM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Kathy. What a great idea. That said I have a vision in my mind of ornaments being flung without care everywhere as my 2 year old granddaughter ball of fire pursued the presents. Take cover! Enjoy your day.

Dec 05, 2024 05:41 AM
Kathy Streib

Wayne Martin on no!! Too young for the plunder party!!

Dec 05, 2024 04:54 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

What a great idea! I am the one weirdo that doesn't mind "un"-decorating because then I get my house back to normal.

Dec 05, 2024 05:45 AM
Kathy Streib

Kat Palmiotti I can see you doing that!  I also can't wait to get my house back in order which is why I don't "over-decorate." 

Dec 05, 2024 05:00 PM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

That is a great idea. Our tree comes down every year on December 26th. On to the next year!

Dec 05, 2024 06:42 AM
Kathy Streib

Darn Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty I hope you have this year's tree up do you can enjoy it. 

Dec 05, 2024 05:01 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

This sounds like fun, Kathy. It wouldn't work in my house... no one touches my tree ornaments, but me! I do have a system however and can get ornaments sorted, wrapped and put away quickly.

Dec 05, 2024 06:48 AM
Kathy Streib

Nina Hollander, Broker I knew you would. I have an inventory sheet of what's in each box. It the only way to keep things straight for me. 

Dec 05, 2024 05:05 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker

Kathy Streib you certainly goes a step well above what I do, Kathy! I have transparent storage boxes and just mark the outside with which tree the ornaments belong to.

Dec 06, 2024 03:54 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I like the idea of a plunder party.

Enjoy your tree and the holiday season!

Dec 05, 2024 07:01 AM
Kathy Streib

Thank you Roy Kelley Hope you and Chef Dolores are busy decorating. 

Dec 05, 2024 05:07 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

What a great idea, Kathy. Easy to do with great, and fun, results.

Jeff

Dec 05, 2024 08:15 AM
Kathy Streib

Jeff Dowler, CRS I'm glad you liked it!!! We had as much hiding the gifts as we did watching our friend's daughter s find them. 

Dec 05, 2024 05:09 PM
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

I truly appreciate your delightful insights on creating cherished holiday memories, Kathy Streib! The idea of a "plunder party" adds a joyful twist to the post-holiday cleanup, turning a chore into a fun and heartwarming experience for families.

Dec 05, 2024 08:44 AM
Kathy Streib

Lew Corcoran let's face it, bribery can go a long way in getting things done. 

Dec 05, 2024 05:13 PM
Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543
Realty ONE Group Advocates 484-237-2055 - Downingtown, PA
Selling the Main Line & Chester County

What a fun idea, I think with three boys it m ight not have worked so well, but I like the idea.

Dec 05, 2024 09:29 AM
Kathy Streib

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 the word chaos  comes to mind!! LOL

Dec 05, 2024 05:14 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Kathy,

I don't recall hearing about plunder parties! What a great idea...I love it! It's a win/win for all parties!

Dec 05, 2024 09:43 AM
Kathy Streib

Dorie Dillard Austin TX Think Beckett and Hudson would enjoy it??

Dec 05, 2024 05:19 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Oh I love this idea of a plunder party Kathy!  Kids would love it and so would the adults!!  I so remember it was 'my job' to decorate the tree every year since I was about 12.  I loved it and my Mom let me create whatever I wanted to each year.....within reason!

Dec 05, 2024 10:26 AM
Kathy Streib

Anna "Banana" Kruchten my favorite part of decorating the tree is unwrapping some of the ornaments and saying "hello" to them each year. (yes, I talk to the ornaments)

Dec 05, 2024 06:36 PM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Kathy, I use to have a tree decorating party and invite friends and sing Christmas carols and have a big pot of chili for people to enjoy.  It is always a fun event.

 

Dec 05, 2024 01:09 PM
Kathy Streib

Will Hamm that sounds like fun!!! I'll bet the chili was good too. 

Dec 05, 2024 06:38 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kathy the extent of decorating and taking down the Christmas Tree for me is taking it out and back into the box.  The rest is all up to my wife ...... LOL

Dec 05, 2024 04:52 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Plunder Parties, I can see that working!  My children are all grown now, and my Christmas trees are smaller.  But, if I ever needed to entice children to help me clean up after Christmas, I'd hold a Plunder Party.

Dec 05, 2024 07:11 PM
Endre Barath, Jr.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Beverly Hills, CA
Realtor - Los Angeles Home Sales 310.486.1002

Kathy Streib  did not care for your title.... now with that said I did love the post:)Endre

Dec 05, 2024 10:53 PM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I like those kind of bribes and they are very innocent, unlike the bribes that lead to our food system being poisoned, haha.

Dec 06, 2024 04:13 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Hi Kathy,
Since I started going south during the winters, I haven't had the opportunity to say hello to my ornaments for a few years. What I miss most, though, is putting out my collection of nutcrackers. I may have to stay home through Christmas one year just so I can enjoy them for a while again. 🤣

Dec 06, 2024 04:50 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I actually enjoy the undecorating. It is far less work as far as I am concerned. No thought needed like when I'm placing the ornaments...just mindless removal.

I am in no hurry to remove the tree after Christmas. Usually have the tree well into January. But, much like Kat Palmiotti I love getting my house back to normal once I make the decision that it has been up long enough.

Dec 09, 2024 08:59 AM