I usually wait till the week before to get the tree. This is a tradition carried over from childhood. The theme was always "last minute possible."
I always have to have multi-colored lights and as many mismatched ornaments as possible. It looks more homey to me that way. I guess the years' worth of kid-made ornaments made having a matching, color-themed tree impossible so now I'm not fond of organized trees. My star changes colors every few seconds.