When does Christmas begin?
As Halloween wraps up and the clock strikes twelve on November 1st, Mariah Carey defrosts and tells us, “It’s Time.” However, is it really time? How early is too early to decorate for Christmas, and at what point would it be disrespectful to Thanksgiving?
When I asked students at Bucknell, most said December 1st is when their Christmas tradition of decorating begins. A subset of the Post-Thanksgiving decorating community, vehemently opposed decorating before. However, most students hadn’t considered a certain time to decorate, and simply followed their tradition growing up.
Personally, my mom and I would wake up early on Black Friday to decorate, spending the entire day setting up, and watching a Christmas movie at night while putting ornaments on the tree. I always felt more productive while studying with the glow of the tree surrounding me. It didn’t matter how much I enjoyed the decorations, they were always gone too soon. My Family did it this way until my junior year of high school, when we remembered we had free will. We dragged up the boxes and bins out of storage the second weekend of November, and spent it how we normally would spend Thanksgiving break (shout out to New Jerseyians who get off school for election day and Teachers convention). The house looked beautiful, we felt cheery, and we got to enjoy our hard work for longer.
Early decorating: The Results
Did having Christmas decorations up mean we couldn’t enjoy our turkey? No! The best part was coming home from Thanksgiving, a day filled with family and friends, to our festive home, ready to spend the next month in the holiday spirit. For my family, decorating early meant getting to slow down for the holiday season, and instead of cramming everything into a month, we could take our time. We now spend December watching our favorite movies, shopping for gifts, and wrapping presents all month, instead of just the few days leading up to Christmas.
Decorations are more than just decorations
Now, this is not to say that decorations make or break a holiday, but research shows that decorations can help homes to feel welcoming, and help the people who live in them feel calmer and happier. Don’t forget about the nostalgia factor. Reminding yourself of your childhood helps you connect with your inner child–something we could all use in today’s world. Just like how furnishing a house helps people to make a home their own, holiday decorating allows a home to represent how its inhabitants are feeling: jolly! The best way to combat the brisk November weather is to fill your home with warmth and joy. For many people, this means decorating early.
Find a Middle Ground
If you are still not convinced, you can still pay homage to Thanksgiving in your holiday decorating. Try adding silver, gold, and white decorations to start. This creates a buffer between the ghosts and santa decorations, while still being festive. You don’t need a whole other set of decorations either if you want to spruce up your home for Thanksgiving. Evergreen garlands, candles, and dried citrus or cinnamon bridge the two holidays perfectly.
When is the right time to decorate for you?
If you always find yourself thinking about how much nicer and cozier the house feels during the holidays, try decorating in the middle of November. That way, by the time it’s 6pm and pitch black outside, you are tucked under a blanket, watching lights twinkle inside.
If you host Thanksgiving and dragging out the decorations feels like too much to handle, then wait until early December for full fledged decorations. Instead, use metal tones and candles to help your Thanksgiving feel warm and inviting, without needing an early trip to storage.
Living in a dorm? Start early, because by the time you’re back on campus after Thanksgiving break, it’s finals and then time to pack up. What college student actually has the time to decorate? Instead, take the time before midterms to put up garland and a mini tree. You have to study no matter what, and you may as well give yourself a relaxing and cozy environment to work in. This way, December goes from one long countdown to break, to a month you might actually enjoy. I find that the second week of November gives you optimal time to get into the holiday spirit.
Conclusion
In the end, your space is yours to design, so decorate how, and when you see fit.
For me? I’ll be eating my pumpkin pie in front of a glowing Christmas tree!
Sources
Morin, Amy. “Why Decorating Early for Christmas May Make You Happier” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202411/why-decorating-early-for-christmas-may-make-you