A highly debated topic, the question of whether the holiday season starts on November 1st or after Thanksgiving has been widely debated, especially this year. As numerous influencers begin to post about decorating for the Christmas season as soon as Halloween ends, more and more people begin to consider this stance. However, there are various angles at which this decision can be viewed.
Personally, I think that Thanksgiving is a holiday not to be dismissed, considering the importance of having a day dedicated to gratitude and being in the presence of friends and family. However, I also thoroughly enjoy decorating for Christmas the second November 1st hits. The idea of having to wait almost an entire month when not many people decorate for Thanksgiving is of no interest to me. I’m all for the lights, wreaths, and jingle bells that come along with decorating. But in the same regard, I think it’s important to acknowledge Thanksgiving as a real holiday given the importance of the ideas it promotes, and decorating so early may undermine the holiday centered around gratitude, family, and autumn traditions.
In this way, many people argue that decorating so early cuts into the traditions associated with fall short, and prevents full acknowledgement of Thanksgiving as a significant holiday. People also feel that shopping for Christmas decorations immediately after Halloween replaces the meaning of the holiday season with a shopping frenzy.
For those that support decorating early, they feel that extending the holiday season provides comfort, especially as the days get shorter and colder. These individuals also argue that it allows them to leave the decorations up longer and enjoy them, rather than take them down a few weeks later after putting in hours of work.
Either way, it’s important to decorate whenever works best for you, whether that be as soon as November 1st, or as late as Christmas Eve!