The Saint

Story by Christopher J. Curry, Opinion Editor

Another Halloween has gone by and we are now in the full swing of fall. But as the Halloween decorations come down, there arises the question on when Christmas decorations should go up. Doing a simple Google search, one will find a variety of answers with as many reasons for when and why Christmas decorations go up – and when they should come down. Is there even a right answer? Well it depends on how you look at the situation.

There’s a multitude of variables which contribute to deciding when to decorate. Religious tradition, family tradition, natural or fake tree, market trends, and psychological advantages can all determine when one might put up their decorations.

From the Christian perspective, one would be reserved in how the decorative festivities begin, holding off until the season of Christmastide to begin decorating, which traditionally falls on Christmas Eve. This is because the season of Advent precedes the Christmas season, and prepares Christians to fully enter into the mystery of the Incarnation.

I asked Kristen Hoyle on why she decorates for Christmas this early in the year. “I love Christmas. The joy it brings me lasts far more than just one day. In a world with so much sadness, I choose to find things that help my soul feel at ease.” Her decision is backed by psychiatrist Marcus De Carvalho M.D. He stated in an interview with First Coast News, “What [the studies] found is that just by celebrating holidays early, we actually improve our mood…It invokes good feelings from the past.” 

To contrast, I asked student Sydney Vanderhaegen her thoughts on the topic. When asked why she thought Christmas decorations should wait to be put up until after Thanksgiving, Sydney Vanderhaegen stated, “because Christmas is after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is also a holiday that is celebrated.” 

Following market trends, and a report by YouGov, The most common times include the day after Thanksgiving (25%) and after Thanksgiving, but before December (24%). According to the survey, most households decide to have their decorations set up before the end of November, but after Thanksgiving.

Regardless of how or when a household decides to celebrate the holidays, there are multitude of different ways to celebrate and spread cheer. The importance of celebrating the season of thanksgiving and cheer with family and friends should not be unconsidered in how we go about it. However, as we enter into the season of darkness and cold, be sure to spread a little extra cheer to those around you, especially during the holidays!

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