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The crisp November air is filled with the scent of pumpkin spice and the crinkle of wrappers of leftover Halloween candy. But just days after people put away their costumes, jack-o’-lanterns and skeletons are replaced with colorful lights and inflatable Santas. For many, the sudden switch from spooky to merry can feel rushed, raising one of the biggest debates of the holiday season: When is it okay to start decorating for Christmas?
As soon as Halloween ends, some people are ready to get out the lights and ornaments for their trees. After all, Christmas is more than just a holiday — it’s practically a season of its own. The warm glow of holiday decorations lifts spirits as the days get colder and shorter. These early-decorators want to make the most of their decorations with only a few weeks left of the year, creating a cozy environment in contrast to the occasionally stressful hustle of Christmas shopping. To them, the Halloween to Christmas shift comes naturally, with each having a certain energy of their own. The sooner the Christmas vibes begin, the better, right?
For others, decorating for Christmas early simply feels wrong. Thanksgiving is in November — after Halloween, but before Christmas — and deserves to have the spotlight that the other holidays get for some time too. For these people, decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving feels like skipping a chapter of a book. They’d rather wait until all of the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone before putting up their trees.
Another debate that arises with the changing seasons is, of course, whether it’s okay to start listening to Christmas music. Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas begins its yearly return in November, whether or not people are ready to hear it. Some are eager to hear those sleigh bells ring, while others hit the skip button until the first of December.
Really, the question of when to start decorating is a matter of opinion. Early decorators enjoy a longer season of festivity, while others prefer the steady buildup to the holidays. Perhaps the real magic of this time of year is the blending of traditions, with Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas coming together to make the last few months of the year feel like one continuous season of warmth and celebration. Whether you’re the type of person to “Deck the Halls” on the first of November or you believe in waiting until after Thanksgiving, there’s always something to appreciate about the excitement of this time of holidays, even if some people rush from skeletons to snowflakes. After all, the excitement is part of what makes the season so bright.
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