A warm blanket before a crackling fireplace, twinkling Christmas lights, ornaments strung on a fragrant evergreen, family stockings and nostalgic knick-knacks are what we all desire going into the holidays. But when should you start decking your halls?
“Christamasification,” or the conversion of your home into a holiday Hallmark movie set, is the turning point from the spooky season to the holiday mindset. Something about a house decked out in lights and garland wreaths wrapped in bright red bows creates instant joy and a warm, comforting feeling. This represents the acceptance of Christmas into one’s heart—and it happens at different times for everyone. According to a poll on when LHS students start decorating for Christmas, about 50% say they haul out the holly after Thanksgiving, while “after Halloween” and “the start of December” were at around 20% each. Another related poll asked students when they start listening to Christmas music; around 30% of students said after Halloween, 30% said after Thanksgiving and another 20% said at the start of December. The popular answer is that the music starts Nov. 1, and decorations go up on Black Friday. However, I believe this is too late. Christmas is a day, but it’s also a season, meaning it should last longer than a month. Holiday decorations noticeably lift one’s mood and create a sense of jolliness inside that radiates onto others. The sooner we start the yearly ritual of stringing lights and dusting off ornaments, the better off our community will be.
Some may complain that the special time of Christmas should be reserved for December alone, but this is just not the case. It usually takes at least an entire day, if not more, to fully “Christmasify” a home, so it should be enjoyed for as long as possible and not confined to one month. The holiday season flies by every year; everyone is stressed with gift buying and get-together planning. Why not extend the Christmas feeling and give some extra time to simply enjoy the season? If you haven’t shifted to the holiday mindset yet, consider an earlier start next year for a happier holiday!
