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It seems like the Christmas decorations get put up earlier and earlier every year.
Stores stock their shelves with glittery bows and Santa wrapping paper before kids even put on their costumes and pick up their Halloween candy. Before the weather cools down, social media feeds are filled with the hot decorating themes and DIY project ideas of the year. And the moment the clock strikes midnight on November 1st, rows of houses are filled with bright twinkling lights, stockings and vibrant evergreens.
It may seem excessive, and in some cases it is, but there's a reason why Christmas decorations spread well beyond December: it gives people a feeling of magic they can't get anywhere else.
“When there is something going on in the world, people are looking for the feeling of Christmas magic, nostalgia and everything they can take with them on a holiday,” said Ashley Pizzichillo, owner of Soul Tree Decor. “And I've found over the years, as I've seen the ups and downs of things in the world, that people rely on the holidays as a beacon of hope and excitement and a way to end the year on a positive note.”
While there was always a select group of people who decorated religiously well before the holidays, Pizzichillo said that since the pandemic, she has had more and more customers wanting to decorate as early as possible. This is because it became a lifeline for people who needed something to look forward to.
Francesco Bilotto, a television designer and entertainment expert, said the growing presence of social media also played a role. With early marketing campaigns, faster trend cycles, and simply consuming so much content every day, people got into the mood a lot quicker.
“Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and all of these things didn't exist 15 years ago, so when you start seeing the proliferation of content, you immediately get into the mood,” he said.
When should you really decorate for the holidays?
Unless you live in an HOA community with specific rules about Christmas decorations, when you want to decorate is entirely up to you.
“It depends on your mood, your spirit and your joy,” Bilotto said. “It's definitely a personal preference, and I don't want to take advantage of someone else's goodies.”
However, when you decide to do this can also depend on how elaborate your decorations are, what your goal is when decorating and how long you want to leave your decorations up after the Christmas season.
When she decorates for the holidays is different every year, but Pizzichillo said this year she decorated her home for Christmas before Halloween. She did this to avoid having to decorate during peak season when she's decorating for others, but also because she wanted to get into the holiday spirit as quickly as possible.
“There's a lot going on in this world. I need something pretty to look at,” she said. “We need something shiny, cheerful and cozy, so I decorated before Halloween.”
On the other hand, Bilotto said he took out all of his holiday decorations before Halloween to take stock of what he has and start planning his vision for each room. But he doesn't plan on completely furnishing his home until just before Christmas.
Instead, he prefers to take a layered approach to decorating, slowly incorporating cozy and festive elements into his home that he can add over time. In this way, he gradually implements decorations that feel appropriate to the season.
“If you hold off on the sparkle and sparkle until just before Christmas, this is also a great opportunity to let your home celebrate in different looks,” he said. “It's really nice to have this layered experience with winter and then Christmas because then you see your home from a different perspective and become part of the transition. It gives you more time to play with different things you own and buy other things, have artisans make things for you, or find different treasures while thrifting.”
He said he even hosted holiday swap parties where people swapped decorations they didn't want with others. He said this creates another opportunity to celebrate the season with friends and family that you wouldn't have if you decorated too early.
He also said that it's difficult to decorate too early when you use a lot of fresh greenery because then it might not look as pretty when the holidays actually come.
Tips for Slowing Down Decorating for the Holidays
If you feel like it's a little too early to completely transform your home into the North Pole, there are still ways you can decorate to get in the cozy mood.
As part of Bilotto's layered approach, he recommends decorating for fall and winter generally in the first few weeks of November. This includes adding texture through pillows, blankets, and other accents; incorporate more greenery; and includes colors such as brown, green, rust and burgundy.
Then, in mid-November, he said they could start introducing metallic decorations — think gold and silver pieces — as well as some lights and evergreens. And after Thanksgiving, you can start incorporating your holiday accent color, like bright red, followed by classic decorations like candy canes, ornaments, stockings and snowmen.
Additionally, jewelry pieces have become treasured family heirlooms for many, Bilotto said. So hanging them intentionally for the holidays instead of rushing them will make them feel even more special.
“Just the evergreens, the lights and a few scents satisfy the taste a little. Maybe even swap out the pillows and blankets or redecorate your home. Flowers, whether artificial or fresh, are also a great way to evoke holiday spirit without committing too much,” he said. “I think if you're fully involved in Santa's workshop now, it often feels a little chaotic and overwhelmed by Christmas. And a lot of this stuff doesn't stay clean for long either, so it picks up elements or collects dust.”
With Soul Tree Decor, Pizzichillo said she also likes to incorporate large trees that sparkle with warm white lights but don't yet contain ornaments. She said you can also add other things to the tree, such as artificial leaves or flowers, to make it look more seasonal than Christmassy.
And like Bilotto, she recommends adding more greenery and cozy touches with lots of texture.
“Christmas is about what feels right for you as an individual or as a family. So whatever that looks like for you, do it. Get involved. Because it's your holiday and from November 1st to New Year's Eve you only have a very short period of eight weeks,” Pizzichillo said. “And I think whatever makes you happy makes life a little easier, go ahead and do it.”
Maddie McGay is a real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or great house she should know about? Email her at MMcGay@gannett.com.