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It\u2019s a truth universally acknowledged that, as September rolls into October, while some people still haven\u2019t taken down last year\u2019s Christmas lights, others are meticulously plotting the precise moment their inflatable Santa will make his triumphant lawn debut.<\/strong> In recent years, the race to decorate for Christmas has become its own quirky, competitive sport\u2014one that seems to start a little earlier every year. Forget the \u201cTwelve Days of Christmas;\u201d we\u2019re headed for the \u201cTwelve Weeks of Christmas,\u201d and the starting pistol fires long before the turkey is even thawed<\/strong>. Apparently, Halloween is the new Christmas Eve. As the last trick-or-treater scurries home and the candy wrappers settle, you can practically hear the distant jingle of sleigh bells…or maybe just your neighbor testing his light-up reindeer. For many early birds, November 1st is the official kick-off: skeletons down, snowmen up, and peppermint-scented everything invading Target. Gone are the days when Christmas decorations politely waited until after Thanksgiving.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n In our family we always put the Christmas tree up on December 14th. Why? Because that is Bob’s birthday<\/strong> (and a happy birthday to my fun\/great\/fabulous brother this week!). But frankly, I think he got shortchanged. Rather that anticipating the celebration of his birthday, we were excited to see the Christmas tree go up and, more importantly, the presents underneath it. These days, December 14th is considered so late it might as well be the 4th of July. So, why do people start so early? Is it pure excitement? A desperate bid to outshine the neighbors? Or perhaps a coping mechanism for the shorter days <\/strong>and longer nights? Some experts suggest that early decorating is linked to happiness; apparently, those who string up lights sooner tend to be cheerier. That\u2019s probably because they get a double dose of holiday cheer, plus bonus time for complaints about tangled cords. Retailers, of course, fan the flames with relentless holiday displays<\/strong> that pop up sometime between Labor Day and the first pumpkin spice latte. Walk into any store in early fall, and you\u2019ll find candy canes elbowing aside cornucopias, and Santa glaring at a stack of Halloween costumes. It\u2019s enough to make a person question the space-time continuum. Somewhere, a calendar weeps in confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n If you live in suburbia, you know that Christmas decorating isn\u2019t just a tradition\u2014it\u2019s a competitive sport. There\u2019s always that one house that goes full \u201cNational Lampoon\u2019s Christmas Vacation\u201d<\/strong> by November 2nd, leaving the rest of the block scrambling to keep up. The result? A dazzling, blinding display that can probably be seen from space, and several confused delivery drivers who now need sunglasses for evening package drops. This escalation leads to what I call \u201cThe Glitter Wars.\u201d You start with a tasteful wreath, and by mid-November, you\u2019re frantically googling \u201cgiant inflatable penguin with top hat.\u201d<\/strong> The winner isn\u2019t declared until New Year\u2019s Day, when the last blinking snowflake finally burns out in a blaze of post-holiday glory. Of course, not everyone is on board <\/strong>with this early decorating craze. There\u2019s always that one neighbor who stands guard, ready to issue a stern \u201cIt\u2019s too soon!\u201d as you hang your first bauble. But really, isn\u2019t part of the magic in getting swept up in the ridiculousness? Besides, if you can\u2019t beat them, join them\u2014grab a mug of cocoa (or pumpkin spice, we\u2019re not judging) and bask in the glow of a thousand LED icicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, the answer to \u201cHow early is too early?\u201d is: Who cares?<\/strong> Life\u2019s short, and if hanging up a Christmas star on November 1st makes you happy, go for it. Just be sure to warn the neighbors<\/strong> before you plug in your display\u2014they might want to buy blackout curtains. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson It\u2019s a truth universally acknowledged that, as September rolls into October, while some people still haven\u2019t taken down last year\u2019s Christmas lights, others are meticulously plotting the precise moment their inflatable Santa will make his triumphant … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Christmas-and-Halloween.jpg\")
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