The Thanksgiving Vs. Christmas Debate by Syndi Powell




The Thanksgiving Vs. Christmas Debate by Syndi Powell

Years ago, my dad worked in retail where they started piping Christmas music into the store soon after Halloween. This brought about an edict in our household: no Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. This later changed to no Christmas until the day of Thanksgiving so my mom could use her holiday china for the big meal and play Christmas carols during dinner.

This year, at a minute after midnight on November 1st, one of the Detroit radio stations changed their music format to all Christmas music which will play through New Year's Eve. We've seen posts on Facebook about some people decorating early while others protest the infringement of Christmas on Thanksgiving. I also have a friend who keeps up her Halloween decorations until Thanksgiving because she loves them so much.

So when is it time to bring out the holiday paraphernalia? Do you and your families have a set rule about when it's time?

Most years, I waited until Black Friday to put up the Christmas tree and get the decorations out. Usually, that was because I had the day off so I had the time to get everything done that day. However, since I've been working the last six years on that day, I've done it as early as Veteran's Day (when the bank was closed so I knew I'd be off) and as late as the two weeks before Christmas.

To be honest, I don't think there's a rule that says when we can decorate or even if we are required to. It's all about personal preference, and if you're like me, having the time to do it. And don't get me started about Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving.

So when do you start bringing out your Christmas decorations?

Comments

  1. Syndi, I think some of our stores put up shelves of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items and ads all prior to Halloween this year. I was shopping with my sister and she said pretty soon we'll see all out for Christmas starting at Easter. I love that the chain of stores that include Home Goods and T.J.Max and one other say they believe in letting their employees celebrate Thanksgiving with their families and will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. More stores should do that. I decorate for Thanksgiving after Halloween and for Christmas after Thanksgiving.

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    1. Christmas at Easter? LOL. You never know. They seem to start sooner every year.

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  2. I think you know where I stand on this lol, but in my defence-our Canadian Thanksgiving is early, so once Nov 11th is over, we light it up!! I agree the stores get carried away, but when I was a single mom on a very limited income-I appreciated the Christmas decor hitting stores early because then I could buy items a paycheck at a time and not all in the few weeks leading up to Christmas Day. :) And now, I just love Christmas LOL:)

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    1. I was thinking of you as I wrote this. And my thoughts are that it doesn't matter when you decorate if you love it. I do know that last year when I decorated and listened to Christmas carols starting on Nov 11th, I was tired of it before Christmas day. I want to enjoy it, but not for a long time I guess. LOL

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  3. Hi Syndi, Usually the Christmas decorations come out the same day as the thanksgiving decor goes away. They are stored in the same shed so getting in there on the same day makes sense. Usually the Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend.

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  4. I'm afraid I'm kind of a humbug about putting Christmas decorations up too early. My dad's birthday was Christmas day and when my middle child was born on December 12th, I vowed that I would never let Christmas override her birthday excitement. So the rule at my house was no Christmas decorations until December 13th. Of course, now that she's older, she doesn't care and wants to decorate earlier and earlier. This year her daughter will be a year and a half, finally old enough to enjoy the Christmas excitement and I have the feeling that decorations will come out earlier than ever this year.

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    1. Aww, congratulations on the granddaughter! Christmas becomes magical again when you have little ones.

      My birthday is 4 days after Christmas, so I grew up with a mom determined like you to keep Christmas separate.

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  5. We don't have any hard and fast rules. It depends on how we feel...and that the weather is like! :-)

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    1. Kate, my brother-in-law is of the same mind as you. When the weather is nice, he starts putting up the lights. They don't get turned on until later, but at least they're up when the weather is nice.

      One year, he had a few of the spiral light trees that got screwed into the ground. Unfortunately, we had a particularly snowy and cold Christmas and those trees were still up until the ground thawed in March.

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  6. I used to work in retail - in a Hallmark shop and bookstore - so Christmas was in my life all year long. We ordered in February, the stock arrived in June - because Hallmark showcases their new ornaments in July - another workers and I used to get coffee and donuts and meet at 6:00 a.m. the day after the ornaments arrived so we could look through and admire. I have a sign in my dining room that says 'Forever Christmas Eve.' And I'm with Jen - when your budget is small, it's good to have a long time for shopping.

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    1. I must admit that I love Hallmark's open houses in July. I usually pick up my stepbrother's birthday gift then (he collects The Christmas Story ornaments). It's nice to get a preview of the holidays when it's so hot outside.

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  7. I'm an after Thanksgiving person, too. I really love that holiday and like to draw in out. I'm never in a hurry for the craziness of Christmas to come bearing down on me. But I'm not offended by other people who decorate early. There's nothing more beautiful than Christmas lights and decorations.

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    1. I love the lights on the Christmas tree that peep out the windows in the neighborhood. I often make up stories about the family that lives there. And I'm with you: the busyness of Christmas seems to come earlier every year too.

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  8. I prefer to wait until Thanksgiving is over before starting in on Christmas decorations and music. I was even trying to wait until next week to read "A Heartwarming Holiday" because I don't want to get tired of Christmas before it gets here. But in the end, I caved in and started reading, with the excuse that a third of the books are Thanksgiving stories anyway. :) As for shopping, I'm on a tight budget so I always do my shopping all year to take advantage of good deals. I actually ordered yarn for this year's Christmas gifts last year...on Christmas day. And I enjoy going into the Christmas season knowing that I've already got the gifts covered.

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    1. I do my Christmas shopping throughout the year as well for the very reason you wrote: staying on a budget. But this year, I seem to be a little behind.
      I can't wait to read "A Heartwarming Holiday" as well!

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  9. We've always had a real tree, so the last week in November is the earliest we can set it up without it becoming a haystack by Christmas. I make lists and organize earlier, but don't put up anything until after Thanksgiving. Like Heidi, I've been holding off on reading Heartwarming Holiday, but will probably give in soon. I have several favorite Christmas stories I like to reread periodically, espeially Winter Solstice. I love Christmas.

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    1. Organize? What's that? LOL. Like you, there are certain stories I re-read every December. There's something about a Christmas story that warms the heart.

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  10. I love Christmas and it doesn't bother me at all to see decorations before Thanksgiving. :-) At least it doesn't now. It used to. But then I saw how much my friends who already have their tree up enjoy them and decided I needed an attitude adjustment. lol. So now, I just chill and enjoy with them. But I doubt my tree will go up before sometime in December...not because of any particular reason other than I don't have time.

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    1. Time is always a big factor in my decorating schedule. It usually takes a few days, and I prefer to not be doing it piecemeal between jobs. But I don't mind those who decorate earlier.

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  11. Although I don't like to see Christmas decorations in stores before Halloween, our house is a different story. I put my autumn decorations up from Sept 1 - Nov 1, so my Christmas stuff is up and brightening our evenings! I love when the house is full of colorful lights, it feels extra cozy.

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    1. There is something about the lights from a Christmas tree that make the home seem more welcoming and cozy. Enjoy your decorations!

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  12. We probably won't put many up this year because of the 19-month-old tornado running around! But when we do, it's usually after Thanksgiving :)

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    1. Good luck with that tornado!

      The first year I put up the tree after we got our cat and dog, I worried that they would get into it and bring it down on their heads. Luckily, they've left it alone (so far).

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  13. We don't decorate as much as we did when we were younger, but I'm ready any time to start putting the stuff up. I'm getting a new (artificial) tree this year and am crazy excited... I love Thanksgiving, and our family will almost all be around, but I must admit that it and Christmas are connected in my mind--or maybe that's my heart.

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    1. Congrats on the the new tree! Is it one of those that are pre-lit? My sister and her family just got a new one because their old dog chewed on the electrical cords of last year's. She found one on sale just after Halloween so she had to put it up and plug it in to make sure the lights worked. But her husband said no ornaments until Thanksgiving LOL.

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  14. I definitely wait until after Thanksgiving. I have to let the cute little turkey decorations stay out for a couple weeks otherwise what was the point? I do like to get my tree up, though. It's one of my favorite things about decorating for the holiday.

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  15. I normally wait until November for Christmas decorations. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October, so we have a bit longer of a stretch before Christmas. Retailers LOVE this. ;) I have an 8-yr-old who begs for earlier Christmas decoration, and sometimes I make deals with him: putting the Christmas tree up in exchange for something I want him to do for me. ;)

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