Thanksgiving has come and gone, so now – yes – you’re allowed to go “whole hog” on your Christmas holiday celebrations.  Listen to the 24 x 7 Christmas songs on the radio, get your fill of schlocky movies on “The Hallmark Channel”, and decorate your home (inside and out) to your heart’s content.

This brings up the age-old question on timing.

When, exactly, is one supposed to decorate for the holidays?

Just like people, there are a lot of answers (and probably none of them wrong).  There are those who can’t even wait for Thanksgiving to get here before they have adorned the exterior of their homes with lights and garland while still finishing off their Halloween candy.  Others traditionally put up their tree on “Black Friday”, while there is even still a small segment of folks who feel that the tree and its decorations should only go up on Christmas Eve.  Each weekend in December, you’ll see more and more fresh-cut trees lashed to cars, inflatable critters popping up in yards, and ribbons appearing on mailboxes.

All over the country, folks are pulling out ladders (to get into the attic) or heading down into the basement, getting out those storage bins of Christmas decor, hoping the mice haven’t made a nest in the wrapping paper or the stink bugs haven’t ruined the tree skirt – and realizing (once again) that they just threw stuff in boxes last year when taking everything down (the worst job after the holidays) and can’t find anything.

“Honey, where the heck is that holiday snow globe?  I know we had it last year.”

Inside and out, nerves get frayed and patience is tested as the decorations get put up, each person having their own idea of “perfect placement” for that reindeer or holly jolly Santa cookie jar.

In my household (when the kids were smaller), I had to hold everyone off to decorate until at least the day after Thanksgiving, but now that my girls are off at college, I do get a bit of a reprieve.  As long as the decorations are up before they get home for winter break, all is right with the world.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and I won’t be outside cursing like a drunken sailor as I try to put up garland and lights on my porch in the bitter cold.  Such is the wrath of Mother Nature.  I get the sense that she has been wronged by Father Christmas somehow – maybe he stood her up for a date to the annual Yule Ball years ago.  Whatever the reason, in my neck of the woods December traditionally has been the start of gusty winds that pick the winter months to come howling down off the mountain on the west side of town, constantly testing the integrity of my tie downs and fasteners.  Following every night of blustery conditions, I inevitably end up looking out the window to see if my decorations have survived, my front door has been temporarily blocked, or if I have to go down the street in search of errant baubles and fluff.

It’s all worth it, though, on those calm nights, when a single candle graces each window, the tree is lit in the front room in all of its glory, and my garlands of pine boughs, red ornaments, and other greenery decorate each windowsill and porch post.  My mantle has a soft glow from lights, the staircase is trimmed, and stockings hang from the fireplace, waiting to be filled. 

 Take note that the “Twelve Days of Christmas” actually begin on Christmas Day, so there’s plenty of time for celebrating and yuletide decorations, both before and after the actual holiday, so take your time – you do you.  Be it lavish or austere, whatever your decorating style, now is the time to get your holiday groove on.

Enjoy the season!