When to put up Christmas decorations - interior designers reveal when to start decking the halls

Knowing when to put up Christmas decorations is a controversial topic. Is it on the first day of December? Or is your home ready for Mr Claus to visit as soon as the Halloween decorations come down?

Finding the right Christmas decorating ideas for your home is only one part of the process. How do you know that the time is right to put up Christmas decorations? 

To help make sense of the accepted etiquette around when to decorate for Christmas, we've asked interior design experts for when they'll be decking the halls and putting up a Christmas tree.

When to put up Christmas decorations?

According to a recent survey of 1,000 Americans by Thumbtack, over 40 percent are ready to decorate their home for the festive season well before December. No doubt the pandemic and the curbed or canceled festivities over the last few years have a lot to do with this renewed enthusiasm for festive decorating and celebrating!

And this trend to start embracing Christmas window decor ideas and Christmas mantel decor ideas before December 1st is confirmed by interior design experts. The industry experts say they are seeing a shift in when people are ready to transform their homes into festive scenes. 

When traditionally do you put up Christmas decorations?

Traditionally, the earliest Christmas decorations are put up is on the first day of advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

However, some traditions dictate that to avoid bad luck you should avoid putting up any decorations before Christmas Eve. 

In recent years, these traditions have gone out the window, as the decorations are being bought out almost as soon as the Halloween decorations come down.

Ash Read, interiors expert and founder of Living Cozy, says that 'it appears that the anticipation of Christmas is getting earlier and earlier each year.'

'In recent years many have embraced the excitement of Christmas, decorating as soon as Halloween ends on 31st October, or after Thanksgiving which falls on the fourth Thursday of November.'

Ash Read believes that the desire to start decorating as early as possible is only natural 'as nights draw darker.' 

However, Alex Holme, interior design expert at the interiors brand Fab Home Interiors, also points out that there is more of an abundance of decorations these days, and they are available earlier than ever. 

'Christmas stock hits our stores at the end of October and this is always really well received by customers', Holme says, 'which indicates that people like to start their Christmas planning pretty early!'

'Once Halloween is out of the way, we're all for a bit of festive decor!' 

It is true that in many stores, Halloween stock is swiftly swapped out for Christmas stock. It is understandably tempting to bring a bit of all that festive sparkle into your home as soon as it's hit your local supermarket/interiors shop.  

When is too early to decorate for Christmas?

There is no rulebook where it comes to choosing the right time to decorate. In the past, there may have been some disapproval around early decorating, but our interior experts agree that this is no longer the case. 

Therefore, it's perfectly acceptable to get out your best Christmas fairy lights and decor, and put them up on November 1st if you so wish. 

'We should not hold back people’s excitement on decorating their homes, what you choose to do with your Christmas decorations is up to you!' says Ash Read. 

'Whether you want to follow honored traditions or transform your home into a seasonal wonderland on the 1st November, as long as you are happy and enjoying the holiday period, that is all that matters.'

Alex Holme echoes the sentiment, saying, 'Do what works for you and enjoy every second. But, most importantly, don't be ruled by what everyone else around you is doing!' 

So, whether you opt for November 1st or December 24th, it's all about your individual preference, and what Christmas means to you. There really is no right answer when it comes to when to put up Christmas decorations.