As the holiday season approaches, the debate happens every year. When is too early to decorate for Christmas?
Though December 1st used to be a popular date to start, Jeff Wilson, General Manager of White Oaks Mall says this day gets closer and closer to November 1st every year. He calls this the Christmas Creep. “It creeps closer and closer every year, and the reason for this is that retailers want to lock in their sales. If you buy a sweater from them in November, it will save you for going to the next place later on.”
Both Wilson and local business owner Roland Schuber, agree that retailers often must decorate earlier to keep up with competition. “We don’t really have much competition in that area, so typically we decorate when it snows or starts to look like Christmas,” explains Schuber.
Schuber and Wilson explain that neither have received complaints for decorating in November either, as long as they wait until after Remembrance Day.
“November 11th is when we start putting lights and decorations up, and black Friday is when the music goes on,” says Wilson.
Though Remembrance Day is a good starting point, both agree that when it comes to your own home, the decision is up to you.
“I know people who decorate on November 1st, right after Halloween, and that’s okay. If it’s in your own home, you can do whatever you want,” explains Wilson.
Residents of London seem to have no complaints either, as thousands gathered in Victoria Park on November 27h to watch Santa arrive and the park light up.
Wilson adds, “I don’t even have my decorations up yet. Not for any particular reason, just that I haven’t had the time. I think one of the main issues is that the longer you have your decorations up, the less meaningful they get. Last year, I didn’t decorate until the week before Christmas.”
So whether you’re a November 1st decorator or prefer to wait until December, like Wilson, it’s important to remember that businesses may not always decorate to their personal beliefs and business needs can often come first.
