How Early Is Too Early To Decorate?
Unspoken rules on when to ‘Deck the Halls’
In this unpredictable year, I say every day can be a holiday if it’s what keeps you hydrated in the trash fire.
November 24, 2020
It’s November, which means we’re at the time of year where you can walk outside and see houses with pumpkins and turkeys next to houses prepping for the winter holidays. Some houses are even completely decked out in string lights, wreaths, and inflatable reindeer to boot. If this were any other year, I would be annoyed at seeing houses ready for the winter holidays on Nov. 1. And don’t get me started on decorations up BEFORE Nov. 1. But, as we’ve all noticed, this year is quite different.
Just a few weeks ago, on Halloween night, I had a feeling different from the dull emotional background of 2020 — I was able to simply enjoy the day, for however brief it was. All the annoyance I had experienced when seeing Halloween costumes at the store in July just went away. Now I understood that in the midst of all the negativity that this tumultuous year has brought into our lives, the holidays were able to still be special, something to look forward to, because unlike that concert you were looking forward to or that trip you had circled on your calendar, you can’t cancel the holidays. Even taking away trick-or-treating didn’t stop me from putting on a costume and watching scary movies. I did it just because it was a night unlike the others of the year.
The special feeling of a night that only comes once a year, the houses decorated with lights, and being able to just be able to safely celebrate Halloween made me realize that, right now, the holiday season may be the key to a mental break— a quick drink of water in this dumpster fire of a year.
We’re approaching the next couple of holidays coming up, more days where we can be happy that they only come every so often. This renewed excitement shouldn’t be deterred by the pandemic. You can still celebrate safely by keeping indoors and sticking with your family. So, how early is TOO early to decorate?
In this unpredictable year, I say every day can be a holiday if it’s what keeps you hydrated in the trash fire.
