A question of “When to start decorating for Christmas?” will often land in our inbox, and we’ll do our best to answer. But the short answer is that there’s no perfect starting point that will suit everyone’s schedules, preferences, and traditions. Decorating for Christmas is more than just making your home festive. It’s about bringing us comfort, joy and traditions we want to teach to the generations to come as well. So, if you want to build excitement or just follow the customs that you love to cherish, holiday decorating is the key to kick off your Christmas season. In this guide, we’ll talk you through different approaches to when it is acceptable to start decorating and provide you with key points you should think about before starting.
Make this decorating season a stress-free and enjoyable one.
Why Do We Decorate?
When decorating for Christmas, we don’t only do it to make our homes look pretty and match the neighbors. Besides that, it’s also a piece of our culture and a tradition that brings us emotional satisfaction and comfort.
Follow your traditions: For many people, decorating for Christmas is a family tradition passed on from generation to generation. Since ornaments can act as family heirlooms, Christmas decorating can also be a highly sentimental time when we reminisce about the happy moments we had with our family and close ones.
Get yourself into the spirit: Decorating and decorating and creating a festive atmosphere will help you get into the cheery spirit and set the tone for the season. Decorations help us transform the spaces we spend a lot of our time in, such as our office and our home, into a space that sparks excitement for the upcoming season.
Connect with your loved ones: Christmas is all about bringing loved ones together, and decorating for the season is the perfect way to deepen those connections and create lasting memories. Make sure you schedule some quality time with your family and friends and decorate a Christmas tree with someone you love. Decorating for Christmas should be an activity that fosters connection and community!

When Is It Acceptable to Decorate for Christmas? Balancing the Holiday Calendar
As you can probably imagine, the question of when to start decorating for Christmas will mostly depend on your personal preference. However, there are a few approaches that you can follow when it comes to decorating at just the right time.
Start Building Up Your Christmas Decorations Gradually
Instead of going all out on Christmas décor all at once, try layering them gradually. Start with low-key options, such as wreaths, and add decorations that are more flashy as you go. This will not only build anticipation and have you excited with every piece of décor you add, but it will also allow you to really enjoy decorating your home or office without rushing. That way you can appreciate every piece of decoration you add to the ensemble.
Start Decorating for Christmas After Halloween
If you, like us, also really love Halloween, but more than that, you just can’t wait for Christmas, decorating right after the Jack-o-lanterns retire might be a good option for you. If you start decorating for Christmas in early November, that gives you two months of basking in the Christmas spirit in the comfort of your home.
Start Decorating for Christmas After Thanksgiving
A tradition, similar to decorating after Halloween, is decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving, especially in the United States. Following this approach will give you a whole month of festive cheer, but still allow time for Thanksgiving decorations as it won’t overshadow the holiday.
Counting Down Till December 1
Another popular time to start decorating for Christmas is just, well, December! This approach focuses strongly on the Advent calendar, which also builds the excitement for Christmas Eve and Day throughout the month.
Ultimately, there is no right time to start decorating, it’s all about how long you want to enjoy the decorations in the comfort of your home, without it being too long or too short of a time. You should of course consider and talk to your family members or roommates as well. If you want to keep your celebrations contained, mid-December will be a better fit for you, as anything before that will be too early to decorate for Christmas.
Considering Other Elements When It Comes To Decorating for Christmas
Besides the traditions and the calendar, there are also other, more practical elements that you should consider when deciding when you should put up your Christmas decorations.
Weather
Weather will significantly affect when you should put up your outdoor décor. For regions where it gets to the freezing point and snowy, you might need to put up your outdoor lights and other decorations while the weather is still mild. Don’t risk frostbite, put everything up and set it up for December while it’s still late October or early November. Putting up decorations while it’s icy and snowy can make your process hazardous, so try to avoid that.

Busy Schedules
The December holiday season can get super busy, even the busier of the entire year - there’s just so much to do before Christmas. From planning gifts to wrapping them, figuring out plans for the Christmas dinner, while juggling everyday tasks and chores there just isn’t a lot of time left for Christmas decorating. Schedules matter—consider blocking off a weekend in November to take care of everything that has to do with Christmas decorating, rather than trying to do it on a weekday after work. Planning also ensures you can shop for your Christmas décor early, so you won’t miss out on your favorite items before they sell out.
Family Involvement
Of course, you should also consider your family and when your family members have the time to help you with decorating. As we’ve already mentioned, Christmas decorating is a tradition you and your close ones should tackle together while making memories. That’s why it makes sense to ask them about their schedules and when they think you should start decorating everything.

Timeline for Christmas Decorating
To make things a little bit easier for you, we prepared an indicative timeline for decorating for Christmas, which you can make more detailed and even mark your calendars with.
Early November
Start planning your decorations. Take inventory of everything you already have and think about what you want your decorations to look like this Christmas season. Then you can also make a list of any new items you’d like to buy. Are you missing a nutcracker for your entrance? How will you decorate your Christmas tree? Make sure to order early to secure your favorites in time.
Mid-November
Set up your outdoor decorations while the weather is still mild. You can turn them on later in the season, just have them set up earlier and save yourself trouble later on.
Post Thanksgiving
Book a weekend after Thanksgiving in your calendars for indoor decorating. That includes putting up a Christmas tree, hanging wreaths and garlands, and adorning the mantel if you have one. Make it a vibe, gather your family or friends, play Christmas music and set the scene for everyone.
December 1st
Add finishing touches to your Christmas home, such as setting up your nativity scene or a Christmas village hanging up the stockings and placing poinsettias around your home.
Ongoing
Throughout the process, incorporate additional seasonal touches to make everything seem fresh at all times, such as greenery, bake some festive goodies and put them on display, and finish up on any final lighting details.
Decorate Early for Christmas and Boost Your Mood

Some studies have even shown that decorating for Christmas early can relieve stress and make you happier! This reason is more than enough for us to start decorating early as well, and you should too!