Key Takeaways
- Putting up a Christmas tree before Thanksgiving can enhance the festive atmosphere without overshadowing Thanksgiving celebrations.
- Many people enjoy prolonging the holiday spirit by placing the tree in early November and spreading out decoration efforts.
- Installing the Christmas tree early allows families to enjoy its glow during Thanksgiving and simplifies decorating tasks later.
As a home editor with more than a decade of experience reporting on holiday decorating trends, the biggest controversy I see year after year is the age-old debate: When is the appropriate time to put up the Christmas tree? Should you put it up before Thanksgiving, or wait until the fall holidays are over?
I firmly believe that your Christmas tree should always go up before your Thanksgiving meal is served. I know this isn’t always a popular stance, but hear me out: Putting your tree up before the turkey goes in the oven doesn’t have to overshadow the Thanksgiving holiday! In fact, I promise your pumpkins and cornucopias will look even more festive with twinkling lights in the background.
Aniko Levai
The More (Cheer) the Merrier
Many families put the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving, while others prefer to decorate on the first day of Advent, which falls on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. But because Thanksgiving and Christmas are so close together, waiting until after Thanksgiving simply means less Christmas cheer throughout the year—and who wants that?
To make the final ‘ber months feel more festive, I like to put the tree up during the first week of November. That way, we can enjoy the festive glow as soon as the weather turns chilly. Plus, it adds a nostalgic, cozy feel which perfectly complements a house full of Thanksgiving guests.
Lights Before, Ornaments After
If you’re not quite ready to bust out the tinsel and nutcracker figurines before Thanksgiving, you don’t have to! The rule in my household is that our pre-lit tree goes up before Thanksgiving, but we don’t hang the ornaments until closer to Christmas. That way, we get the magical sparkling glow of the tree in the background while we eat our green bean casserole and pumpkin pie, but the Thanksgiving holiday isn’t overshadowed by Santa figurines and big red bows.
Getting the tree out of storage before Thanksgiving also makes the Christmas decorating process easier. We usually stretch out the holiday cheer by spending a post-Thanksgiving Saturday decorating the tree as a family with ornaments, garlands, and beads. Then, I’ll sprinkle in additional decor pieces around the house as I have time.
You’ll always find me with my tree up at Thanksgiving, but there’s really no wrong time to do it, as long as you deck it with your favorite ornaments and enjoy the nostalgic glow with your loved ones.
