Thanksgiving has come and gone, which means it’s time for the age old debate. When should you put up Christmas lights? Decorating your front yard with white or multicolored lights is an annual tradition for many American households every year during the Christmas season. Bushes and trees are often covered with netted LED lights, laser projectors display moving  images and colors on the side of houses, icicle lights hang from roofs, and blow up Santa Clauses and Snowmen are set up in front yards. Those who have a more personal, religious association with Christmas often set up nativity scenes in their yard to represent the “birth of Christ.” Every year, over 70% of Americans spend hundreds of dollars and hours out of their day dedicated to showcase their holiday cheer. The average American will spend $348 on outdoor Christmas decorations (not including the utility costs) and those who choose to hire professional help will end up spending over 1 thousand dollars. 

So why is putting Christmas lights up so popular in America? The concept of light during the dark winter solstice can reach many religions. For thousands of years, people have celebrated the dark December solstice by lighting Yule logs. Long before electric light, pagans and druids welcomed the return of light. Candles have been associated with winter holidays of different religions, from the Hanukkah menorah lighting to the Kwanzaa kinara, to the early German Christians who lit candles on evergreen branches to mimic the starlight reflected on the winter trees. As electricity and wiring techniques improved and became more common in households, families began to light up for the holiday season.

While it’s a generally agreed upon tradition as a way to celebrate the holidays, the timing of when to put these festive decorations up have divided Americans for decades. Some believe decorating before Thanksgiving is excessive, while others think waiting until December is too late. Today’s Homeowners “surveyed 3,000 Americans for the second year in a row about their holiday decorating preferences — and their answers may surprise you.” According to their survey, 40% of Americans who decorate hang their holiday decorations after Thanksgiving but before December 1st, with 40% of Americans decorating the week after Thanksgiving. 33% of Americans hang up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, starting as early as October. 

While there may never be an official consensus on the best time to hang holiday lights, Thanksgiving weekend has been the unofficial start of the Christmas decorating season. However, it should depend on your family’s traditions, what works best for your schedule, and religion.