LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — One of the biggest debates this time of year: is it too early to put up Christmas décor? But this year people who typically argue against it are showing some grace.
Because 2020 has been tough on us all, more people— now more than ever— just need a little joy, and so the decorating is in full swing.
“We decorated early because 2020 has been a crazy year,” said Wendy Brown.
“It has brought a lot of joy to our house,” said Timie Yancey.
With a whirlwind of a year made up of twists and turns and a lot of uncertainty, one thing remains. We can all agree on a little joy.
“Our boys are small,” said Kiersten Ratliff.
“It hasn’t been a very positive year. It’s been hard on them. We needed something happy, and Christmas is the happiest time of the year. So why not put up Christmas decorations early?”
Kiersten Ratliff put up her tree right after Halloween, many others did too.
Some may argue it’s too soon and that decorating for Christmas may take away from the Thanksgiving spirit.
But those who did say you can’t beat the sparkling trees with homemade ornaments and the site of stockings hanging from the fireplace when this year has been nothing short of stressful.
“We put it up, and it definitely feels warm and inviting with the lights and the colors, and that’s something we all need this year,” said Alicia Vaden.
For others, the early decorating may become a tradition early on.
“We are ready for some Christmas cheer, and it’s baby’s first Christmas,” said Brown.
Not only did some families start whipping out the decorations much earlier, but many have also become more creative, like Stacie Wassell who put up a rotating Christmas tree that lightens up her entire home.
“We just love our Christmas decorations because they make us smile. They are fun. They are bright colors. They lift our spirits,” said Wassell.
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t given us much to look forward to, but the joy of Christmas sure can.
“To survive 2020, stop shaming! Put those Christmas lights up. Trust me, you want to. It’s worth it,” said Yancey.
The more people decorating has been a benefit to local interior decorators.
Several of those companies say business is booming with an already incredibly busy holiday season, and it doesn’t look like it’ll slow down anytime soon.