Overview
- Inbaal Honigman advised holding off on decorations until Mercury retrograde ends on November 29, with some reports steering followers to November 30 or the start of Advent and December 1.
- Balsam Hill’s guidance says many households put trees up right after Thanksgiving, with the most common window running from late November into the first week of December, and it recommends waiting until early December for live trees.
- A 2024 YouGov poll found about 75% of U.S. celebrants begin decorating and shopping between mid-November and mid-December, with a majority preferring December 1 or later and many targeting the weekend after Thanksgiving.
- Etiquette commentators generally urge waiting until after Thanksgiving or the start of December, though opinions range from much later in December to a permissive ‘whenever it feels right’ approach.
- Retail pushes began early again this year, with Macy’s launching holiday campaigns on November 1 and Starbucks rolling out seasonal drinks November 6, which experts say helps drive earlier shopping and can contribute to consumer fatigue.