Every year, as soon as the calendar flips from October 31 to November 1, something happens at my house.
The pumpkins come down. The Christmas boxes come out. And Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Sing-Along starts playing.
Because in my world, once Halloween is over, it’s Christmas time.
I know, I know.
Some people believe Christmas decorations shouldn’t go up until after Thanksgiving. Others wait until December. And some people probably think those of us who decorate on November 1 have completely lost our minds.
But here’s the thing.
I’m not trying to rush Christmas. I’m trying to make more room to enjoy it.
And considering the amount of work it takes to decorate my house, I think that’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. 😂
Twenty Boxes of Christmas Decorations? Yes, Really.
Decorating for Christmas at my house is not exactly a quick afternoon project.
First, my husband brings down approximately 13 empty boxes so I can pack away all the fall decorations. I take everything down, clean the spaces where it was displayed, and get the house ready for its Christmas transformation.
Then he carries those boxes back to the attic and brings down the Christmas decorations.
All 20-plus boxes of them.
My husband handles the boxes, and I handle the decorating. It’s a system that has worked well for us throughout our marriage.
And before you picture me carefully opening perfectly labeled containers in some logical order, let me assure you that’s not what’s happening.
I grab two or three random boxes, open them, and start decorating.
Most things go back in the same spots they occupied last year because, quite frankly, I liked them there last year.
Why reinvent the wheel?
I usually finish decorating the downstairs in a day or two, depending on when I start.
By the end, I’m tired, there are empty boxes everywhere, and I’ve probably watched enough Christmas movies to quote them.
But when the last decoration is in place and I turn on all those twinkling lights?
It’s worth every minute.
It’s Not About Having a Perfectly Decorated House
I love a beautiful Christmas home.
Give me traditional decorations, vintage Christmas charm, glittery ornaments, and the warm glow of Christmas lights, and I’m a happy girl.
We have electric candles in every window that turn on automatically each evening. There’s a Disney Christmas village displayed on a wooden wall tree my husband built, and even our upstairs headboard gets snowflake Christmas lights.
My husband loves when our home looks like something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie.
And honestly? So do I.
But my favorite decorations aren’t necessarily the ones that would look best in a magazine.
They’re the ones that mean something.
I have a stuffed Rudolph that my uncle gave me when I was little. Rudolph is more than 30 years old now, and he definitely looks like he’s been loved for three decades.
Because he has.
Every year, I pull him out of his box, and he takes me right back to childhood Christmases.
Then there’s the garland on our fireplace.
Many of the decorations tucked into it are pieces I’ve had since I was growing up. When my husband and I were first decorating our home for Christmas, my mom helped me arrange the garland until everything looked just right.
I still think about that when I decorate it each year.
And that’s when I realize something.
The things that make my home feel like Christmas aren’t always the things that make it look like Christmas.
Sometimes they’re the memories attached to them.
An old Rudolph. A familiar ornament. A piece of garland that reminds me of my mom.
Those decorations aren’t just filling space.
They’re helping me remember.
My Favorite Part Comes After the Decorating
Here’s something you might find funny.
For someone who gets so excited about decorating for Christmas, my favorite part isn’t actually putting the decorations up.
It’s what happens afterward.
Once everything is finished, I love turning off all the overhead lights, sitting in the glow of the Christmas decorations, and watching a Christmas movie.
And once our real Christmas tree is up? Even better.
Every Black Friday, my husband and I pick out a real tree together from a family-owned business we’ve grown to love.
Our tree is filled with ornaments we’ve received throughout our marriage. They don’t all match, and that’s part of what makes it special.
When the tree is lit, the window candles are glowing, and the Christmas music or a favorite movie is playing, our house feels especially cozy.
Sometimes it’s The Santa Clause. Sometimes it’s White Christmas or Christmas in Connecticut. And sometimes it’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, because Christmas can be meaningful and hilarious at the same time.
Those evenings are what I look forward to.
Not because everything is perfect.
Not because I’ve created some elaborate holiday experience.
But because I get to sit in a home I love, beside the person I love, and enjoy something that makes us both happy.
And I want more than a couple of weeks of those evenings.
That’s why I decorate on November 1.
I’m Not Skipping Thanksgiving
I think there’s a misconception that people who decorate early are somehow wishing the rest of the year away.
But decorating for Christmas doesn’t mean I’m skipping Thanksgiving.
I can be thankful for God’s blessings while sitting beside a Christmas tree.
In fact, some of my favorite Christmas decorations remind me of those blessings.
The garland reminds me of my mom.
Our ornaments remind me of the years my husband and I have shared.
The Disney village reminds me of my in-laws, who add to our collection at Christmas.
Even that worn-out Rudolph reminds me of someone who loved me enough to make Christmas special when I was little.
When I look around our decorated home, I don’t just see Christmas decorations.
I see pieces of our life.
And that gives me plenty to be thankful for.
Sometimes We Get So Busy Preparing for Christmas That We Forget to Enjoy It
I think this is something a lot of us can relate to.
The holiday season can become one giant to-do list.
Decorate the house. Buy the gifts. Wrap the presents. Plan the meals. Bake the cookies. Attend the events. Remember everything. Forget nothing.
And before we know it, Christmas is over.
We spent weeks preparing for a season that seemed to disappear in a blink.
I’m certainly not immune to that. After all, I have more than 20 boxes of decorations to deal with before I can even sit down and enjoy them!
But one thing I love about decorating early is that it gives me more ordinary days to enjoy Christmas.
Not just the big celebrations.
The regular Tuesday evenings.
The quiet moments on the couch.
The nights when the only thing on the agenda is watching a Christmas movie with my husband.
The evenings when our three dogs are curled up nearby, probably dreaming about the Christmas presents they’ll receive.
And yes, our dogs get Christmas presents. They have their own stockings and ornaments, too.
They even give my husband and me gifts every year, although those gifts suspiciously tend to involve dog treats, collars, and other things the dogs will enjoy themselves.
They’re very thoughtful like that. 😂
But those simple evenings at home are some of the moments I treasure most.
I don’t want to be so busy getting ready for Christmas that I forget to enjoy the season while it’s here.
Making Room for Joy Doesn’t Mean Forgetting What Matters Most
As much as I love the decorations, movies, music, and traditions, I know none of those things is the heart of Christmas.
For me, Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
And when I think about His birth, I can’t separate it from why He came.
Jesus didn’t come into the world simply to give us a beautiful story about a baby in a manger.
He came to save us.
He lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because of Him, we have the hope of salvation.
Without His resurrection, there would be no reason to celebrate His birth.
That’s what makes Christmas so meaningful to me.
And I don’t think enjoying the fun, festive parts of Christmas takes anything away from that.
I can love the twinkling lights and still remember the Light of the World.
I can treasure my family’s traditions while thanking God for the people He’s placed in my life.
I can get excited about decorating on November 1 while remembering that the greatest gift of Christmas isn’t something I’ll ever find under our tree.
It’s the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
If anything, I want the season to give me more opportunities to slow down, be grateful, and remember His goodness.
Because Christmas shouldn’t just be something we prepare for.
It should be something we take time to appreciate.
So, Yes, I’m Decorating on November 1
And I’ll probably keep doing it for as long as I’m able to haul those Christmas boxes out of the attic.
Well, as long as my husband is willing to haul them for me. 😂
I’ll keep putting my favorite decorations in their familiar places.
I’ll keep playing Christmas movies while I decorate.
I’ll keep looking forward to the evening when I can turn off the lights, sit beside our glowing Christmas tree, and enjoy the home we’ve made together.
And I’ll keep celebrating the birth of the Savior who has given me so much more than I could ever deserve.
Because the older I get, the more I realize how quickly the seasons come and go.
I don’t want to rush through them.
I want to notice them.
I want to enjoy the traditions, appreciate the people, and make time for the little moments that often become our favorite memories.
I’m not rushing Christmas. I’m making more room for joy.
And if that means my Christmas decorations are up before the leftover Halloween candy is gone?
I’m perfectly okay with that.
Now I’m curious: When do you start decorating for Christmas? Are you on Team November 1, Team After Thanksgiving, or Team December? Tell me in the comments! I’d love to hear about your favorite Christmas traditions, too. 🎄
