Montana Ranks Among The Most Festive States For Holiday Decorating

Halloween has come and gone, and for some that gives them the green light for Christmas deco. Some of my co-workers literally put up their Christmas decorations the day after Halloween. To me that’s a little bananas, but apparently they are not alone. So in my curiosity and the spirit of challenging my beliefs I went in search of data. When do most Americans put up holiday decorations?

From my own experience it seems like retailers over the past twenty years or so have gradually been putting up holiday decorations for sale earlier and earlier. Like remember the shock back in the 90s if you saw Christmas décor before Thanksgiving? Now I swear I’ve seen tinsel and reindeer out as early as August.

According to a recent nationwide survey of 3,000 homeowners, 70% of Americans plan to hang outdoor lights in November or sooner. 7% even have their lights up by the end of October! More than half plan to have their decorations twinkling by Thanksgiving, and the most popular day to hang lights is December 1. As for taking them down, well, we’re a little less motivated there. Over half of Americans admit their lights stay up into the first week of January, and some even through the whole month. I am guilty of this one.

Now for the fun part: Montana ranked 19th in the country for being the most festive state. Not too shabby for Big Sky Country! Maybe it’s our long, dark winters that make those lights feel extra cozy or maybe we just like any excuse to make the snow sparkle a little brighter. Either way, we’re holding our own against the glitter-loving folks in Iowa, Minnesota, and Connecticut.

Whether your lights are already twinkling or still packed in a tote in the garage, the countdown has begun. I will be putting my deco up here in Montana Thanksgiving week. When do you think is the best time to put up Christmas decorations in Montana? Let us know HERE!