When Do Billings Families Start Decorating for Christmas?

Wait, hold up. Please don’t jump all over me for even asking this question, especially since we’re only in the first full week of October.

I know it’s not even Halloween yet, but I’ve walked into stores around Billings like Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and Dollar General in the last week and found Christmas decorations already making their way onto the shelves. Seeing all the trees, ornaments, and twinkle lights got me wondering: when do Billings families actually start decorating for Christmas?

For some people, the answer is absolutely not until Thanksgiving is over. For others, the tree is already out the minute Halloween ends. And as somebody who falls firmly into that second group, I feel like I should probably explain myself.

Why I Decorate for Christmas Before Thanksgiving

I’m completely unapologetic about decorating early for Christmas.

In my house, it’s not unusual for the tree to come out the day after Halloween. The inside of the house is usually fully decorated by the end of the first weekend in November.

Christmas is my son’s favorite time of year, and it always feels like it goes by far too fast. If having the tree up early means a few more nights of sipping cocoa, cuddling on the couch, and watching wonderfully cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies together, I’m all for it.

Those moments don’t last forever, so I’ll happily stretch out the season if it means getting a few more of them.

Why I Wait Until After Thanksgiving for Outdoor Christmas Decorations

I also know that not everybody wants to see outdoor Christmas lights while they’re still planning Thanksgiving dinner. That’s why I see my decorating schedule as a compromise.

Inside my house, I decorate how I want. If early Christmas decorations make me happy, that’s what matters. But I wait to put up the outside decorations until Thanksgiving is over. Once the turkey is gone, the leftovers are packed away, and the kitchen is cleaned up, then the lights, wreaths, and everything else can come out.

That way, I get my early Christmas magic without making the whole neighborhood feel like Thanksgiving has been skipped.

When Do Billings Families Start Decorating for Christmas?

We asked people in Billings when they start decorating for Christmas, and the answers were all over the calendar.

Megan S. said November 1 without hesitation. Kori K. went even earlier with, “Halloween, baby!” Amber Y. said her tree goes up the day after Halloween, with lights everywhere and more decorations added each day.

Larry L. starts putting up Christmas decorations while his Halloween decorations are still out, then swaps everything over after October 31. He waits until Thanksgiving evening to turn on the lights.

Tomycorner O. said the timing depends on how they’re feeling. If they’ve been down for a while, Christmas decorations might go up before Halloween. Otherwise, early November is the latest.

Karen R. used to wait until the Thanksgiving dishes were done but said she seems to decorate earlier every year and may get started around the middle of November. Tammy R. said she decorates either the week before or after Thanksgiving because it makes her happy.

Billings Families Who Decorate for Christmas Before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the dividing line for many families.

Nicole G. decorates on Thanksgiving Day, while Margaret M. starts Thanksgiving night. Sharon B. also said Thanksgiving is when she begins, and Ann F. decorates right around then.

Christi D. puts up her tree on Thanksgiving Day so her grandchildren can help decorate it, then finishes the rest of the house on Black Friday. Erinn W. said her family gets their tree on Black Friday and turns the house into a Christmas wonderland.

Tammy H. starts over Thanksgiving break, although she said she’d keep a tree up all year if it were up to her. She’d simply decorate it for every holiday and season.

Billings Families Who Decorate Around Thanksgiving

For others, Christmas decorating can’t begin until Thanksgiving has had its day.

John M., Amanda H., Dawn C., Joy L., Ann B., Jeff R., and Amanda R. all said they wait until after Thanksgiving. Marissa P., Holli K., and J.A. M. specifically said the day after Thanksgiving is their decorating day.

Elizabeth M. starts the week before Thanksgiving. Diane S. waits until the first week of December, while Sydnee O. starts on December 1 and Michelle L. waits until December 2.

Jesi W. said her family gets its tree during the first weekend in December. Decorating takes a couple of days, with little things added afterward until the house is finished.

When Billings Families Put Up Christmas Decorations After Thanksgiving

A few people, including Caity C. and Roberta M., said they’re simply not ready to see Christmas decorations so early. And that’s completely fair, too.

Thanksgiving deserves its own time, just like Christmas does. But there really isn’t a right or wrong answer when it comes to decorating.

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The Best Time to Decorate for Christmas Is When It Makes You Happy

If putting up a tree on November 1 makes you happy, do it. If waiting until December makes Christmas feel more special, do that instead. The season is supposed to bring a little joy, and no matter how you choose to decorate your home, that’s what matters most.

A Gilded Age Christmas Comes to Life at the Moss Mansion Museum

Step inside the Moss Mansion Museum as it transforms into a Gilded Age Christmas dream. Every room glows with holiday light, rich history, and the kind of opulence that makes a person slow down and really take it in. From sparkling trees to ornate details that have survived more than a century, this gallery captures the magic, the nostalgia, and the quiet beauty of Christmas inside one of Billings’ most iconic homes. Wander through the photos, soak up the charm, and let the season wrap around you.

Gallery Credit: Traci Taylor