When is it socially acceptable to start decorating for halloween?

[Anonymous]

Really people? Who cares what is socially acceptable for Halloween decor?

Its clearly for kids to enjoy not the adults.

To my knowledge the under 12 set is not comparing notes on social norms on timing - they are just excited to see the scary decorations!

[Anonymous]

I put up my Christmas tree the day after Halloween, so I like to get my Halloween decorations up early. No later than Labor Day. During the pandemic years I had them up by the middle of August to give me something to look forward to.

[Anonymous]

Do what you want.

But Halloween is just one night. It isn’t a “season” and it takes away the fun and novelty of the holiday when the decorations have already been out for a month by the time the kids go trick-or-treating.

[Anonymous]

Same as for all holidays 45 days before. Of course that can cause some confusion as Pilgrims and Indians square off against Santa and his reindeer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:October 1 for Halloween. Sunday after Thanksgiving for Christmas. It isn't rocket science people.

That expression doesn’t work in the context of this discussion, which is about people’s opinions on decorating.

[Anonymous]

I feel like the marketers have taken over and now everyone puts out whatever holiday decorations are currently in stores, so earlier and earlier. Halloween (1 day) has become “Spooky Season” and begins in summer. Christmas decorations are put out before or during Advent (and then removed immediately even though the Christmas season goes to January 6). Easter stuff goes up Lent. It’s all just meaningless plastic junk in yards now, year round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
October first is a stretch already, in my opinion.
In olden times, people used to decorate the day before the holiday.
Just because the crotchety old neighbor wants to lay down the law, it doesn't mean she's wrong.

But, I'm sure you'll do just as you please...

How old were those times? Because holiday decorations before holidays has been a thing for a very long time. We don't need to follow social customs from 1892 and someone who is insisting on them is wrong.

I think that generally October is good but when October 1st is a Tuesday decorating the weekend before instead of the weekend after.

I once lived in an HOA which had a rule of holiday decorations exactly one month before or after the holiday. One year Thanksgiving was on like 11/22 and the next day we hung up a Christmas wreath the kids made in preschool. Someone lodged a formal complaint that it was more than a month before Christmas.

So, the next year we had Halloween decorations up till 11/31. Because hey, one month before or after. I'm pretty sure based on the scowls they would have been delighted if we'd replaced them with a Christmas wreath.

[Anonymous]

We live in an HOA and our docs say 30 days (it's not reinforced, but seems like a reasonable amount).

[Anonymous]

I like when people decorate for the season and think as soon as it's "fall" it's fine-- so like late September when the seasons change. I do think it's weird when people leave decor up after the holiday bit I don't judge. I like taking stuff down promptly and turning the page bit that's me and what others do doesn't impact me.

That said I hate the look of the lawn blow up things. Again it doesn't impact me and people can do what they want but I just think they are cheesy and cheap looking. I am fine with stuff like skeletons and ghosts and witches and I don't care if it's big or over the top-- it's fun. But the blowups seem cheap and lazy to me and it's just not my thing. Like when people get fake Christmas trees made if tinsel. I just think it's ugly.