Take a walk around your campus or neighbourhood and you’re likely to see at least one house lit up by Christmas lights or complimented by a wreath on the door. 

For many, the acceptable time to decorate for the holidays varies, but when it comes to Christmas decor sales, some customers start shopping as early as September.

“Generally, our sales are really September right through ‘till first week of December,” said Peterborough Landscape Supply and Marquis Hot Tubs owner John Walsh.

Walsh begins ordering Christmas supplies in the New Year, and he starts to get in his stock as early as August. 

“Everything is always way ahead of season now,” Walsh told Arthur. “We get Christmas in then we start putting it out September and October and you know by November we’re a full Christmas store.”

Walsh notices many customers coming in at the last minute for a final piece of decor closer to Christmas.

“First week of December they start saying ‘Okay, what’s on sale?’” said Walsh. “They’ve already got their houses decorated for Christmas, if they see the odd little piece, so generally our sales peak right after Remembrance Day.”

A general rule for many is that Christmas season doesn’t start until after Remembrance Day, something Walsh notices around his own neighbourhood.

“Christmas lights generally turn on right after Remembrance Day,” said Walsh. “Everybody put them up, but right on November 12th they came on.”

Trent student Michelle Ray, who lives on residence, has a similar feeling towards when Christmas decor should go up.

“You kinda get that Christmas feeling starting to root up after Halloween, but it’s also respectable to wait until after Remembrance Day to do it,” said Ray.

In her residence, she notices fellow students on her floor doing the same.

“Before Remembrance Day, I noticed little Christmas things here and there, but after Remembrance Day I noticed lots of Christmas decorations and people starting to be a little more festive in general,” she explained.

Growing up, her family would set up the Christmas tree and lights a little later than most.

“We’re a little last minute. We start to do it around the beginning of December but it’s late turnover, like we start to take it down around mid to late January,” said Ray.

The debate of how long lights and decorations stay up following Christmas is another question itself, however local resident Ben Jablonski lives on a street where neighbours leave up their decorations well into the New Year.

“I will be thinking about how long to put up and take down my decorations,” said Jablonski.

Jablonski had yet to put up his Christmas decorations at his house because he moved to Peterborough recently and hasn’t gotten out to pick them up yet, but it is on his to do list.

“I know Peterborough has so many stores with amazing decor that I will be checking out soon,” said Jablonski. “Not having them up yet doesn’t bother me too much because I like to leave decorations up into the New Year.”

Jablonski does feel some pressure due to the fact his community has all of their decorations up the day after Halloween.

“I was heading to work on the first day of November and saw people up on their ladders bright and early,” said Jablonski. “Coffee in hand, it’s like an event on our street to get up those lights the second the pumpkins go out.”

Jablonski is looking forward to joining his new community and their tradition and says he will be setting up earlier next year. 

“Once I get out this week and buy my stuff, it’ll be going up post Halloween every year moving forward,” said Jablonski. “I feel left out!”