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A Veranda report says 65% of the magazine’s editors recommend putting up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving or during the first week of December. Another 15% prefer waiting further into December, while 20% said they decorate before Thanksgiving, with some starting as early as Nov. 1.
Most editors surveyed by Veranda say Christmas decorating should begin after Thanksgiving or during the first week of December, according to a report on holiday decorating timing. The magazine said 65 percent of its editors chose that window, while the remaining responses were split between waiting later in December and starting before Thanksgiving.
The report says 15 percent of editors prefer decorating after Thanksgiving but later in December. Another 20 percent said they put up decorations before Thanksgiving. Some in that group said they start as early as Nov. 1, the day after Halloween, because they want to enjoy the decorations for longer or view decorating as a substantial task.
Veranda presents the results as an informal survey of editors at the magazine, rather than a representative poll of households or decorators. It does not provide the number of editors who took part, how the survey was conducted, or a margin of error. The percentages describe the magazine’s respondents, not public opinion more broadly.
The editors’ most common timing, after Thanksgiving or in early December, reflects a preference for giving Thanksgiving its own place before moving into Christmas decorating. Veranda says that schedule also aligns with tradition and the start of Advent. The report notes that the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park decorates on Thanksgiving Day, while Christmas at Biltmore is set to begin Nov. 3, 2026.
How the Timing Shapes Holiday Plans
The survey offers readers a practical reference for a seasonal decision that often involves family preferences, available time and competing holiday plans. Its main finding points to the period after Thanksgiving as the most popular choice among the editors polled, but the split also shows that there is no single schedule within the group.
For households deciding when to decorate, the distinction is less about a universal rule than about how they want to mark the season. Waiting can keep Thanksgiving separate; starting early can leave more time to enjoy decorations or spread out the work. The report’s figures give a snapshot of one editorial team’s preferences, not evidence that one approach is better.
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A Seasonal Debate in the Survey
Veranda frames the question around a familiar annual discussion: whether Christmas decorations appear earlier each year and whether decorating before Thanksgiving is acceptable. The magazine says it asked its editors for their preferred timing instead of treating online opinion polls as a definitive answer.
The responses range from Nov. 1 starts to decorating later in December. The report also mentions examples from hospitality and tourism venues, including the Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park and Biltmore. Those dates illustrate that public-facing venues may follow their own schedules; they do not establish a standard for homes.
“A solid, merry majority of our editors (65 percent, to be exact), said that you should decorate for Christmas right after Thanksgiving or the first week of December.”
— Veranda, describing the 65 percent majority
What the Editor Survey Leaves Open
The report does not say how many editors responded, whether all editors were invited, or whether respondents selected from set options. Without those details, readers cannot assess how the percentages were calculated or how closely the results represent the magazine’s staff as a whole.
It also offers no survey of the wider public and does not establish that the listed venue dates apply in later years. The Biltmore date is explicitly given for 2026; the report does not provide a year for the Ritz-Carlton’s Thanksgiving Day decorating schedule. The findings are best read as a snapshot of the editors’ stated preferences.
Choosing a Date for Your Home
There is no follow-up survey or broader poll identified in the report. Readers can use the editorial results as a reference, then decide based on their own family traditions, calendar and decorating plans. Those following the majority preference can start after Thanksgiving or in the first week of December; others may choose a later date or begin earlier.
The report’s practical takeaway is that the date remains a personal choice. It does not announce a change in holiday schedules or set a recommended standard for households.
Key Questions
When do most of the surveyed editors recommend decorating?
Sixty-five percent favor decorating right after Thanksgiving or during the first week of December, according to Veranda.
How many editors prefer to wait until later in December?
Fifteen percent said they prefer to decorate after Thanksgiving but wait further into December.
How many start decorating before Thanksgiving?
Twenty percent of the editors surveyed said they decorate before Thanksgiving. Some said they begin as early as Nov. 1.
Does the survey show what the public prefers?
No. It reports preferences among Veranda editors and does not describe a representative survey of the public. The report also does not give the number of respondents or detailed survey methods.
Does Veranda say there is one correct date?
No. The report says the timing depends on personal preference, family schedules and traditions. Its percentages show how the surveyed editors answered, not a rule for households.
Source: rss
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