Have a holly jolly…November?
We’re not even to Thanksgiving yet but surely you've noticed that quite a few people are already putting up their Christmas decorations.
In fact, some store aisles were packed with Christmas cheer as early as October.
But it turns out that might not be a bad idea, especially this year in particular.
This stressful year has prompted people to find what feels good. Studies show decking the halls early is a mental health booster, triggering good memories and feelings.
Shops on the Main Street of Grapevine, known as the Christmas Capital of Texas, agree with that.
“We saw a lot of people decorate for Halloween really early this year so we expected it at Christmas. So we tried to get everything up as quickly as we could because we knew there would be a lot of people coming in,” said Tracey Wendt, who works at the family-owned Good Things For All Seasons. “The amount of smiles from customers that come into the store, they’re just like, ‘I needed this.’”
Wendt said people are looking for anything to help them feel the magic of life again. She’s observed her customers soaking in the holiday spirit in her store.
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“We had two sisters come in and they were here for three hours, just walking. And there wasn’t one foot of the store that they missed. So it was nice,” she said. “Makes you smile to get out all your decorations and look at them. It’s a lot of nostalgia involved.”
In fact, viewer Amanda Brawner of Godley said she felt that when she decorated on Nov.1, the earliest she’s ever broken out the tree. She actually went up to her attic to just see what she had and hours later, her entire home was holiday ready.
“And as soon as I started going through my Christmas decorations, I was instantly lifted a little bit,” she said.
She said the stress in the world during COVID-19 and her family juggling work while getting the kids school is worth finding ways to feel better about reality.
“So filling the house with a little bit of joy and magic early this year I feel like it was really needed and couldn’t hurt anything,” she said. “Things are going to be way different this year. Traditions are going to have to change and things are not going to be with what we're used to. Just little simple changes like setting up your Christmas tree a little bit earlier just so you can feel that joy a little bit longer and just spread the cheer -- we’re all stressed right now.”
And she’s not alone. Viewers across North Texans shared their photos of getting a head start on spreading the cheer.
Click here to view the gallery.
The city of Grapevine said it will officially kick on the Christmas lights on Nov. 23.
“As the Texas State Senate proclaimed “Christmas Capital of Texas®, it’s no secret we love Christmas in Grapevine," said Kimber Foster, Director of Marketing & Brand Management for the city. "With COVID-19 hitting in March, it’s been a really disheartening and disorienting year for so many, so we’re excited to officially kick off the Christmas season for people throughout the DFW Metroplex to enjoy. With 40 days of festive events, our hotel partners are offering a variety of packages and deals perfect for staycations and nearcations.”
Click here for more information on upcoming events.
Something else to note, many of the shops on Main Street were closed for months this year and have struggled due to the pandemic. Their message this holiday season -- support local business in your town, wherever that is.
"We were closed for a while this year and it was rough on everybody. Not just Christmas stores," Wendt said. "This is our time. This is when our store shines and this is when we look our best, so we’re just excited to get it all up and make some people happy."
