Four weeks ago, Donna Daisy Pratt felt inspired to pull out her three tabletop Christmas trees and decorate her apartment for Christmas.
"This is so surprising to me that I did this because I usually decorate around Thanksgiving. I like the seasons to unfold as they should," says Pratt, an artist and theater producer.
"This year is such a grievous blow on so many levels, but it has offered a time for reflection, to become introspective and consider where do we go from here," she explains. "I have never decorated this early, but never have I felt so strongly we need the uplift, joy and hope that Christmastime traditions bring to my country."
She isn't alone in that belief.
Many families are already decking their halls to bring some light and cheer to their homes during the country's coronavirus crisis. Putting up Christmas lights early is an idea that first made an appearance in March when many New York City neighborhoods lit up to spread Christmas cheer to their neighbors. As word of this phenomena spread by social media, so did the number of displays nationwide.
A survey of 2,562 people in 2015 by Atlanta-based Christmas Lights Etc. found that 10% of respondents decorated for Christmas before November, 16% in early November, 19% the week of Thanksgiving and 25% the weekend after Thanksgiving. Last year, ABC.com reported that 43% of Americans either have their decorations up before Nov. 1 or have no objections to those who do.
Still other folks anticipate the season of joy all year, and as retailers have inched closer and closer to summer to put out their displays, Americans have become more accepting of early decorating. So the tradition of decorating for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving is no more.
But hey - it's 2020. Nothing is as it has been before.
"Christmas has always been something people look forward to, and they see no reason not to this year even under the current circumstances," says Doris Buchanan, merchandising associate at The Great Backyard Place's Chattanooga store. Each holiday season, the five-store chain becomes The Great Christmas Shop. A Christmas open house at the business continues this weekend.
"We had a lot of people saying they would go home and get started now putting up their tree because it's been such a tough year and they wanted something cheerful to look at," she says.
"COVID has a lot to do with [earlier decorating]," says Pan Kayasit, general manager of the Chattanooga store. "It's affecting the need to do something. Decorating is something to do at home and feel good about it. We got phone calls weeks before the open house asking when it would be. People were antsy, ready to come in."
Ooltewah residents Beth and Scott Hagie put their tree up at the beginning of October.
"I got a new tree this year and put it up to see if it worked," Beth explains. "It was so close to Christmas, I thought why not just leave it up. We love Christmas and Christmas decorations. I've been working at home since March. In fact, I'm sitting here right now enjoying it. It's really nice."
For East Brainerd residents who survived the Easter tornado and are in various stages of rebuilding, Christmas decorations are a small sign of a return to normalcy.
"I hope to put my tree up right after Halloween," says Holly Hills resident Lisa Cowan, who is nearing the finish line of a six-month process of rebuilding her damaged home.
"Hopefully my house will be done. I usually put up a lot of lights - nearly have a Christmas house - but the tornado took all my Christmas decorations." However, Cowan says she plans to rebuild that collection just as she has her residence.
"I have not put up a tree or decorated for several years - too much going on and not enough time," says Holly Hills resident Carole Bailey. "We are supposed to move back into our home the middle of November, and this year we will have a tree! Might not be early, but we will have a tree and decorations!"
While their neighborhood families were out in search of tricks or treats last night, the family of JC and Kym Groves was kicking of their Christmas season.
Contributed Photo by Daisy Pratt / The plaid ornament is part of a "golden note series" the artist created. Her next collection of ornaments she makes will be based on the biblical Fruits of the Spirit.Each year on Oct. 31, the couple and their six children have a Christmas party.
"Trying to trick-or-treat with six kids in costume is like herding cats - it's hard to keep up with them. So eight years ago I decided to try something new," says JC, a Chattanoogan who served as pastor of Rock Bridge Community Church in Ringgold, Georgia, for the past eight years before being called most recently to serve as college and student pastor at a church in Statesboro, Georgia.
"We turn down the [air conditioning], put up the tree, make cookies and play Christmas music. Everybody gets one gift, which is a set of Christmas pajamas for the season. It literally is Christmas that night at our house. The kids don't feel they are missing out on Halloween. We make it so much fun, it's a night we all look forward to."
Groves stresses he is not anti-Halloween and says as his children get older if they want to trick-or-treat instead, they can.
"It's just that we wanted to start a tradition, and now this could become our family tradition. How awesome would it be in 25 or 30 years to have our kids and grandkids coming to our home on Halloween to have Christmas with us?"
"Growing up, we always put the tree up two weeks before Christmas and took it down on New Year's Day," says Hixson resident Nancy Nunnally, who has been married 48 years to retired dentist Dr. Phil Nunnally.
"We had a bit of a stressful 2016. I told Phil, 'I just hate to have to take down the tree.' He said, 'Well, don't.' So I left it up." And she has ever since.
"You know, the older I get, I've finally realized I don't have to follow all the rules. I still wear white after Labor Day. I don't match my shoes and purse. And now I think it's OK to let little boys wear tennis shoes to church.
"There are times, if I feel a little low, that I'll go in the living room, turn on the tree lights and just sit and look at it. As I look at the individual ornaments and think of their history, I start feeling the Christmas spirit and I start feeling better."
Email Susan Pierce at beagleluvr126@yahoo.com.