As soon as September hits, decorating season starts. It's a total joy to get your home dressed up for fall, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving and the the Holidays, with each month that goes by leaning more into the festivities. But when is the right time to take down your fall decor and make the total switch from autumn to Christmas?
We asked the experts if there is an exact date and when that is. In general, the (very bendable) rule tends to be you start decorating for Christmas on the first of December, so that would mark the right time to take your fall decorations down. Of course, there's no right or wrong answer here really, but here design experts share what they do in their own homes to give you some guidance.
How long do you keep fall decorations up?
Keeping fall decorations up until December 1st not only allows for you to enjoy the fall season for a good amount of time, it also means you can celebrate Thanksgiving without too much thought of Christmas.
'Fall decor should go up around October first and stay up until around Thanksgiving,' says Washington DC-based designer, Ame Gold. 'Fall decor works so well with all the leaves transitioning into the oranges, yellows, and reds and the traditions of pumpkins and squash that you see for Halloween decorating ideas and Thanksgiving decorating ideas. Once Thanksgiving has passed, it is then time to start thinking about your Christmas decor ideas.'
Brand director at Kaiyo, Grace Baena, also agrees and says she dresses her tree 'soon after Thanksgiving, so it is a good idea to leave your fall decorations up until Thanksgiving has passed, you can then shift to Christmas decor.'
How do you transition from fall to festive decorations?
Changing from fall to Christmas decorations in one day can be time-consuming – especially if you have large quantities of decorations to switch up across your whole home.
'Making this transition all in one day can not only represent a lot of work, but it can also be a little jarring,' says Grace Baena. Therefore, the designer suggests removing fall decorations after you've recovered from Thanksgiving. 'Wait a day or two, and then put up the tree,' she says.
The transition between fall and Christmas is far from a fixed process; it is always such a busy time of year, so your decor can be switched in one day or over the course of a week or so – it all depends on how many decorations you have and how many rooms you need to tackle. Remember, putting up seasonal decorations can be a fun and memorable time, so try to enjoy it as much as you can and do what works for you and your lifestyle.
Hopefully, you're festive decorations will be packed away in an organized manner, making your decorating process that little bit easier. For some top tips, we asked how professional organizers store Christmas decorations in our dedicated feature.
Shop fall decor
There's still plenty of time to get your fall decor up before you take it down! These are a few of our favorite affordable pieces that will see you through fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Bring the feeling of a crisp fall day into your home with these artificial Cimicifuga Ramosa leaves from Afloral. Looks like the real thing but will last far longer and won't shed leaves all over your living room!
Settle in with the familiar scent of fall. Magnolia's classic Gathered Candle features the spicy scent of pumpkin chai in a simple, yet elegant frosted glass votive.
A stylish, modern take on seasonal pumpkin decor, these colorful glass pumpkins have been crafted from mouthblown recycled glass.
Shop festive decor
Come December 1st you might not want to make that very sudden switch from fall to Christmas, instead start to introduce a few subtly-festive pieces into your home and add in more decor as the month goes on.
Taking down your fall wreath and replacing it with a more wintery, Christmas offering is an obvious place to start when transitioning your decor from fall to Christmas. For a classic look go for something natural, even better if it's handmade like this made-to-order offering from Lulu & Georgia.
This real touch spruce garland has lush holiday greens and pine cones that bring the feeling of nature to tablescapes and mantle centerpieces.
West Elm just dropped it's new Christmas collection for 2024 and it's filled with chic pieces that will get you in the holiday spirit (even if it feels a little early). These paper trees are a subtle way to start your holiday decor and the green options could double as Thanksgiving decor too.
The best time to take down fall decorations really depends on how you like to do things in your home. Making the instant switch from autumn to Christmas might feel a bit sudden, so we say the best answer is to start to slowly transition your fall decor into subtle Holiday decor post-Thanksgiving. Then come December 1st you'll be on the way to having made the switch already.
