Should Christmas Lights Be Turned on in November in Idaho?

November is nearly half over, and many are still finishing off Halloween candy, yet you wouldn't know it when driving around the Gem State in some neighborhoods. Christmas lights have begun to go up, trees can be seen in windows, and the Christmas lights are brightening up the nighttime sky. It isn't surprising to see Christmas lights up already, as some leave them up all year long, and others have put them up before the weather gets cold. Should Christmas lights be turned on in the middle of November, or should people wait until after Thanksgiving? When is the right time to turn them on in the Gem State? 

Turn on Christmas Lights in Idaho

In Idaho, it is well known that Mother Nature decides the best time to put up Christmas lights. Some families are traditional and wait to do it Thanksgiving weekend after the meal is complete, while others do it on December 1, and some do it when the weather is nice after Halloween. Putting up Christmas lights early in the Gem State is to be expected and is the better decision, but hanging them and turning them on are two different things. Obviously, after working hard to decorate your home and yard, you will want to turn them on and make sure no bulbs are out and that everything is working, but that doesn't mean they have to be on every night while some neighbors still have their Halloween decorations up. 

Christmas Lights in Idaho

If mid-November is too soon to turn on Christmas lights, when is the right time? As mentioned above, traditionally, it is the weekend of Thanksgiving, as the day after is to most the official beginning of the holiday season, but many can't wait until that time. Many Christmas fanatics want to get up their lights and enjoy them for much longer than a month or so, and would rather have them up for two to three months. With how much money is spent on Christmas lights and decorations, it is understandable to want to get as much use out of them as possible each year. Perhaps there is a good middle ground where they are turned on during weekends but off during the work week, until after Thanksgiving. The moment the dishes are cleared from the big meal, the lights can come on and stay on every night for the rest of the year. This is the best of both worlds, so they are getting seen early, but not every night. 

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When do you think Christmas lights should start being turned on? Should it be when they are first put up, after Thanksgiving, the beginning of December, or are you a Scrooge and prefer them never be turned on for anyone? As Christmas creeps closer and closer, more and more lights will be lighting up neighborhoods in the coming days and weeks.