Deck the halls: Holiday decorating is reaching new heights

You know how the second the Thanksgiving turkey is carved, Mariah Carey materializes at the top of the charts?

Well, holiday decorations have the same way of creeping up well before the holidays themselves.

And it’s not just Christmas — decor for everything from Halloween to Valentine’s Day is hitting stores earlier and harder, per The Washington Post.

The National Retail Federation forecasts holiday spending to reach a record $957.3B-$966.6B this year, a 3%-4% increase from 2022.

There are a couple of reasons behind the surge:

• Supply chain issues during covid pushed many to order their decorations earlier than usual, and the cycle stuck.
• Holidays offer a much-needed respite from life’s stressors.

Plus, the earlier decorating is contagious — whether it’s on your phone screen or in your neighbor’s front yard.

Speaking of social media…

… it plays a big role here. Almost as big as the 12-foot Halloween skeleton that went viral in 2022.

This year, an $180 jack-o’-lantern named Lewis captured the hearts and wallets of consumers, racking up 56.2m+ views on TikTok and selling out on Target’s website.

With oversized decorations has come the spending to match: American consumers dropped an estimated $12.2B and an average of $108.24 each on Halloween in 2023 — a record high.

That holiday dedication will continue this winter

A 2023 Deloitte survey found that shoppers are putting more money toward nongift holiday purchases, with 82% saying they plan to spend on items like decorations.

And this year’s consumers are expected to spend an average of $1.65k on holiday-related purchases, up 14% from last year.

P.S. Everyone’s favorite Elf on the Shelf officially returned last week — so you’re already late.