What most people do
The weekend after Thanksgiving is the traditional start, and December 1 is the single most common answer when people are asked. A 2022 survey reported by NPR found most people planned to begin earlier than that, in early to mid-November. There is no rule, only habit.
Why Vermont is different
In a warm state, the install date and the switch-on date are the same day. Here they should not be. A roof is safe to work on when it is dry and clear of ice, and by late November in Vermont that is not a given.
So put them up early and turn them on later. Lights hung in late October or early November are up before the weather turns, and nobody minds lights that are not lit yet.
When to book an installer
Earlier than feels natural. Across the US, Google searches for Christmas light installers reach about 33,000 a month in September and 110,000 in November. The people who get the install date they want are the ones asking in September.
Installations run on a schedule and Vermont weather decides a lot of it. The earlier you are on the calendar, the more say you have in your install date.
What is too early?
For switching them on, most people draw the line at Thanksgiving. For hanging them, there is no such thing as too early in a place where November can bring ice.
Should I leave them on all night?
Most people do not. A timer that switches on at dusk and off in the late evening is the usual answer. It is kinder to the neighbors and you never have to remember.
