Some North Texans Lighting Homes And Christmas Trees Extra Early This Year
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Summer-like temperatures and trees washed in bronze, yet many North Texans are rushing toward some Christmas comfort.
Holiday lights and Christmas trees going up.
Just thank 2020.
"This voting and all these things with COVID-19 has left us with a lot of anxiety, a lot of stress," says Sonia Marshall.
So the Marshall family decided on a no hangover, no downside solution: hang the holiday decor early.
"That's what we wanted to brighten our lives inside!" she and her husband said at the same time. "Hoping it will spark everybody else, which it will. Let's focus on something else now."
Perhaps in a typical year, decor going up "too early" would lead to some good natured complaints about Thanksgiving getting lost in the Christmas rush, but this is 2020.
Many might agree, a little joy can't come fast enough.
"After the terror attacks in '01, everybody wanted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," says Corey Brown, owner of Northstar Christmas Lights & More, while gesturing at his crews quickly installing lights on the Marshall's home. "So we're giving them their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, making them feel good."
Brown says it's customary to hang lights in early November, just not as many.
"It's coming like a flood," says Brown. "People are agitated over this pandemic, people just want something to look forward to."
And while it may be common to get the lights up early, some families are eager to turn them on as well.
"It's just a matter of people wanting that holiday cheer, especially with the circumstances of this year," says David Ciastko with Firehouse Christmas Lights while working on a job in Fort Worth. "They're just really wanting to bring the holiday joy this season."
"Find some joy," says William Marshall. "Take days one at a time."
CBS 11's Andrea Lucia did a similar story Wednesday night:
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