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Scroll through your social media feed and you're almost certain to find images of perfectly decorated Christmas trees — or for those with young children, a mishmash of tinsel and baubles — yet it's only November.
There's no denying — a trend for putting the Christmas tree up early is emerging.
Christmas tree farmer Wayne Duver, who farms near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, said he has seen an increase in calls from people wanting to put their tree up in November.
"A lot of them are seeing the Christmas decorations out and they want to get into the spirit of Christmas," Mr Duver said.
Traditionally, Australian Christmas trees don't dragged out of storage until December 1, but not anymore.
We need cheering up
Maddie Walker put her tree up two weeks ago.
"I grew up in a house that really loved Christmas and the festive time of year, so it was always a big thing for us," Ms Walker said.
"My sister and I didn't get gifts throughout the year, it was all saved up to have a nice big family Christmas."
Ms Walker said while she put up her tree during the first week of November, she wouldn't consider going any earlier than November 1.
"Some of my friends think I'm totally nuts, people online think I'm nuts but it doesn't really faze me; it makes me happy and my home happy, so that's all that really matters."
Ms Walker said while nostalgia played a part in her early Christmas cheer, she also needed that cheer by November.
"Coming into the end of the year, it's nice to have that little boost and get excited for something and excited for the new year — it's very much like an energy boost."
If you want to go natural, don't go early
Mr Duver said the desire to get the tree up in November was often a source of frustration, because he didn't want to sell his trees too early.
"People can get quite irate sometimes because they don't understand that the cut trees will only last three to four weeks and they're unable to put their tree up when they want," he said.
Mr Duver said he encouraged customers who phone in November to hold off until the first or second week of December to pick up their tree.
"We've had one or two over the years who will buy one early and come later for a second."
Mr Duver said he'd love to be able to extend the shelf life of his trees.
"I'm unable to do that; you'd possibly have to look at the breeding of the trees perhaps," he said.
"If there was a budding university student who wanted a project, I'm open to help them!"
Ages and stages
Mum of two Karla Nightingale has been an early decorator for years, but admits having children has changed things.
"I've always loved Christmas, I'm a sucker for a good decoration, so having kids has just made it more exciting for me."
The Nightingale family normally puts their Christmas tree up in late November, when they head to their local shopping centres to see Santa arrive.
"Then we come home and put the tree up in the excitement, but this year we went a little bit early."
This year is the Nightingales' first in their new home, which was another reason to start celebrations early.
"We were living with my mum last year at Christmas while we were building and I missed my decorations so I was wanting to unwrap everything and get it all out again."
The science behind Christmas cheer
Professor Emeritus of Humanities at La Trobe University, David Tacey, said people were eager to be happy and celebrate.
"We've had a pretty tough year," he said.
"Christmas is a time of hope of joy. We've had with lots of difficulties, atrocities, environmental disasters and disappointments.
"So I think when people get a chance to come out of all this bad news, they seize the opportunity, perhaps earlier than otherwise.
"A cynical person will say it's happening all so early, it's become a rampant event of consumerism, but I don't think we should allow the cynicism to overwhelm the simple joy and delight of having this occasion.
"That cynicism is only held by adults, young people don't see the commercialism or the consumerism.
"Kids get so excited by the anticipation of what's to come.
"I know the date to start decorating is supposed to be December 1, but it's just a convention that it's the first, there's nothing wrong, no law broken [decorating sooner].
"If people want it early then that's entirely fine."
Topics: christmas, christianity, retail, psychology, coffs-harbour-2450, coramba-2450, melbourne-3000, adelaide-5000
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