While there has been research and a number of studies indicating that putting up your Christmas tree a bit early means you’re a happier person than most people, is there a good rule of thumb through which we can determine when to put up a Christmas tree in Australia?

We already know that the best time to take Christmas trees down is just before January 5, but what about the right time to put it up?

Well, let’s first see what history has to say about this.

When to put up a Christmas tree according to history

As you probably know, the tradition of putting up Christmas trees started in the 16^th century in Germany, where practicing Christians used to adorn and decorate trees in their homes, although Christmas wasn’t the celebratory event it was back then as it is today.

During the Victorian era, Christmas was remembered and celebrated each year in a way similar to how it’s done in Australia or other parts of the world today – at the time, it was a regular custom to erect a Christmas tree and decorate it a little later in December, typically the afternoon of Christmas eve. In fact, this was a tradition the ancient Romans used to practice too.

Christmas tree tradition today – when to put up a Christmas tree?

If you’re the kind of person who follows the tradition set out by Europe’s ancient peoples, then it would be ideal to put up your Christmas tree just before Christmas Eve. But that’s not to say that people don’t put up theirs much earlier than that, because many do to this day.

In America, for instance, this tends to fall on a Friday, typically, right after Thanksgiving and towards the end of November. So, for most people, the 1^st of December marks the ‘socially acceptable’ date for putting up your tree. Any date before that may be termed “too early” by most people when it comes to putting up a Christmas tree.

Christmas decorations and trees typically start popping up in department stores in Australia in early October – so, if you want to play it safe and follow the norm, then setting up your tree on the 1^st of December, the first Sunday in the month of December or the second Saturday in the same month, may be considered ‘appropriate timing’.

Since Christmas started originally as a religious celebration and not a festive one, it’s often safe to go by the date on which the local church proceeds to celebrate the pending birth of Christ on Christmas Day – i.e. the beginning of Advent.

Advent is the very first ‘Advent Sunday’, or in other words, the first of four Sundays prior to Christmas Day – and the corresponding date typically falls between the 27^th of November and the 3^rd of December. Therefore, going by this tradition, any date after the 27^th would be a good time to erect your Christmas tree and kick off the celebrations!

The next time someone asks: “When to put up a Christmas Tree?”

With all of the above said – many people around the world having their own unique set of beliefs and backgrounds tend to go by personal choice and preference more than anything else, when it comes to putting up a Christmas tree.

There have been studies, as we mentioned at the start of the article, that you’re considered a happier-than-normal person if you put your Christmas tree earlier, so if you prefer to put it up early, that’s entirely up to you.

In Australia, it’s quite common to see Christmas decorations going up by early November, so if you want to take the lead on that, the choice is yours.