Dolly Parton Decorates Early for Christmas—but Recommends Waiting Longer if You Prefer a Real Tree

Published on December 1, 2025

There’s one age-old holiday decorating question that still has no single agreed-upon answer: When can you start decorating for Christmas? Some people put their decorations up on the first of November, as soon as Halloween is over. Others feel that you have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving, while some wait until December starts. 

Dolly Parton's neighbor and creator, Shelby Rideout (@brightsignslearning on TikTok), recently proposed a new way of determining when to decorate for the holidays. Rideout is Parton’s neighbor, and she told social media that we should all be determining when to decorate for the holidays based on when Parton puts her own decorations up. 

When Does Dolly Parton Decorate for Christmas?

Well, that time is now. Parton apparently put her outdoor decorations up on Tuesday, Nov. 18. So, if you’ve been wondering when you should be getting your tree set up and your Christmas lights arranged, just follow Parton’s lead—it’s totally fine to deck the halls before Thanksgiving (but maybe not right after Halloween). 

Can You Put Your Christmas Tree Up Now?

While you’re certainly in the clear to decorate early if you’re following Parton’s lead, depending on where you’re getting your Christmas tree from, you may want to wait a little bit longer before putting it up.

Artificial tree owners, feel free to make your home merry. But for those hoping for a fresh tree this year, you may want to wait a little longer. Most fresh Christmas trees are known for having a lifespan of four weeks to six weeks; if you buy your fresh tree pre-cut from a tree farm, it will probably stay lush for between four and five weeks.

Those cutting their Christmas tree themselves will probably see their tree last on the longer side of things. However, this also depends on the exact variety of tree you choose and how you care for your Christmas tree, too.

We are exactly one month from Christmas, so if you want to guarantee your Christmas tree still looks thriving, full, and fresh on Christmas morning, keep that in mind!