Erin Napier Ditches Holiday Decorating Rules For Something Much More Fun

It seems like Christmas makes its way into stores earlier every year, but another early holiday trend is also taking hold — even in Ben and Erin Napier's house. HGTV's "Home Town" stars have embraced decorating for the holidays earlier than is customary thanks to some prodding from their daughters.

In an Instagram post from November 9, 2024, Erin Napier showed a holiday garland on her staircase and said her girls wanted to start decorating early and that she could not stop them. It's no surprise the Napier girls love Christmas, as their father is known to dress up as Santa and listen to holiday music at any time of the year.

Plenty of people still hold to the old rules, believing that the time to decorate for Christmas isn't until after Thanksgiving, but the Napiers are not the only ones embracing Christmas a little early. Research has shown that decorating early can make you happier. Think of Christmas lights as yet another way to bring light to the dark, gloomy days of winter. Whether decorating for the holidays stirs up old memories, gives you good vibes, or helps you connect with your neighbors while you're outside stringing up lights, there are plenty of ways that getting a head start can help boost your mood. So, why not just do it?

Why stop at decorating early? If the twinkle of Christmas lights makes you happy, why not keep them around throughout the winter? Now, you can point to science and to HGTV's Erin Napier if anyone wonders why you're putting up your garland early. However, if you want to make that decor last well into winter, you may want to get strategic with your choices. 

While decorating evergreens with light may have become inextricably linked to Christmas, the truth is, this tradition was around long before Christianity and has roots in many cultures. From Rome to Ancient Egypt to the cold, wintery reaches of northern Europe, decorating your home with evergreen boughs and even palm fronds has been around for millennia. Consider taking a cue from these age-old seasonal traditions to turn your holiday decorations into seasonal decorations that you can use all winter long.

You don't need to throw out your Santa statues or your nativity scenes, but you may want to pack those away after the New Year. However, you can leave up the pinecones, snowflakes, garlands, lights, and snowmen, making a case that there is nothing about these that speak specifically to the holiday, and they are instead about celebrating the season. If you are now inspired to start decking the halls, here are some tips for holiday decorating on a budget.