It is commonly held that most Christmas decorating begins the weekend after Thanksgiving and that the Christmas season is largely a December event, but according to findings from a new nationwide survey conducted by Christmas Lights, Etc, nearly half of Christmas consumers (43%) actually begin decorating before Thanksgiving week.

More than 2,000 people from across the U.S. participated in the survey to identify the latest Christmas decorating trends. Of those participants, only 25% say they begin their holiday decorating on Thanksgiving weekend.

"The weekend after Thanksgiving has become synonymous with when the best Black Friday through Cyber Monday deals start," says Frank Skinner, director of marketing at Christmas Lights, Etc. "Holiday shopping trends like these in addition to the timing of Thanksgiving vacations may prompt more people to begin decorating sooner than once thought."

The "Consumer Views of Christmas Lights, Trees and Decorating Report" identified the following timing trends on when consumers begin holiday decorating:

• 10% Before November

• 16% Early November

• 17% Mid November

• 19% Week of Thanksgiving

• 25% Weekend After Thanksgiving

• 10% First Week of December

• 3% Second of Week of December

These findings indicate that 87% of people begin decorating Thanksgiving weekend or before, with a significant number of people showing their holiday spirit early in November. Christmas retail trends vary greatly by product and the report highlights that Christmas decorating can take place over as much as an eight week period. While holiday shopping unofficially begins on Black Friday weekend it is clear that the holiday season begins much earlier for a large number of people when it comes to getting the decorations ready.