How early is too early to put up Christmas lights? What New Hampshire laws say

Halloween has come and gone – so is it time to put up the Christmas lights?

Every year, debate swirls over how early people can start putting up holiday decorations. Can you put them up as soon as Nov. 1, or should you wait until after Thanksgiving?

While some local ordinances and HOAs may have regulations on holiday lights, there are no state laws in New Hampshire dictating when they can be put up.

Holiday lights displays in the state don’t have a clear answer, either. Gift of Lights, a lights display at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, goes from Nov. 27 – Jan. 4. In Portsmouth, the first Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke isn’t until Dec. 5, while the LaBelle Lights in Derry will be illuminated starting Nov. 14.

A survey done by Today’s Homeowner in September of 2024 found that 40% of Americans who decorate put up their holiday decorations after Thanksgiving but before Dec. 1. 34% said they will decorate before Thanksgiving, while 18% planned to wait until the first week of December.

When do you think people should put up the holiday lights?

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Margie Cullen