‘Hollier’ and jollier:

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

By GREG JORDAN November 25, 2007 11:03 pm

— PRINCETON — Christmas lights were up, wreaths were glowing and trees were sparkling in some homes before the Thanksgiving turkeys entered the oven this year, and there’s plenty of good reasons for what looks like a happy rush to the holidays, according to one Christmas decorating enthusiast.
Lack of cold and snow is one reason why the outdoor displays seem to be going up early this year, said Travis Collis of Princeton, who plans to put up 170,000 lights of his own. And that’s on top of the 15 Christmas trees he’s decorated for family and friends already.
“I think they take advantage of the weather,” Collis said. “And it seems that more people are in the spirit this year. It’s been a lot brighter this year and a lot jollier.”
Christmas is a welcomed time of the year, but it’s also an extremely busy time with shopping, wrapping, decorating and visiting. One way people are beating the rush is by getting their outdoor lights and displays out earlier, Collis said.
“Sometimes I think the holiday season is so busy that people want to get it done and enjoy it,” he said.
Time saved by early decorating can result in more time for socializing.
“There seems to be an emphasis on family this year,” Collis said. “They want to be decorating now so they can devote more attention to their family and company. My indoor decorations were up by Nov. 1.”
And this year’s displays are bigger as well as earlier. What’s more, people are taking more time and doing more than simply hanging up a wreath or tacking up some Christmas lights.
“People are paying more attention to detail,” Collis said. “It’s really traditional this year, too; stronger this year with your reds and your golds.”
Another trend is the desire for vintage-style decorations and older-style lights that remind Baby Boomers of the Christmas days they enjoyed when they were children. Decorating with vintage ornaments lets them share these memories with their children and grandchildren, Collis said.
Collis tries new decorating styles every year to achieve bigger and better results.
“I’m up to 170,000 lights right now. I was testing breakers all last night to make sure they’d work and wondering whether to get the electrician. I’ve got an upside down Christmas tree this year, and more elves and Santas hanging around.”
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com