News

If Santa is here, can Thanksgiving be far away?

By Tom Dalton
Staff writer
Published: November 21, 2008

BEVERLY — Linda Atherton got some strange looks last weekend when she set up a giant snowman and a white Christmas tree on her front lawn.

But she's used to that. Atherton and her husband often put up the Christmas decorations a week or more before Thanksgiving.

"They wind down the (car) windows and say, 'Oh, she's at it again,'" Atherton said with a laugh. "My neighbors know me."

The Beverly couple are not alone in getting a jump-start on Christmas.

Some retail stores, of course, have had displays up since Columbus Day. By now, most stores have holiday lights and wreaths in the windows.

The city of Beverly was hanging white lights this week in the downtown. Salem did them one better. They put up holiday greeting banners three weeks ago when they were taking down Haunted Happening banners for Halloween.

Most homeowners appear to follow the unwritten rules of the holidays: First, put out the pumpkin for Halloween, then hang the cardboard turkey for Thanksgiving, and, finally, turn on the lights for Christmas.

In that order.

A drive around the North Shore turned up the expected results.

Most homes still have pumpkins on the front steps or hay bales in the yard. In Middleton, there were several inflatable turkeys leaning against garage doors.

But there are a few folks, dedicated Christmas enthusiasts, who appear to be jumping right over Thanksgiving.

"I start the week after Halloween," said 86-year-old Dominic Carnevale, who was busy this week putting up a large display of Christmas lights, bells and figures in his Beverly yard.

Carnevale, it turns out, has become something of a tradition in his hometown. Families come from miles around to see his display.

"I want to be able to get it done in time," he said. "It takes me a long time to do it."

Some families have a good reason for dragging Santa out before the Thanksgiving turkey goes in the oven.

The Athertons, for example, are busy from the day after Thanksgiving right through the holidays helping their son with his Christmas tree sales at Canaan Farm in Wenham.

"That's why we decorate early, because we're up there," Linda Atherton said. "If I don't get it done (now), it won't get done."

For the most part, the Christmas creepers appear to abide by unwritten holiday etiquette. The lights stay off until Turkey Day.

"I don't turn anything on until the day after Thanksgiving," Carnevale said.

"I don't turn the lights on till Thanksgiving night," Atherton said. "I'm not fruity yet."

Photos

Matthew Viglianti/Staff Photographer

Dominic Carnevale of Beverly surveys a nativity scene he set up in the front yard of his Dodge Street home on Thursday. Carnevale tends to hang his lawn decorations early, but doesn’t plan to light them until after Thanksgiving.