Forget sad Thanksgiving: early Christmas fever takes over

NEW YORK (AP) — Lindsey Catarino is the talk of her neighborhood. She put up her Christmas tree, lights and all, in mid-September. By Oct. 1, her mantel was decorated. Since, she has added more trees and decorations in just about every room of her Connecticut condo.

The goal for the 42-year-old Catarino, like other newly minted early birds, is to bring on the warmth and comfort of Christmas by beating back “an otherwise insane world.”

As some holiday tree sellers fear they'll sell out by Thanksgiving and parcel shipping companies worry about November gridlock, a growing number of people on a quest for joy have bucked tradition and gone full-on Christmas weeks earlier than they normally would.

“It has definitely overtaken me, and very early,” said Catarino, who lives in West Hartford. “I enjoy being home in a different way. It just gives me a chance to be busy on something that's happy. I wanted my house to bring me that peace, and we just want to tune out. The election was the final straw.”

She's definitely not alone.

Brandon Stephens, president of the professional holiday decorating company Christmas Decor, said early business is up 15% to 20% compared to the same period last year. Orders came in as early as April — for April, he said. The company's franchises serviced more than 43,000 homes and businesses last year around the country and expect a jump to about 52,000 this year. Most of the early activity is residential.

“We knew that it was kind of an emotional response. People were looking for hope. People were looking for something to feel good about while cooped up in their houses,” he said. “Lots of folks are not traveling for the holiday so they are celebrating at home.”

Jacob Pinkham, a new father in Huntington Beach, California, said he and his wife had a hardfast...