Christmas Tree, Moscow, Russia

Christmas decorations are typically put up in early December. In the U.K., Christmas lights on the high street are generally switched on in November.. In the U.S., the traditional start of Christmas time is Thanksgiving, but now begins on (or even before) November 1, the day after Halloween. Major retailers put their seasonal decorations out for sale after back to school sales, while smaller niche Christmas Stores, like Bronners or Christmas Central sell Christmas decorations year round.
In some places Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down on Twelfth Night, the evening of January 5 or January 6. The difference in this date is due to the fact that some count Christmas Day as the first day of Christmas, whereas for others Christmas Day is a feast day in its own right, and the first full day of the Christmas Season is December 26. In Hispanic and other cultures, this is more like Christmas Eve, as the Three Wise Men bring gifts that night, and therefore decorations are left up longer. The same is true in Eastern Orthodoxy, where Christmas falls on January 7. In the United States, most stores immediately remove decorations the day after Christmas, as if the holiday season were over once the gifts are bought. Nearly all Americans leave their home decorations up and lit until at least New Year's Day, and inside decorations can often be seen in windows for several days afterward. In some parts of the world the Christmas season continues until the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, also known as Candlemass which may be around February 2.