Lighting in a home serves both practical and aesthetic purposes. Its easy to maneuver around a well-lit home, reducing the risk of slips and falls, and the right lighting can help homeowners create their desired ambiance, which typically changes depending on which room youre in.

When choosing lighting for their homes, homeowners must walk a fine line between appearance and functionality. A fixture in the foyer that instantly impresses visitors likely wont prove as awe-inspiring if its installed in the living room. When choosing lighting for a home, some general rules about what works in each room can help homeowners make the most informed decision.

Kitchen

Kitchens are often the busiest room in a home, so lighting here can be especially important. A kitchen often benefits, both practically and aesthetically, from different types of lighting. For example, pendant lighting above kitchen islands can make meal preparation easier and safer, but such lighting likely wont work in breakfast nooks and informal dining areas in the kitchen. Recessed lighting works best in such areas. In kitchens with no island, under-cabinet lighting can be used to illuminate countertops and simplify meal preparation.

Formal dining room

Many people enjoy the look of chandeliers in formal dining rooms, and such fixtures can be installed directly above the dinner table. The interior design experts at Better Homes & Gardens advise hanging chandeliers roughly 33 inches above the table in dining rooms with eight-foot ceilings, adding three inches for each additional foot above eight feet. Darkened dining areas may be ideal in restaurants, but homeowners may want to split the difference at home and choose dimmable chandeliers for their dining rooms. This allows homeowners to dim the lights for romantic dinners but turn them up for family gatherings with lots of people around the table.

Living room

Adaptability also is important in the living room, where homeowners may host anything from movie nights to book clubs to parties for the big game. It can be a tall order to accommodate such a wide range of activities, and many homeowners come down to deciding between recessed lighting and track lighting. If the living room currently has neither style, homeowners should recognize that it will cost considerably less to install track lighting than recessed lighting. Better Homes & Gardens notes that flexible track lighting provides ambient, task or accent lighting, and track lights can even be moved to change lighting schemes at any time, making them a budget-friendly option for homeowners whose living rooms are multi-purpose spaces. Recessed lighting also works well in living rooms, especially ones with low ceilings. Thats because recessed lighting is installed into the ceiling, meaning it does not take up any visual space in the room. That can help living rooms feel bigger.

Bedroom

The home improvement experts at BobVila.com note that bedroom lighting should provide enough light when getting dressed, but also be able to be toned down as residents prepare for their bedtime routines. Both portable and installed lighting can be used in bedrooms to serve these various functions. Recessed fixtures that dim can ensure theres ample light to get dressed in the morning, but they also can be dimmed at night as residents try to get ready to sleep. Portable nightstand lights can make it easier for couples sharing a bedroom, allowing one person to stay up and read while the other goes to sleep.

Homeowners have many options and many needs when choosing lighting for their homes. A professional consultation with a lighting expert or interior decorator can help homeowners find lights that provide both practical and aesthetic appeal.

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How to choose the right lighting inside your home - Daily Herald

Twinkle Khanna shared this post. (courtesy twinklerkhanna)

Twinkle Khanna, in her latest Instagram entry, wrote that "it's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." What prompted her to say that? Well, let's just say it has something to do with her daughter Nitara. On Monday evening, Twinkle shared a video on her Instagram profile, in which her daughter Nitara can be seen playing the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a guitar. Sharing the video on her profile, Mrs Funnybones wrote in her caption: "And she plays for me... It's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." The comments section of her post was filled up with heart emojis.

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Nitara frequently features on her mom's Instagram profile. Last week, Twinkle posted a picture from her reading session with her daughter and she wrote: "You have a quota-25 pages a day and so do I.' She asks, 'But who gives you the quota mama?' 'That's the tricky part of being an adult. You have to give yourself these tasks and make sure you stick by them.' With brushed teeth and uncombed hair, we begin our mornings in the best way possible. It may not be 25 pages every day, sometimes it's merely 5, but it all adds up eventually."

Twinkle Khanna is a celebrated columnist and the author of bestselling books such as Pyjamas Are Forgiving, The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad and Mrs Funnybones. She is also an interior decorator, the owner of The White Window, and a film producer. Twinkle Khanna also runs a digital content company called Tweak India.

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Twinkle Khanna Shares The Perks Of "Being Named After A Nursery Rhyme" - NDTV

Showy. Splashy. Sunny. Sentimental.

by Bruce Hope

ORANGE PARK Annabelle wears multiple hats at Annabelles Interiors. She is an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, a small business owner and a talented interior decorator.

Her store, located at 38 College Dr., has been around for 45 years. It has many products and designs, with ideas and demonstrations for Halloween, Harvest, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its Christmas Shoppe has been awarded, and people can even take designing and tree decorating classes.

We change the store out twice a year, said Annabelle. We go from winter to spring. So, we do a whole different presentation throughout the store. This is 4,500-square-feet, so I do all the design work, all the decorating. I just have an idea in my head of what we want. Were known for our trees and our toppers.

Its easy to see Annabelles unique and intriguing design style in the many rooms with different themes.

Every room has a different theme. There are different themes throughout the store, she said.

The themes often have to do with the colors, of which Annabelle has many variations in her Christmas themes.

There are also many different items, from lamps and fragrance oils to personal safety handbags, including purses with special pockets for concealed handgun carry. She also works with the NRA and is big on the Second Amendment. There are also many Trump memorabilia, such as MAGA hats, mugs, bobbleheads and more.

One of Annabelles distinct tree styles is that she never puts an angel on top of the tree.

I never put them at the very top of the tree, she said. I dont want this to be a teepee. If I put an angel, shes going to be here in the body of the tree, so I dont have to look up; shes right there at my eye level, and I can enjoy her.

Even the bathroom at Annabelles is decorated. Not only does she sell, but one of her goals is to provide different ideas for customers on how to decorate their homes.

She is also a supporter of the military with tree decorations representing all the branches of the Armed Forces.

The store takes pride in the fact that its designs are atypical.

Why come here and see what you can see anyplace else? Annabelle asks while customers walked through the store.

The answer is simple: when you go to Annabelles, you wont see what youll see anyplace else. The friendly staff, innovative designs, and great variety of merchandise make the shoppe live up to its billing.

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Annabelle's Interiors offers creative imagination to unique styles - Clay Today Online

B-Towners have been jet-setting to various holiday destinations with the lifting of lockdown. Most seem to have headed to beach destinations, especially either to Maldives or Goa. Not Sussanne Khan it seems, who is posting pictures of her vacay, but refusing to divulge the name of the destination. Looking absolutely beautiful in a single-shoulder top, with hair tied back in a ponytail and tinted sunglasses on a boat, she wrote: "Once upon a boat. #islandgirlforlife". The interior decorator seems to be having a ball of a time with her close friends there. Sussanne recently celebrated her birthday on October 28. Looking stunning in a mustard yellow dress she wrote : "Thank you dear Life for giving me the best of chances, the best of grace, the best of guidance and most importantly the best of humans that surround me with their love. My sunshine ochre birthday dress is from our very own @thelabellife. This birthday I have the most grateful heart for all that the universe has blessed me with. All that we are is a result of what we have thought -The Buddha. Work with your heart, to give back to the people around you, think with kindness and nothing will stop you from manifesting your path #kindessisasuperpower #ilovemybirthday #happyheart." However, the wishes didn't end there, the picture went viral and received a lot of comments. The one comment that caught everyone's attention was that of her former husband, Hrithik Roshan. He wrote: "Love it (sic)" and followed it up with another comment where he wished her a "happy birthday".

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Is Sussanne Khan holidaying on an island? - Times of India

The rich and famous are known to enjoy the finer things in life. Part of being wealthy comes with the satisfaction that you get to have your name on expensive and luxurious things. While the rich can buy anything they want, they are quite frugal in their spending. Careful thought is made on investments that have value. Below are some splurges that the rich spend their money on;

#1. LUXURIOUS HOMES

Everyone craves to know how the rich and famous live. There is a certain curiosity in wanting to know the kind of house your favourite entrepreneur has. When it comes to the homes for the rich, its all about extravagance and comfort. You might be surprised that your favourite mogul is a talented interior decorator hence explaining the innovative landscapes, precisely painted murals and unusual amenities. Having Italian furniture for your luxury home would speak flamboyance to many, however, for the rich, they go above and beyond to make their homes as meaningful and magnificent as possible.

#2. CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES

The finer things in life go hand in hand; you cannot live in a luxurious mansion and drive just any car. Classic automobiles cost lots of millions and the market for these sorts of cars is pretty niche hence can only be afforded to the overwhelmingly rich. Luxury car buyers are changing over time. Nowadays, the majority of the buyers are youthful with a growing proportion being female. Concerns over climate changes have made many want to opt for an eco-friendly set of wheels to flaunt their wealth.

#3. DESIGNER CLOTHES

Fashion is a status symbol for the rich and famous. Part of knowing how the rich look comes down to dressing. When money is no object, anyone can dress to impress. World renown fashion designers offer show-stopping clothes and accessories for out to look impeccable. While dressing in designer all the time is hugely debatable, fitted garments are a sign of taste, elegance and wealth. The key to success lies in how well put one looks which consequently depicts how people address you. Designer clothes are bound to make one stand from the crowd and look like a million dollars. Prosperous men have their clothes tailored to measure.

#4. JEWELRY

Knowing how to look rich is not just about clothing; accessories matter too. There is a wide range of accessories from hats, scarves, belts, bags, shoes to Jewelry. When it comes to jewelry, it has become a universal form of expression. Historically, jewelry was worn as a symbol of power and wealth by the kings, emperors and Pharaohs. Today, jewelry completes a look while acting as an agent of expressing character and personality. People love to accessorise to feel beautiful and confident. The rarer the jewel, the more unique and appealing it is. The rich buy jewelry not only to accessorize but for the future value. Expensive jewellery is worth the high price tag.

#5. TRAVEL

The spending of the rich is not limited on physical items and status. Nowadays, people spend on things that leave memories. People love to travel and millionaires certainly have the means to do so. Vacations are a big splurge as people move from country to country in search of new cultures, meet interesting people and enjoy fascinating sceneries.

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5 incredible splurges of the rich and famous - Be Global Fashion Network

Shah Rukh Khan with Gauri Khan. (courtesy gaurikhan)

Don't we all have a "favourite corner" in our homes? Well, so does Shah Rukh Khan and he recently shared a picture of his favourite spot in his Delhi home on Instagram story. BTW, this is the same home that is now on Airbnb. On his Instagram story on Friday, the actor posted a picture of what he described as "Nostalgia wall." It happens to be a wall that features some of the coolest posters. SRK, in his caption wrote: "My favourite corner of my Delhi home - our very own Nostalgia wall. Here's an opportunity for you to relive our memories. Only on AirBNB."

This is what Shah Rukh Khan posted:

Screenshot of Shah Rukh Khan's Instagram story.

Earlier this week, Gauri Khan gave us a tour of the Delhi home and she wrote sharing the video: "Our Delhi home is filled with memories of our early days, what we collected over the years and all the things we love as a family! It holds a very special place in my heart. Through my collaboration with Airbnb, a lucky duo will get a chance to be our guest."

Shah Rukh Khan too shared glimpses from the house and he wrote: "With so many memories of our early days in Delhi, the city holds a very special place in our hearts. Gauri Khan has redesigned our Delhi house and filled it with love and moments of nostalgia. Here's a chance for you to be our guest with Airbnb."

Gauri Khan is an interior decorator and she owns the plush Gauri Khan Designs in Mumbai. She has given makeovers to several suburban Mumbai restaurants and celebrity homes over the years. She has decorated homes for several Bollywood A-listers such as Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar among others. She has designed restaurants like Arth and Sanchos. She also designed Alia Bhatt's vanity van.

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Of Course Shah Rukh Khan Has A "Favourite Corner" In His Delhi Home. This Is What He Calls It - NDTV

He and set decorator Sabine Schaaf transformed the town hall in the Berlin borough of Spandau into the lobby of the fictional Gibson Hotel in Cincinnati; a unique event venue called Palais am Funkturm (designed by Bruno Grimmek in the 50s) into the Hotel Mariposa in Las Vegas; and the Friedrichstadt-Palast theater into an Art Decoinspired Mexico City hotel. The windows [at the theater] are big and have these colorful glass mosaic parts. We didnt want you to look outside and see Berlin. So we copied the pattern and printed it on a foil and put it on the windows, says Hanish.

Midcentury furniture was brought in from a dealer in the Netherlands as well as sourced from Berlin prop houses for sets like the Las Vegas hotel, pictured here.

For each city, we thought about what the biggest clich would be to let you know where you are. he says, but fans will have noticed that wherever the protagonist seems to go, shes enveloped in patterns, patterns, and more patterns. In her Las Vegas hotel room, its a greenish-blue, white, and brown diamond motif on the walls and a blue-and-brown fan pattern on the bedspread, curtains, and chair. In Mexico City, its Osborne & Little's Trailing Orchid print in teal on one wall, Angalyptas Deco Paradiso painted burgundy on the others, and a palm leaf headboard. In France, it is Morris & Co.s Bullerswood print on the walls, a brocade ottoman, and a leafy bedspread and headboard.

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But nowhere is the use of patternsand especially wallpapermore interesting than in the home of Beths adoptive mother, Alma Wheatley (played by Marielle Heller). Schaaf describes the decor there as fireworks, and says that after seeing images of American homes from the period with matching wallpaper and fabrics and busy patterns, she simply ran with the idea. We jumped into these patterns and put layers and layers on top of each other, so even if they dont match, in the end, when you use similar color families, theres a point where it comes together. I love it.

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Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With The Queens Gambit? - Architectural Digest

Synonymous with live jazz and Champagne brunches, Shook! is cemented in many a Malaysian's early memories of fine dining in KL. But nostalgia alone won't guarantee return customers; as such, the all-day dining restaurant is shaking up its offerings to stay ahead of the curve in today's competitive market.Little has been revealed about the menu, save for the promise of "globally inspired gourmet experiences."

What's certain is this: Shook!'s cooking will be spearheaded by chefs Mo and Rafizan, previously of Enak KL.

Furthermore, Shook! will prioritise private events, hence its two exclusive spaces titled The Living Room and Shook! 118.

Besides Shook!, The Starhill Dining is also breathing life into the following: Luk Yu Tea House, which is inspired by Chinese tea culture; The Alchemy, a gin-centric bar for fans of botanicals; Tarbush Lounge, a specialist of fine Arabic cuisine; and Jogoya, once home to KL's most coveted Japanese buffets.

See next:Chef Chats: Communal Table By Gen's Johnson Wong And Kevin Ng

Follow The Starhill Dining on Instagram for timely reveals about each outlet.

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The Starhill Dining Is Bound To Bedazzle In December 2020 - Tatler Malaysia

HOLIDAY HOME MAKEOVER WITH MR. CHRISTMAS - The Sosoo Familys decorated home from Episode 1 of HOLIDAY HOME MAKEOVER WITH MR. CHRISTMAS. CR. Courtesy of Netflix/NETFLIX 2020

Its time to get out the tinsel and Christmas lights becauseHoliday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas is coming to Netflix late-night tonight!

This series is a must-see if you look forward to decorating your house for the holidays every year. As reported by House Beautiful,Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas centers on the talents ofinterior decorator Benjamin Bradley, also known as Mr. Christmas.

Each episode of the series will follow Bradley as he gifts different families with a decorating extravaganza. Using his expertise as founder ofE & Co. Home Interiors and his love of the Christmas season, Benjamin Bradley is committed to spreading cheer. This series sounds like the perfect way to get excited for the holidays.

According to IMDb, the first season of the holiday home makeover series will have four episodes.Bradley and a crew will only have two days to meet a family and redo their house! Since I have definitely not started my Christmas decorating, this show sounds like it will be great for inspiration!

As previously told by Courier & Press,Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas was filmed last year. Each family featured on the show is hoping to have a special holiday. One family wants to have a memorable holiday before their daughter leaves for college, while another hopes to blendChristmas with Hanukkah in a dual celebration!

You can watch the trailer forHoliday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas below. Netflix has put out some great holiday content this year, including Dash & Lily and Holidate!

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Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas is coming to Netflix tonight - Netflix Life

Its not even Thanksgiving yet, but its beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Austin. With temperatures in the 80s and the calendar barely halfway through November, some Austinites might have noted a very merry trend: an uptick in early holiday decorations.

Call it a coping mechanism, a nostalgic yearning for carefree childhood or a rush to show 2020 the door, but something is jolly in the capital of Texas. Calendar-checking Grinches who dictate that holiday decor shouldnt be displayed until after Thanksgiving will call it a fa-la-la faux pas. But not everyone buys into that thinking.

"Its total B.S. Decorate whenever you want," said Maddy Braat, a participant in Austins fabled 37th Street neighborhood light display.

While 37th Street residents have canceled this years display to protect the neighborhood's immunocompromised and elder residents from thousands of shoulder-to-shoulder revelers "Stay at your home, not ours," a digital flyer reads if there were an authority on the dos and donts of Austin holiday decor decorum, Braat and her neighbors might be it. Barring a few years in the mid-2000s, their weird, kaleidoscopic, DIY decoration extravaganzas have been a source of light and delight for Austinites going back to at least the 1980s.

Braat and neighbor Robert Foster are part of the core group responsible for 37th Street decoration planning these days, which can begin as early as August. Like Braat, Foster shrugs off antiquated rules about when its appropriate to do something that makes you happy.

"Its very literally some light at the darkest time of the year," Foster said. "It brings a little joy to the city when the suns going down at 6 p.m."

Silent night on election night

After anxiously poring over live election results as the polls closed on Nov. 3, Rebecca Rogers decided she had had enough. She took a break from the 24/7 news cycle and broke out the tree.

"I turned off the news, turned on Christmas Vacation, and we put up our tree. I wanted to change the vibe, and it was the best," Rogers said. "Theres something to be said for anything that can bring any sort of joy and goodwill. Were all kind of clinging to that. Every layer of life feels a little uncertain right now."

As for running afoul of those unwritten holiday decor rules, Rogers showed some Yuletide self-control. "We restrained ourselves to one tree for now," she said with a laugh, noting that a few other trees would be up before the turkey hits the table later in the month.

RELATED: Up to some good: South Austin Harry Potter display benefits local nonprofits

Rogers isnt alone in her embrace of holiday light lawlessness. Around East Austin, some homes had lights on display as early as March and July. She hopes others will continue to step up their holiday decorating game this season, as they did over Halloween. With two young children, its not just something to do; its a break from the monotony of pandemic life.

"We spent the last month walking around looking at all the spiderwebs and Halloween decorations, because there were so many this year," she said. "We live for it. Its hard to drop into the Trail of Lights and Mozarts, so Im so happy our neighborhood can fill in that space."

Quarantined at home for Christmas

When Cristy Holmes husband was forced to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, she decided early November was a perfect time to deck the halls at her home in the Wooten neighborhood.

"I needed something to do with the kids. There was this sudden feeling that we couldnt go anywhere for 14 days, so lets just put up the tree," she said. "Our house is pretty minimalist besides kids toys everywhere but now everything is so pretty and happy."

Holmes and her two young children filled a weekend decorating the tree, baking holiday goodies and listening to Christmas music. Since then, her kids have moved on to making presents and cards and watching holiday movies.

"Youre trying to find any bit of joy you can right now and make it as big as possible especially for the kids," Holmes said. "We cant do all the traditional things we might normally do. Were not having a big Christmas. We arent going on vacation. But the things we can do, were just trying to make super fun."

As word got out that Holmes had put the familys tree up, friends and parents at her daughters school began to reach out, seemingly waiting to see if they could get the go-ahead to take the plunge themselves.

"Because of coronavirus, people are just going for it. And why the heck not? I have friends who say it messes with Thanksgiving, but we have turkeys out next to our Christmas tree," she said. "I dont feel like were taking away from Thanksgiving; were just adding to the season."

Skeletons, candy canes and Lisa Frank

Ginger Snaps is a burlesque and aerial performer who lives in Windsor Park with her boyfriend, dogs and a skeleton named Steve. (Steve is a year-round bit of yard decor who currently is in the backyard dressed as a lifeguard for the hot tub. "He cant really blow the whistle, but hes got one," she said.)

Needless to say, she is no stranger to decorating, but she typically holds until after Thanksgiving to do her holiday decorating. But when everything is out the window quite literally when many are only experiencing social interaction outside so go these rules.

"None of these are actual steadfast rules. Decorate once Halloween is done. Its fair game," she said. "I came close to leaving some skeletons up and decorating them. But then I was afraid some small children might think it was a dead Santa or something."

As her business has been slow due to the pandemics effect on live entertainment, Ginger Snaps said she decided to decorate early both as a creative outlet and a way to give a bit of joy back to the community.

Her approach to decorating is big, bold, and colorful. "I grew up in the 90s and am a product of the Lisa Frank generation, so I come from the school of more color is better. I try to get in as much color as possible," she said.

RELATED: Shop Second Street, Tarrytown for Austins holiday window displays

Around her neighborhood, Ginger Snaps reported seeing more Halloween decorations than usual, but she hasnt noticed more holiday decor just yet.

"Im waiting to see if I'm going to be so obnoxious that my neighbors will dislike me, or (if) I will encourage them," she said. "Its a great way to interject a little fun into every day. Its cheerful to look out your window. And I know the neighborhood kids really love it. Over Halloween, I would find free-range children in the yard playing with skeletons. Now I made a fence with candy canes, just to keep them from tripping on the cords."

While the experience for many over the past year has been especially isolating, she said small things like decorations have brought the block together.

"I feel more connected with the community here now. Everyone is more talkative," she said. "I tend to be shy around people I dont know, but we see the same people stopping by and we start talking."

Yule rules out the window

In some neighborhoods, as the gap between holiday decorations has gone the way of Frosty the Snowman on a sunny day, its not uncommon to spy some Halloween decorations on display next to wintertime standards. In Hyde Park, hairstylist and interior decorator Ryan Van Horn-Zakotnik said hes seen a front yard with zombies lingering next to sparkly holiday lights dangling from eaves.

Like many, Van Horn-Zakotnik has long stuck to the traditional "decorations go up after Thanksgiving" rule, but he decided to put up decorations two weeks earlier this year and is expanding his decor repertoire to include some menorahs.

"I say do it if it makes you happy," he said. "We have COVID fatigue, and were bored. We all need a little extra sparkle."

Van Horn-Zakotnik has already made multiple runs to stockpile garlands and other decor, but theres one holiday line hes not willing to cross just yet. "I havent started Christmas music yet," he said. "I put my foot down there."

A feel-good expenditure

Its not just Austin homes that are getting in on the act earlier than ever. The Austin Trail of Lights has expanded its run, starting almost two weeks earlier than normal this year its a drive-thru and opens on Nov. 27. Meanwhile, Mozarts Coffee Roasters long-running Lake Austin light-and-sound show began on Nov. 11.

But these arent the only operations seeing an earlier-than-usual spike in holiday spirit. Craig Robinson owns Can You Hang, a decoration installation company that serves Central Austin and the area toward Lakeway. He received his first call of the year on Oct. 3, and his phone hasnt stopped ringing since.

"Were seeing probably double the call volume we were seeing at this time last year," he said. "People arent going to Cancun for Christmas; theyre staying home, and they really want to do it up."

RELATED: Watch Austin A Charlie Brown Christmas concert for free next month

Robinson said the increased drive to decorate in tough times doesnt come as too much of a surprise, given what hes seen in his 16 years in business. During the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, he prepared himself for business to dry up, only to see it flourish and grow year over year.

"Its a feel-good expenditure," he said. "People are looking to create some joy in the muck for something positive to end the year. I think everyone is over 2020."

Cheer is contagious, and it sure beats yard signs

For 2021, Foster and Braat hope to bring the 37th Street lights back and bigger than ever. In the meantime, theyre serving as ambassadors and advisers on Austin-style holiday decorating. Theyre encouraging other streets to rise up and create their own hyper-local bubbles of holiday decoration and go bigger and weirder than before.

Besides the spectacle of pretty shiny things that are pleasant to look at, Foster believes coming together around something as simple as decorating can have a massive impact on the atmosphere of a neighborhood.

37th Street "is one of those streets where you can just walk into a neighbors house and grab a cup of sugar. You get to know your neighbors well," he said. "Its very Mister Rogers Neighborhood-feeling at times."

For others looking to take up the merrymaking mantle, Foster said 37th Streets approach involves gauging interest via flyers and organizing a meeting for all interested residents both of which can be done without having to meet face to face. They then figure out how homes might work together on larger, lot-spanning elements and share tools like ladders, jigsaws and multimeters to make it easier for neighbors to execute plans without spending a fortune at the hardware store.

Most who are in on the early decorating game agree theres a social pressure around decorating whether its keeping the lights in the attic until after Thanksgiving Day or the domino effect created when one house decorates. Holiday cheer (at least the type expressed through outward displays) is contagious, it seems.

Robinson said social pressure actually drives much of Can You Hangs decoration installation business. "People think, I dont want to look like a Scrooge if everyone else is doing it," he said.

Ginger Snaps said shes noticed how one house going all out can create a playful competition that leads to more lights. "Its like this silent battle," she said. "We just finished the silent battle of political signs, so I feel like we can roll it over to a silent battle of lights."

Living room escapism

Whether youre bah humbug-ing these harbingers of the holiday season or welcoming them with wide eyes, if nothing else, it gives us a topic for a good-spirited, low-stakes debate the sort of discussion about as weighty as whether we should brush our teeth before or after breakfast. (After, you monsters.)

But whatever side you fall on, Election Day tree-putter-upper Rogers makes a compelling case against wagging fingers at those who jump the gun on the holidays this year.

"We shouldnt be shaming anyone for decorating or turning on Christmas music in October especially this year. Were tired. Its been a slog, and I think I kind of hate my house the more I sit in it," Rogers said. "Celebrate how you want to celebrate and when you want to celebrate. Zero regrets. Just do it. It was a total game-changer for our brains a little escapism in the living room."

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We needed this: Austin puts up Christmas lights early in 2020 - austin360