
There are some holiday decorations that are staples. Christmas trees and stockings are pretty standard, but a controversial decor item has gained popularity according to a new survey.
Colored Christmas lights are now the most sought-after piece of décor.
Home Advisor surveyed 1,020 U.S.-based people aged 21-75 regarding their holiday preferences, and 78.5% of respondents said colored lights were their must-have decoration. Traditional white lights came in fourth place with 47.6% making colored lights the new must-have (even if your mom thinks they’re tacky). In fact, when asked specifically which type of lights they preferred overall, 60.6% of those who participated in the survey chose colored.
Another surprising find? People want decorations taken down pretty quickly after the holiday ends. The survey revealed that the ideal time to take down the lights is nine days after Christmas, and that’s at the latest. Some even have such strong feelings that they’ll view their neighbors negatively for leaving them up too long. Of the respondents, 14.8% said they’d have a negative view of their neighbors for not taking the lights down “on time.”
There may, however, be a reason people leave the lights up longer. There’s another Christmas-related religious holiday all the way on Jan. 6. The Feast of Epiphany celebrates the three wise men’s arrival to see the baby Jesus and is the final day of Christmas for many.
Want to see more of people’s decorating habits? You can find all of Home Advisor’s findings here, and when the time does come to take down those lights, check out these experts’ tips on storing them.