The negative vibe brought about by COVID-19 is encouraging people to start decorating their homes weeks in advance

Christmas preparations started earlier this year as people cling on to the “hope for better days” ahead of a Christmas that will be different due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Several retailers said that more people have started preparing for the festive season early this year compared to previous years.

“Decorating early may be a way of acknowledging and trying to fill the void of the loss we are going through at present, because of the pandemic, but at the same time it’s a way of instilling hope in ourselves and in others that we will soon be able to turn the corner and  experience  better times,” said clinical psychologist Angela Abela.

As the number of coronavirus cases increased over the past months, the health authorities have issued restrictive measures to control the spread of the virus. Measures include social distancing and the banning of groups of over six people in public. 

As Christmas draws closer, the authorities are urging people not to gather in large groups. This means many will not hold the traditional Christmas family gathering this year. 

But people are determined to ensure that COVID-19 does not ruin Christmas. As they spend more time indoors, they are decorating like never before. 

“It’s like people are using Christmas to remove the negative vibe brought about by COVID-19,” said florist and Christmas enthusiast Stephen Schembri adding that, this year, more people were approaching him to prepare their homes for Christmas well in advance.

“People are spending more time at home and want something to look forward to. Usually things pick up in mid-November. But this year we’ve seen people starting as early as October,” he said.

Vinny Piscopo, owner of Piscopo Gardens, is seeing the same pattern. “We are seeing more people coming earlier. It’s as though people are scared they will not have a Christmas and want to make the most out of creating the mood for their family,” she said. 

Noel Hollier, operations manager at Big Mat, said this year they had a bigger number of people flocking to the shop. 

People are determined to ensure that COVID-19 does not ruin Christmas. As they spend more time indoors, they are decorating like never before

“For the past years we have always targeted to open our seasonal first floor Christmas shop… by max the third week of October… This year we were a bit sceptical in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, but people are coming in their numbers to purchase their decorations. We are very busy during the weekends, especially Sundays,” he said. 

Florist Alistair Fenech, who owns Alistair Floral Design that converts into a Christmas shop, said that usually business slowly picked up throughout November and increased as Christmas approaches. However, this year his shop was busier than usual.

“This might not mean bigger revenue at the end of the year since it may only mean customers are coming earlier,” he said, adding that he also saw an increase in new clients approaching him to decorate their homes and set up their tree.

“There is also that group of people who usually travel during the holidays but can’t do so this year. So they are investing more in their homes,” he said.

All this makes sense in light of the pandemic, according to Abela, a professor from the Department of Family Studies within the University of Malta’s Faculty for Social Wellbeing.

“It is understandable that many families, all over the world, are preparing early for Christmas this year. This is because they are going through a difficult time with the coronavirus pandemic and hope that better days will come along in spite of the fact that they know that this Christmas will not be one where whole families will meet,” she said.

Abela said that, over the centuries, decorating meant preparing for beautiful times: pagans used branches to decorate their homes during the winter solstice as it made them think of the spring to come, for Roman Catholics advent includes preparatory practices like making an advent wreath and candle and light decorations that symbolise the light of Jesus. 

“One can therefore understand that these decorations symbolise the advent of a positive experience, a time of waiting and preparation for celebration… This year as people are not sure if they’ll be able to meet their loved ones they have turned to decorating early.

“Decorating the home early for Christmas is a way of overcoming the loss of what we always took for granted. It’s a way of keeping our hope for better times alive. They may wish to stay connected with others, communicate with the outside world by lighting their windows for others to see. Others may be more resigned, of course, especially the lonely and those passing through difficult times,” she said urging people to be sensitive towards each other more than ever before this Christmas.