When Should a City Order Christmas Decorations?
Most cities should start three to six months before the installation date. For a tree lighting in late November, that means beginning the conversation between May and August. Smaller top-up orders need less notice: in stock items can ship as quickly as the next business day, and pre-decorated garland, wreaths and trees typically ship in 2 to 6 weeks.
The reason the window is that wide is that a municipal order is really two schedules running at once. There is the production and shipping schedule, which we control, and there is the approval schedule, which you do. The second one is usually the longer of the two.
Work backwards from the installation date
Pick the date the decor has to be up, then count back. This is the calendar for a program that lights in late November.
| When | What should be happening |
|---|---|
| January to March | Review last season: what failed, what needs replacing, what the district wants to add. Take down and storage problems are freshest now. |
| March to May | Agree the scope and get the budget into the approval cycle. Start selling sponsorships, which usually have to close long before anything is ordered. |
| May to August | Place custom and large program orders. Custom displays and specialty products need 3 to 6 months. This is also when freight is quoted and the install crew is booked. |
| August to September | Place pre-decorated orders. Garland, wreaths and trees typically ship in 2 to 6 weeks, and that window widens as the season approaches. |
| October | Top-ups and replacements from in stock, which can ship as quickly as the next business day. Confirm mounting, power and any engineered sign off. |
| November | Install. Anything not ordered by now is a next-year item. |
Why ordering late costs more than it saves
Waiting does not make a program cheaper. It usually does the opposite, for three reasons.
Production windows lengthen as the season approaches, because everyone else is ordering at the same time. A lead time quoted as 2 to 6 weeks in June is not the same lead time in September.
Freight gets harder. Most commercial decor is oversize and moves by LTL freight, which is quoted for the specific order. Late in the season, capacity is tighter and dates are less flexible.
And choice narrows. A late order is chosen from what is available rather than from what fits the site, which is how districts end up with decor that does not match what they bought two years ago.
Build the approval time into the schedule
Public buyers cannot simply place an order, and a supplier who does not account for that is not much help. Purchase order payment terms are available to government municipalities and qualifying businesses, and we work with vendor onboarding, vendor registration and the documentation purchasing departments require.
Larger orders can go through a formal quote instead of standard checkout, which gives you a document to take to council or a finance committee. If a bid package or vendor file needs something specific, it is much easier to supply before the order than to hold the order while paperwork catches up.
What to confirm before the order goes in
- The installation date, and who is installing.
- Pole heights and bracket fit, if the program includes pole mounted decor.
- Power availability at each location, for anything lit.
- Mounting and wind load, confirmed with a qualified engineer for anything elevated, spanning a street, or large enough to catch wind.
- Storage between seasons, because commercial decor is bought to be reused.
If you are still deciding what the program should contain, our guide to planning downtown holiday decor covers matching each piece to the setting and the sizes available.
Common questions about ordering timelines
How long does a custom Christmas display take to make?
Custom displays and specialty products should be started 3 to 6 months before the installation date. Larger decor programs need the same window, because the design, production and freight all have to fit inside it.
How fast can Christmas decorations ship if we are already late?
In stock items can ship as quickly as the next business day. Pre-decorated garland, wreaths and trees typically ship in 2 to 6 weeks, and that window gets longer as the season approaches, so a late program is usually built from what is in stock.
Can a city buy Christmas decorations on a purchase order?
Yes. Purchase order payment terms are available to government municipalities and qualifying businesses, and we handle vendor onboarding, vendor registration and the documentation purchasing departments require.
How is freight handled on oversize Christmas decorations?
Most commercial decor is oversize and ships by LTL freight. We provide a ballpark estimate first, then run a custom freight quote for the specific order, so the figure that goes to finance is the figure that gets paid.
How many seasons should commercial Christmas decorations last?
Our warranty covers five seasons on steel frames and garlands, three seasons on electrical wiring, and one season on other parts and accessories, excluding bulbs and strands. Commercial decor is bought to be stored and reused rather than replaced each year.