When Does Dolly Parton Decorate for Christmas?

Published: December 1, 2025

By Gavin Boyle

Dolly Parton shared her tradition for not only when she puts up her Christmas decorations but also how long she leaves them up for.

“I put up my Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving,” Parton told Women’s World. “The day after Thanksgiving, I turn all my lights on outside and all my lights on inside. I just love going to Christmas plays and all the things [like] that. I love to ride around with the kids to see all the decorations in the neighborhoods.”

“I celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving until my birthday on the 19th of January,” Parton added. “I always make them leave my decorations up ‘till after my birthday, ‘cause I’m still celebrating.”

Though she loves having her house decorated for Christmas, Parton was originally supposed to miss much of the holiday season, as she would have been in Las Vegas for a residency from Dec. 4-13. These shows, however, were postponed in September after Parton faced medical complications that would mean she was not at her best. While some people believed these complications were extremely serious, Parton cleared the air that she is still strong and healthy.

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“I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything,” Parton said after she received an outpouring of prayers over her health. “But I want you to know that I’m okay.”

A month later, the 79-year-old revealed that she believes she has many more good and productive years ahead of her when she said she felt like she was just getting started.

“People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what?” Parton said in November. “Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started.”

“I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine… I think there’s a lot to be said about age,” she continued. “If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about.”

This sentiment echoes what Parton has said in the past when asked when she is going to retire.

“I would never retire. I’ll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday, and hopefully one I’ve written,” Parton told radio host Ken Bruce in the summer of 2023. “That’s how I hope to go. Of course, we don’t have much of a choice in that.”

With how much good Parton exudes into the world, it is amazing that she plans to keep on working until she cannot anymore. Until then, she should enjoy her Christmas decorated house now that Thanksgiving has come and gone.

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