EDMONTON -- It looks like Tara Sonnenberg’s living room is stuck in time.
It’s February 19 and her Christmas tree is still prominently displayed in her Edmonton home. There are even unopened presents underneath, intended for family members she is still waiting to see.
“So not being able to have Christmas together, we took a vote, and we decided to wait until we could all be together,” Sonnenberg told CTV News Edmonton.
Sonnenberg is not alone in her décor choices.
New mother, Fallon Vickers-Antle, has left her Christmas tree up too but she’s gone a step further and redecorated for different holidays since. First, it was red for Valentine’s Day and now green for St. Patrick’s Day.
Fallon also uses the tree as a backdrop for photos of her infant daughter.
“I love decorating for Christmas. This is actually one of five Christmas trees I put up in our house this year,” she said, “I decided to only leave one up for the full year. All the rest went down.”
One psychologist says as long as the trees are not real – and potentially causing a fire hazard – leaving them up could do some good.
“That symbolism, that hope, that idea that there’s something more that we’re going to get to, that’s going to be fulfilling, and again going to make us happy, can be very good for our mental health,” said Dr. Ganz Ferrance.
Dr. Ferrance doesn’t necessarily recommend leaving your Christmas tree standing, but said anything harmless you can do to stay positive during the pandemic could provide an emotional lift.
If that thing is leaving up your Christmas tree, you won’t be alone.
“Decorating makes me happy and the tree makes me happy,” said Vickers-Antle.
With files from David Ewasuk
