Halloween has already come and gone, Thanksgiving is only days away, and Christmas sits just around the corner. Many people dive into Christmas decorating as soon as the last jack-o’-lantern fades, while others insist on waiting until Thanksgiving is fully behind them. Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t subscribe to either crowd. Instead of a calendar date, he relies on a radio station to set the pace for holiday decorating inside the Earnhardt home.
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Amy Earnhardt noted that plenty of people charge into Christmas mode the moment Halloween ends, but she feels Thanksgiving week strikes the right balance for anyone who doesn’t want to wait until the day itself. As she put it, most people are exhausted on Thanksgiving, so the week offers a more relaxed window to start decking the halls.
Dale Jr., however, has a method that runs on its own rhythm. “Post-Thanksgiving immediately can be a bit of a lull. The energy and excitement, like the energy for the next holiday, ramps back up. My advice would be if you have a local radio station that plays nothing but Christmas music, put that on. I got a little radio out in the garage. It’s on all the time.”
He added, “Turn down low. When that station starts playing Christmas music, you should start slowly piecing it together. I like more of alright, today we’re gonna do it.. this bucket. And then the next day we’re going to get this… put this thing out the next thing, we’ll shop for a tree. I like Christmas decorating of the house to be one to two week process… I’d like the house to gradually close in on you.”
The couple takes charge of the living room first, turning it into the centerpiece of their Christmas setup. Dale Jr. mentioned that amid the decorating bustle, he tries to make some time with Amy, even in small pockets.
The age-old question: When is the RIGHT time to decorate for Christmas? @DaleJr | @AmyEarnhardt pic.twitter.com/8T2dtO3I9u
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) November 21, 2025
Once the living room is finished, Dale Jr. hopes the two of them can spend “like a 20 or 30-minute set on the couch,” just taking a moment together before calling it a night. For him, that quiet stretch together is as much a part of the season as any decoration.
Amy added that they enjoy winding down with the fire going. She often pours a glass of champagne, fixes Dale Jr. a cocktail, and they snack on Santa cookies while enjoying the cozy atmosphere.
One tradition stands above the rest for Dale Jr.: waiting downstairs on Christmas morning to catch his daughters’ faces as they see their gifts for the first time. He said the moment always takes him back to his own childhood excitement and remains one of his favorite parts of the holiday.
In 2023, the Earnhardt family celebrated Christmas with their extended family, and Dale Jr. shared a snapshot on Instagram of three generations gathered.
