SoCal residents eager to celebrate holidays early

No, you are not imagining it... you are hearing holiday music on the radio, and decorations are going up way before Thanksgiving... and people say they are ready!

After two years of pandemic closures and being told that family gatherings should be avoided, most people we spoke to say they need holiday cheer now more than ever. 

Several people are already decorating their homes and holiday travel is increasing this year.

"After what we’ve gone through the last couple of years, I am ready, so ready," said one person we spoke to in downtown Riverside.   

It’s not just an emotional reaction, it’s a financial need say many merchants here. The owner of Stone Church Brewing has been trying to open for months. Between pandemic issues and supply problems, the delays have seemed insurmountable, but the plan is to do a soft opening this Friday and be up and going by the holidays. 

Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.

Some studies seem to indicate that people who put up Christmas lights earlier tend to be happier and there seems to be a lot of people out there in need of more happiness! 

Tune in to FOX 11 Los Angeles for the latest Southern California news.