When to Put Up Christmas Lights in the Inland Empire

Short answer: there is no single right date. In one national survey, around 51% of Americans decorating for the holidays said they would have exterior lights up before Thanksgiving. Our installs run mid-November to mid-December, and most people take lights down in early January.

If you live in an HOA, read your rules first. HOAs commonly set windows for when decorations may go up and come down, and the rules differ from one community to the next. We do not know your community's rules. Your CC&Rs and your board do.

When most people hang outdoor lights

This Old House surveyed 3,000 homeowners nationwide. The survey was run in September 2024 and weighted to represent adults 18 and over, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent. Of those surveyed, 64 percent planned to hang outdoor lights that season. More than half of households decorating (51%) would have lights up by November 27, the day before Thanksgiving in 2024. About 70 percent of decorators would have lights up by the end of November.

The survey page was updated in June 2026, but the data comes from the 2024 season. It has no numbers for California in particular. Use it as a rough guide to what neighbors may do, not as a rule.

The calendar for 2026

Date	What to know
Late October	Order or book now. Earlier is easier than later.
Early to mid November	Check your HOA rules and test any lights you plan to reuse.
Nov 14 to 20	Our first install week. Installs start in mid-November.
Thursday, November 26, 2026	Thanksgiving. One of our install weeks (Nov 21 to 27) includes it.
Nov 28 to Dec 4 and Dec 5 to 12	The last install weeks. We stop by mid-December.
Early January	Takedown. Ours is in January.

Our install weeks this season are Nov 14 to 20, Nov 21 to 27, Nov 28 to Dec 4, Dec 5 to 12. We only light single-story rooflines, with clips on the gutter line, from a ladder on the ground. See holiday lights for the price tool.

How early it gets dark in Ontario

Sunset times for Ontario, California come from sunrise-sunset.org. Daylight saving time ends on November 1, 2026, so these are all Pacific Standard Time.

Date	Sunset in Ontario, CA
November 1, 2026	4:57 pm
November 15, 2026	4:46 pm
November 30, 2026	4:41 pm
December 4, 2026 (earliest sunset of the month)	4:41 pm
January 1, 2027	4:52 pm
January 15, 2027	5:04 pm
January 31, 2027	5:20 pm

The same site lists December 21 as the shortest day, at about 9 hours and 52 minutes. So your lights will be on in the dark by about 5 pm for most of the season. If you want to see them lit before a family dinner, that is plenty of time. If you use a timer, a start time of about 4:30 pm covers the whole season.

Weather and wind

We do not have a weather source for our own area on this page, so we will keep this short and call it advice. Install on a calm, dry day. Wind matters here, and our Santa Ana wind guide covers it in more detail. Gutter clips hold the lights along the roofline. A loose strand can still flap in a strong gust, so look at your lights after a windy night.

When to take lights down

The same This Old House survey asked about takedown. Only 12 percent of those who planned to decorate said they would take their lights down by the end of the year. That tells us most people wait until the new year.

More than half of Americans (53%) said they would still have their lights up on January 4.

The City of Ontario sign regulations cover holiday lights and displays that do not advertise a business, limited to 30 days within any 60-day period. We found no state rule that sets a takedown date for a house without an HOA, so check your city and HOA.

Our takedown is in January, for $1.25 a foot with a $90 minimum. We store lights for $60 if you want us to.

Typical HOA timing (generic, not your rules)

We are not lawyers, and every HOA has its own documents. Here is what we found from sources we opened.

A California HOA law firm, Tinnelly Law Group, wrote (published November 26, 2025, updated July 17, 2026) that HOA rules on holiday decorations are valid and enforceable only if they are reasonable, under California Civil Code section 4350. The article says boards commonly regulate things like set dates for when decorations can go up and when they must come down, brightness and flashing, and nighttime cutoffs such as lights off by 10 p.m.

A Southern California property management company, Keystone Pacific Property Management, makes a similar point in a December post. Per that post, residents should make sure they remove that last light by their community's cutoff date.

That is all we can say. We did not find a statewide date that applies to every HOA. We did not read the full text of the Civil Code, so ask an attorney if you have a dispute.

A simple plan for homeowners

Here is one way to work backward from the dates above. It is advice, not a rule.

Now: decide how much of the house to light. Measure your roofline or use our price tool, which estimates it from the size of your home.
This month: read your HOA documents if you have an HOA, and write down the dates. Send your board one short email if anything is unclear.
Before the first install week: pick an outlet for the lights, and make sure it is one you can reach and that works. We do not do electrical work, so we plug into an outlet you already have.
Set a timer so the lights come on near sunset. Use the sunset table above to pick a start time.
January: schedule takedown and decide whether to store the lights.

How to check and ask

Find your CC&Rs and any architectural or decoration guidelines. Search the documents for "decorations", "holiday" and "lights".
Note any dates, brightness limits, color limits or timer rules.
If the rules are unclear, email your manager or board before you install. Ask: "What dates may holiday lights go up and come down? Are there limits on brightness, flashing or rooftop lights? Do I need approval?"
Keep the reply. If you hire an installer, tell them the dates before they arrive.
If you rent, ask your landlord too.

Common questions

When should I put up Christmas lights?

There is no required date. A 2024 survey found about half of decorators planned to have outdoor lights up before Thanksgiving. Our installs run mid-November to mid-December.

What time does it get dark in Ontario, CA in December?

Sunset is about 4:41 pm on December 4, 2026, the earliest of the month, according to sunrise-sunset.org.

When should I take Christmas lights down?

Most decorators wait until January. In the survey we read, 53 percent still had lights up on January 4. We do takedown in January. Check your HOA if you have one.

Can my HOA tell me when to put up lights?

HOAs commonly set dates for decorations, and a California law firm says such rules must be reasonable. Rules differ by community, so read your CC&Rs and ask the board.

Should I book before Thanksgiving?

Yes, if you can. Our install weeks are Nov 14 to 20, Nov 21 to 27, Nov 28 to Dec 4, Dec 5 to 12. Asking early gives you the most choice of week.

Where this applies

We work in every place within 15 miles of Ontario: Ontario, Upland, Montclair, Chino, Rancho Cucamonga, Claremont, Alta Loma, Eastvale, Pomona, Etiwanda, Chino Hills, Jurupa Valley, La Verne, Norco, Fontana, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, Corona, Walnut, Rialto, Covina, Glendora.

Related services: Holiday lights, Instant quote.

More guides

Sources

This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “around 51% of Americans decorating for the holidays will have their exterior lights up before Thanksgiving”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “according to our survey of 3,000 homeowners nationwide”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “We collected survey data for this report on September 12–16, 2024. We weighted responses to align with population demographics across age and gender to be representative of all U.S. adults (aged 18+). The margin of error is +/- 2%”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “64% plan to hang outdoor lights this year”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “more than half of households decorating (51%) will have their lights up by November 27”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “with 70% of decorators putting up lights by the end of November”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, November 2026 (sunset times; daylight saving time ends November 1). “Sun, Nov 1... 4:57:30 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, November 2026 (sunset times; daylight saving time ends November 1). “Sun, Nov 15... 4:46:43 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, November 2026 (sunset times; daylight saving time ends November 1). “Mon, Nov 30... 4:41:17 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, December 2026 (sunset times; shortest day). “Fri, Dec 4... 4:41:00 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, January 2027 (sunset times). “Fri, Jan 1... 4:52:18 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, January 2027 (sunset times). “Fri, Jan 15... 5:04:22 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, January 2027 (sunset times). “Sun, Jan 31... 5:20:02 pm”
sunrise-sunset.org, Ontario, CA, December 2026 (sunset times; shortest day). “Mon, Dec 21... 09:52:59”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “only 12% of those who plan to decorate said they will take down their lights by the end of the year”
This Old House, holiday lights survey (3,000 U.S. adults, data collected September 12 to 16, 2024; page updated June 16, 2026). “more than half of Americans (53%) say they will still have their lights up on January 4”
City of Ontario, Sign Regulations (Chapter 8.0, holiday lights and displays). “holiday lights and displays that do not advertise any business establishment, product, or other commercial activity, limited to 30 days within any 60-day period”
Tinnelly Law Group, "Regulating Holiday Decorations in Your HOA" (November 26, 2025; updated July 17, 2026). “HOA operating rules—including those governing holiday decorations—are valid and enforceable only if, among other things, they are reasonable”
Tinnelly Law Group, "Regulating Holiday Decorations in Your HOA" (November 26, 2025; updated July 17, 2026). “Clear dates for when decorations may be installed and must be removed”
Tinnelly Law Group, "Regulating Holiday Decorations in Your HOA" (November 26, 2025; updated July 17, 2026). “Restrictions on flashing or strobe effects, lumen/brightness limitations”
Tinnelly Law Group, "Regulating Holiday Decorations in Your HOA" (November 26, 2025; updated July 17, 2026). “'lights off by 10 p.m.'”
Keystone Pacific Property Management, "Holiday Decorations, HOAs and Happy Homeowners" (December post; year not shown). “make sure you remove that last light by your community’s cutoff date”

Written by Foothill Home Services. Local prices on this page are our own draft rates from the price list the quote tool uses. Where we quote an outside page, the quote is linked in the sources above, and we last checked this page on October 13, 2026. Other outside figures are described as the source reports them.

When to put up and take down Christmas lights near Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga