ANDERSON — The calendar may say today is Thanksgiving, but the festive decorations and cheery tunes displayed throughout the city illustrate Christmas.

Those responsible for the Merry Thanksgiving say putting up Christmas decorations before turkey day is more convenient, more cost-effective and more cheerful.

“If I had 20 guys then I would get big old pilgrims and turkeys — bring them on,” said Sandy Swindell, facility manager of the Citizens Plaza building and park downtown. “But I just don’t have the manpower.”

Swindell said the man who puts up the six large displays — which include a sleigh and nativity scene, seven sparkling reindeer and bundles of strung lights — has a packed decorating schedule. Since Anderson is the farthest, the decorations in the park are typically done about a week before Thanksgiving.

“It’s a lot of work to lug these heavy displays over there and run the wire,” she said. “So, to get all that done for Thanksgiving and tear it all down, and do it for Christmas — that’s a lot.”

Lori Sylvester, the long-range planner for the city, said paying street and engineering workers dictates the city’s decorating schedule.

“We try to get as close as we can to the holiday (Christmas) without trying to pay a lot of overtime,” she said.

City workers have spent the last two weeks stringing white lights throughout downtown, tying up Christmas banners and hanging more than 200 snowflakes.

Donated by the Moneyhuns, the snowflakes weren’t meant for just Christmas. Nancy Moneyhun said she and her sister raised more than $30,000 in 2001 for the white-lit snowflakes to be used throughout the dark months of winter.

“It’s more of a winter theme,” Moneyhun said.

Moneyhun said customers at the downtown Moneyhuns Fine Gifts store have asked about Christmas decorations earlier and earlier. Although the store has large Christmas decorations hung, there are still Thanksgiving displays as well.

The idea, say decorators, is to have the displays up but not lit until after Thanksgiving.

Sylvester said some lights run on sensors and it’s not feasible to have them all switched on the day after Thanksgiving.

“We can’t afford to send the guys out to light them over the weekend and we don’t want to have the Christmas lights on on Thanksgiving,” she said.

Jennifer Monac, a spokeswoman for the Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts, said Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving just show how the two holidays connect.

She said the two end-of-the-year holidays are connected by similar menus, family gatherings and, of course, Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving when retailers have plentiful sales.

“It doesn’t take away from what Thanksgiving is to us,” Monac said. “That’s what it’s all about, giving thanks. And for some people, that’s shopping.”

In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt switched Thanksgiving from the last Thursday of the month to the second to last Thursday. According to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, the president responded to pleas from retailers for an additional week of holiday shopping.

“Holidays need to fit the people and times that are going on,” Monac said. “Thanksgiving is a nice remember before we get into what some see as a glutenous season.”

Not everyone was happy with the change. In 1941, Congress declared Thanksgiving to be the fourth Thursday of November, which isn’t always the last week of the month.

Retailers still grab as much holiday shopping time as possible.

Mounds Mall rolled out its Christmas spirit last Saturday. Santa Claus made a pit stop to help light the building and take pictures with children.

“He will be back on Black Friday, and we hope you will, too,” said Director of Marketing Braun Roosa to a group of spectators.

Susan Ramsey, assistant manager at Mounds Mall, said Santa returned to the North Pole until Friday out of respect for Thanksgiving.

However, the massive Christmas trees, bows and live jolly music remain to bring community cheer, she said.

“This town’s been through a lot and the country has been going through a lot,” Ramsey said. “We’re just trying to do something nice for the community and cheer everyone up.”

Contact Christina M. Wright, 640-4883, christina.wright@heraldbulletin.com.