Holiday Ornaments Go up In Sq.

Sometimes it's tough to differentiate between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

While Thanksgiving break officially begins after classes today, Christmas may be fast approaching if the decorations in Harvard Square are any indication.

The city of Cambridge has joined many area stores in decorating for the upcoming Christmas season.

Wreaths with red ribbons rest upon each lamppost in the Square along Massachusetts Avenue and JFK Street. The city has also put up light displays above Mass. Ave. in front of the Harvard Book Store and next to Straus Hall.

Some students reacted positively to the lights that have appeared in the Square, but many said the decorations were put up too soon.

"I like 'em," said Brad D. Leupen '97. "I think they are quite Christmasy."

But he added that he found the decorations "pretty premature."

Dan D. Albano, assistant manager of the Harvard Book Store, said his store usually doesn't put up decorations this early.

"Usually, we wait until after Thanksgiving, but we had enough staff [in] today to put them up, so we did," Albano said.

Others argued that it's never too soon to spread Christmas cheer.

"We are much later than the typi- cal store," said Paul Finely, the visualmerchandising director at the Coop. "Most storesare fully decorated by Veterans Day."

Yesterday the Coop placed wreaths withsparkling lights in its second and third floorwindows, and added a Hanukkah menorah above theentrance.

The Coop also has a number of interiordecorations, such as a Christmas tree, wreathsalong the side walls, colorful holiday pictureslining the bridge to the book building, silverwreaths in the book sections and small trees withlights in the poster area.

And though CVS has not put up any outsidedecorations, the store more than makes up for itwith their red-and-green-dominated interiordisplays.

Every red and green item, and anything havingto do with Christmas, has been placed at the frontof the store.

These items range from a huge candy canedisplay to red, white and silver Hershey Kisscandies.

In addition, all of the aisles are lined withcolored lights, and CVS is offering a number ofChristmas specials.

The Harvard Bookstore is illuminating itslatest literature with wreaths and lights.

While the eager retailers are pinning up thedecorations ahead of time, some procrastinatingstudents said they plan to leave their decorationsup long after the Christmas holiday.

"We are going to get our own tree," saidDarlene D. Lin '97. "And once the Christmasdecorations go up, they are not coming down.

Yesterday the Coop placed wreaths withsparkling lights in its second and third floorwindows, and added a Hanukkah menorah above theentrance.

The Coop also has a number of interiordecorations, such as a Christmas tree, wreathsalong the side walls, colorful holiday pictureslining the bridge to the book building, silverwreaths in the book sections and small trees withlights in the poster area.

And though CVS has not put up any outsidedecorations, the store more than makes up for itwith their red-and-green-dominated interiordisplays.

Every red and green item, and anything havingto do with Christmas, has been placed at the frontof the store.

These items range from a huge candy canedisplay to red, white and silver Hershey Kisscandies.

In addition, all of the aisles are lined withcolored lights, and CVS is offering a number ofChristmas specials.

The Harvard Bookstore is illuminating itslatest literature with wreaths and lights.

While the eager retailers are pinning up thedecorations ahead of time, some procrastinatingstudents said they plan to leave their decorationsup long after the Christmas holiday.

"We are going to get our own tree," saidDarlene D. Lin '97. "And once the Christmasdecorations go up, they are not coming down.