Stuff the December 1st rule. Researchers have the goods that prove people who put their Christmas decorations up earlier are actually happier. Science says so. And science never lies.
If you ever needed an excuse to pull out those Christmas boxes and start decking those halls, then this is it! Pass it on to EVERYONE, especially your grinchy partner who refuses to even look at a Christmas light until December.
Premature decoration makes people happy, according to researchers
There is a lot to love about decorating the house for the festive season – the quality family time, the festive background music (Michael Buble all the way), the fun of unwrapping the decorations from last year, the joy of buying new ones, especially after finding last year’s lights are completely tangled and belong in the bin…
So, why wouldn’t you want to bring this happy feeling to your household early?
Steve McKeown, a psychoanalyst and owner of The McKeown Clinic, explains that putting up decorations is actually linked to overall happiness.
“Although there could be a number of symptomatic reasons why someone would want to obsessively put up decorations early, most commonly [it’s] for nostalgic reasons,” he says.
“In a world full of stress and anxiety, people like to associate to things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of their childhood. Decorations are simply an anchor or pathway to those old childhood magical emotions of excitement. So putting up those Christmas decorations early extends the excitement!”
Connecting through Christmas decorations
Amy Morin, psychotherapist and best-selling author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, confirms this theory:
“For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way for them to reconnect with their childhoods. For people who have lost a loved one, the holidays may serve as a reminder of happy times they had with that person in the past. Decorating early may help them feel more connected with that individual.”
So, regardless of the reason WHY you want to decorate early, science says go for it!
And that’s all the encouragement we need!
Looking for some add some magic to your Christmas? Check out these Christmas traditions that will ramp up your festive cheer.
