The excitement for Christmas becomes more and more concrete as soon as November rolls around. The cold sets in, Christmas films fill the screens, and stores are filled with decorations and gift goodies. So the question remains: should you begin with the Christmas decorations? A study examined the ultimate debate.
According to Christian tradition, you should wait until December 24, Christmas Eve, to put up your tree. Other popular ideas are that we wait until the end of Thanksgiving or after Saint Nicholas Day (December 6) for the Nordic countries. However, many switch into Christmas mode as soon as Halloween ends. Experts prove them right, as a study has proven that putting up your decorations early immediately increases happiness factors.
Childhood excitement
Nowadays, more than ever, the ambient chaos invites us to quickly take refuge in the holiday spirit and all that it evokes for us. “In a world filled with stress and anxiety, people like to be closer to the things that make them happy. And Christmas decorations bring back those intense childhood memories,” says psychoanalyst Steve McKeown, creator of the program for spirit MindFixers and owner of The McKeown Clinic, on the Unilad website. “In addition to the symptomatic signs that could explain why a person absolutely wants to put up their Christmas decorations early, most often, this action reflects nostalgic reasons, to relive the magic or to compensate for past negligence,” he added. “Christmas decorations are simply an anchor or a path to those old childhood memories filled with magic and excitement. So it would be all about maintaining and extending that excitement.”
An idea of nostalgia confirmed by Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of the best-selling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do said, “nostalgia connects people to their past and helps them understand who they are. For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way to reconnect with their childhood. It can have a bittersweet feeling. The Christmas holidays can bring back memories with a missing person. Putting up Christmas decorations early could then make them feel more connected to that person. And looking at a Christmas tree can recall the period when we still believed in Santa Claus.”
Happiness hormones
The act of putting up decorations, as well as admiring them afterwards, immediately boosts dopamine, the happiness hormone. It can literally change the body’s hormones, as psychologist Deborah Serani explains. “This creates a neurological change that can produce happiness. Putting up Christmas decorations will lead to a spike in dopamine, a feel good hormone.”
Impression on neighbors
Finally, the Journal of Environmental Psychology points out that Christmas decorations are “cues to communicate accessibility to neighbors.” A study proves it: people placed in front of decorated houses perceived these decorations as a sign of “friendliness and solidarity” compared to non-decorated houses.
So all that remains is to take out the Christmas decorations, to absorb from now on, the precious and comforting spirit of the holidays.
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