The jury is still out on when is officially an acceptable time to put up our Christmas decorations. And while many will argue that putting up your Christmas tree as early as November is way too keen, experts disagree. According to psychologists, the earlier the merrier.
“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 the childhood,” psychoanalyst Steve McKeown told Unilad.
“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!” he added.
McKeown isn’t alone in his theory. Pyschotherapist Amy Molin believes that Christmas decorations trigger happy memories. “Nostalgia helps link people to their personal past, and it helps people understand their identity. For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way for them to reconnect with their childhoods,” she told Unilad.
Molin also explains that 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,” she said.
Getting into the Christmas spirit isn’t just good for the soul, it’s good for the sociability, too. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that neighbours who had Christmas decorations on their home were considered “friendly and cohesive”.
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