If you’re one of those people who scoffs at the neighbors for putting up holiday decorations before Thanksgiving has even arrived, you may want to reconsider your Scrooge-like stance. There is reason to believe that setting up your tree and lights early could make you happier.

“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!”

The Journal of Environmental Psychology shows that decorations can cue your neighbors that you are accessible, and accessible people are regarded as friendlier. In the study, participants were shown houses either decorated or not and asked to assess the homeowner’s sociability. Those with the decor were deemed more “friendly and cohesive.”

Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, told Unilad, “The holiday season stirs up a sense of nostalgia. Nostalgia helps link people to their personal pasts and it helps people understand their identity.” She continued, “For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way for them to reconnect with their childhoods.”

Morin says the holidays often serve as a reminder of happy times spent together with relatives who have passed, and decorations may help people feel more connected to those they miss.

So this year, instead of shaming your friends and family for their early excitement, put this theory to the test and see if your Grinch heart doesn’t grow a little bigger.

(h/t Good Housekeeping)


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Meghan is a full-time writer exploring the fun facts behind food. She lives a healthy lifestyle but lives for breakfast, dessert and anything with marinara. She’s thrown away just as many meals as she’s proud of.