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Are you someone who waits to decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving? Or do you think "Less is more" when deciding how many twinkle lights to string outside of your home? There's definitely a debate about how early is too early to decorate or what might be perceived as over-the-top when it comes to seasonal decor. And yet, at least one study has found that people who decorate the exteriors of their homes for the holidays are perceived by neighbors to be friendlier and more welcoming.
Florida-based therapist Amy Morin recently said on Good Morning America, "When you're putting up decorations, you're thinking of happier times, times with family and friends and family traditions you engaged in—for some people it’s bittersweet if family members are no longer here, but it's still a way to connect."
There are likely many reasons that Christmas decorating, holiday-themed movies, and seasonal celebrations are more popular than ever and turn up sooner than they used to. My personal take? It can sometimes be "a cold world out there,” and the holiday season is a form of white noise that has the potential to help us re-center, re-direct, and re-discover the magic of everyday living.
I admit that I’m one of those people who decorate as early as I can for the season. I have several reasons for doing so, including writing and producing Christmas movies for a living. But also? I love the holidays. As a popular meme suggests, I’m a better person when there’s a Christmas tree in my living room. And yes, I'd like to think I'm friendly and welcoming, as the study noted above suggests.
I understand that everyone has different traditions. I have friends whose families wouldn’t reveal the finished Christmas tree to the children until midnight on December 24. For them, it was a magical ritual they remember fondly to this day.
For me, growing up was a different experience, full of excessive abuse when my parents were around, and near abandonment when they weren’t. Even back then, I would decorate however I could for my sister and myself. Somehow, construction paper ringlets hanging from a tall house plant and Christmas songs playing on the radio offered a temporary salve. In fact, from a very early age, I would produce physical evidence for my sister to prove Santa had really visited us. (For the record, I still believe.)
Morin also noted during her interview that "altruism increases in the month of December and as people start to give more and donate more, it makes them happy. It makes people feel good so they want to start celebrating as early as possible." She also reported that Christmas decorating "helps build a sense of community and belonging—and all those things are associated with happiness."
As for me, I'm definitely part Buddy the Elf since I wholeheartedly agree that "the best way to spread Christmas is cheer singing loud for all to hear." But because I know not everyone's ready to celebrate the season pre-Turkey Day or might want to do so in their own way, I promise to keep my car windows up when rocking around the Christmas tree (and listening to other holiday tunes) while driving in November. But come December 1? Prepare for my being even happier—and perhaps adding a a little joy to others' moods in the process.
