Putting out your Christmas decorations early may make you happier and even feel less stressed. Even science confirms early decorators are happier.
I’m writing this at the end of July and last night I put up my Christmas tree. I’m not even talking about just a small tree in my office or something, I mean my full-size living room tree.
We had originally planned to put the tree out sometime in Septemeber to decorate it for Halloween. We really enjoy having a Halloween Christmas tree. It’s a fun and unique way to decorate for Halloween.
Our plans changed when we realized 2020 was likely going to be spent basically completely at home. We don’t know what the rest of the year will look like or how we will be spending Christmas but we will do everything we can to enjoy it.
We decided since we will be spending a lot of time in our living room why not make it a bit more cheerful? So we got our Christmas tree down. It’s pre-lit with color-changing lights so even without decorating it looks lovely.
I posted a photo of the tree going up on my personal Instagram and have had a lot of friends cheering me on. It seems most of us are looking for that bit of magic right now. And there is actually some science behind Christmas decor making us happy.
Putting Up Christmas Decorations Early Makes You Happier!
Psychoanalyst, Steve McKeown, said, “Although there could be a number of symptomatic reasons why someone would want to obsessively put up decorations early, it’s most commonly for nostalgic reasons, either to relive the magic or to compensate for past neglect.
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 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!” – Business Insider
When is Too Early?
There are people that leave Christmas trees up all year either decorated for Christmas or they decorate them for each season. My grandma left her huge Christmas tree up for most of one year.
It’s one of my best childhood memories. I loved her huge Christmas tree. It was two stories high and while I’m sure if I saw it now it wouldn’t seem as big as it did as a kid it was still quite large.
It’s too big for them to get out these days but that year that she left it up and kept redecorating it was magical. Every time I went to visit it seemed like it would have a new theme. One of my favorites was when she decorated it with 101 Dalmation figures she had been collecting from McDonald’s.
This memory is why I have had a Halloween tree and Valentine’s Day tree. It’s so ingrained in my memory and brings back childhood joy anytime the memories are sparked.
This may be too much for some though. I know some people grow tired of their tree and the magic fades if it’s out too long. You will just have to consider your personality.
We put our tree out early but decorate it for Halloween first. Right after Halloween, we pull out the Christmas decorations. That has worked well for us and how long we want to be able to enjoy the decor.
The simple answer is it’s never too early if it’s what you want to do and will make you happy.
Tips for Keeping Your Decor Clean
One of the biggest questions I get about having my tree out so long is how do I keep it clean? Christmas trees and decor can be hard to clean, it’s not really designed to stay out for months and get dusty.
My Christmas tree is the thing that stays out the longest. If I end up having a Valentine’s Day tree again this year it could end up being out for 7 months.
I move the tree skirt and vacuum under the tree at least every couple of weeks and we vacuum the house in general at least twice a week. That really helps keep the dust down.
I also use a microfiber duster, my favorite is the one from Grove Collaborative, if the tree or ornaments seem to be getting dusty. It’s a very gentle way to dust. When redecorating the tree I give it a better dusting while it’s empty.
For other decorations, a microfiber cloth or duster will usually do the trick. And making sure other areas of your home, stay vacuumed and dusted can cut down on dust overall. I also like to use a good air filter and make sure it’s changed often.
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Decorating for Christmas, or even just with a Christmas tree, during the summer months isn’t for everyone but maybe throw up a few twinkle lights or get a few new fun summer decor items to freshen up your space. These things can help bring a bit of joy to your life.
And if you do want to decorate for Christmas early, don’t worry about all the people that say you can’t decorate before Thanksgiving. Do what’s right for you and your family and enjoy it! You can also share this post with them so they will see science backs you up on this!
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