Starting Christmas Earlier Makes People Happier.
Do Christmas displays and deals in stores from November seem premature to you? Even though the Advent season doesn't officially start until December 1st, consumers are not put off by an earlier festive atmosphere. On the contrary, studies have shown that starting Christmas earlier makes people happier. We will explain why it would be a shame to miss out on this simple joy.
A festive atmosphere starting from the month of November.
You have probably noticed it in stores as well as on television: the magic of Christmas is setting up earlier and earlier in the displays and in the program schedules. Since 2022, the kickoff of the holiday season is no longer the symbolic date of December 1st, nor even Thanksgiving Day as in the United States, but rather in the middle or even at the beginning of November.
This trend to start Christmas earlier is such that some brands do not hesitate to replace Halloween decorations directly with red and gold ornaments, Christmas trees, and other end-of-year enchantments. Even if this may surprise some consumers, they should not complain because studies have proven that these early preparations make people happier.
An antidote to autumnal blues.
If you're one of the purists who wait until December 1st to eat their first chocolate from the number 1 slot of an Advent calendar, you might think that all these decorated storefronts are just an aggressive marketing strategy.
However, before you start grumbling about "there are no more seasons" or "there are no more traditions," you should know that starting Christmas earlier makes people happier, and this is scientifically proven! According to a study by English psychoanalyst Steve McKeown, simply decorating your home with twinkling garlands and other seasonal decorations can boost your mood.
The nostalgia of childhood, inseparable from the Christmas holidays, is a real antidote to the gloom that often grips us at this time of year due to dreary weather and cold. This return to childhood also has a calming effect on people who are stressed or anxious in everyday life. Steve McKeown asserts: "Christmas decorations evoke childhood memories and magical moments. That's why getting them out early makes people happier."
A good way to extend the celebration.
Decorating your home as early as November is also a simple way to extend the holiday spirit by a few weeks, to enjoy its morale-boosting effect. Christmas decorations bring us back to our childhood and transform our home into a warm and comforting cocoon.
So, if you feel like taking out the decorations from the boxes even though December has not yet arrived, don't hold back! Nostalgia is an essential component of happiness because it helps to reconnect with one's past and understand who we are.
There's no harm in starting Christmas preparations earlier if it makes you happy. In fact, according to another study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, decorating your home for the holidays also makes you more approachable to your neighbors. Setting up outdoor Christmas decorations with lights or other luminous decors helps to connect with the people in your neighborhood by creating a sense of community.
In short, don't wait any longer to take out the garlands! Not only will your spirits be high and your home more welcoming this fall, but you might also make some friends in the neighborhood…
