Putting your Christmas decorations up early could make you happier, according to experts

It's the most wonderful time of the year, or at least it's supposed to be. The period of festive cheer, while jam-packed with heartwarming films, endless amounts of chocolate and gallons of mulled wine, is often fraught with stress. I mean, buying presents for your immediate and extended family as well as your friends and colleagues can certainly put a strain on your bank account, and don't even get me started on the dreaded office secret Santa.

But if you're one of those people who find the whole ordeal a little bit too much - the answer may be to lean into it all - and start it off early.

According to experts, people who put up their festive decorations up early are happier.

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While us scrooges of the world are quick to judge those who put up their Christmas trees the day they chuck out their pumpkins, it turns out that they're just more in touch with their inner children, by and by making them happier.

"Although there could be a number of symptomatic reasons why someone would want to obsessively put up decorations early, most commonly for nostalgic reasons either to relive the magic or to compensate for past neglect," Steve McKeown, psychoanalyst and founder of MindFixers and owner of The McKeown Clinic told UNILAD.

"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," he continued.

"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!"

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Additionally, putting up Christmas decorations is a way for some to bring back memories of good times with loved ones who have sadly passed away.

"Perhaps the holidays serve as a reminder of when a loved one was still alive," Amy Morin, psychotherapist and best-selling author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, told the publication.

"Or maybe looking at a Christmas tree reminds someone of what life was like when they still believed in Santa. For people who have lost a loved one, 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."

"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. It may be a bittersweet feeling," she continued.

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This is corroborated by previous research which claims that decorations can be used as a way to extend an olive branch to neighbours and strangers, thereby strengthening bonds of communication between communities.

So, the next time you roll your eyes at Janet from work who takes the festive season too seriously, remember she's probably happier for it.