Posted on 10/31/2019 2:51:58 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
If you were one of those families who had their tree decorated and the Christmas village out and in full swing by Nov. 1, you might be in luck. According to experts, decorating for Christmas early may make you happier, so you might want to consider pulling your garlands and gigantic Santa statues down from the attic a bit sooner.
"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!" That seems logical enough.
Pyschotherapist Amy Molin agreed, explaining that Christmas decorations can take you back to a simpler time, at least mentally. "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." She also says that it can help those who have lost someone feel closer to the loved one in question, adding that "decorating early may help them feel more connected with that individual."
On years I am Hostess for Christmas, I go whole-hog. But, buy ‘whole hog’ I mean I put out my VERY whittled-down (three-tubs and no more) of Christmas Decor. On years I don’t, I don’t put out a thing except our Creche. :)
However, I WILL play Christmas Music all year long. THAT makes me happy! :)
It really does make one happier and gets me through the dark days of winter.
I am designing 'Hygge' gift baskets for family and close friends this Christmas season:
I've already re-arranged my living room so I have a cozy chair that faces the south window for cat-napping and reading on sunny winter days. :)
We have a few siblings who never take down their main Christmas decorations. They are perpetually happy.
My wife loves to decorate for the main seasons. It is amazing what she has collected in close to 60 years of marriage. She has early/mid and late fall decorations.
She does the same for Christmas. Late fall/Thanksgiving go down on black Friday, and Christmas decs. come out on 1 Dec and change after Christmas until mid January.
During my daughter’s entire childhood we put up a yuge train platform. 6.5’ x 9’ with 2 HO trains, and Disney monorail and town, park churches, all 27 bldgs lit underneath by 16v transformer I made. 8’ tree on giant heat-sinked dimmers.
And outside usually go all out. It’s easy for me, I’m 5’18” don’t need a ladder. It may be a little chilly after New year’s but not bad in SFL.
Not for me! Why should I freeze parts of my body putting up excess lights and then freeze my body taking them down! I HATE putting up lots of lights!
Inside lights no problem.
I can’t believe that Sirius/XM is playing Christmas music already...
Our local ‘Oldies’ channel starts the day AFTER Thanksgiving, which is nice. :)
That sounds like more fun!
the same people that put up their fake trees right after halloween are the same ones that toss it away Christmas Day afternoon or the day after....
traditionally, the 12 days of Christmas runs from Christmas Day until Epiphany which is what we aim for....
That seems more reasonable.
Also, if they played the older Christmas tunes, I would like that. But Wham’s “Last Christmas” and some other modern “Christmas” songs make me want to put ice picks through my ears.
Well I don’t put up a tree but I do decorate my fake Fica Tree, Beautiful manager scene, and Old fashined santa clause standing near by..... Spreading out scented candles gives off a nice warm glow and Christmas scent in the air.......and of course TV fireplace crackling. That’s enough for me..
I put it up when the mood strikes and take it down likewise.
No, just no.
I think most who celebrate Christmas traditionally will keep their tree up through Epiphany; the season technically ends on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (usually the following Sunday).
Historically, Christmas would go up to February 2nd, which is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord; officially, the Church no longer considers this the end of the Christmas season.
I share your sentiments about those who celebrate the season too early; the season of Advent is supposed to be time used to reflect on this he darkness of the world before Christ. (If nothing else, we can use this tim to look around and realize how meaningless everyday life is without Him.)
“...traditionally, the 12 days of Christmas runs from Christmas Day until Epiphany which is what we aim for....”
Yes, me too. If you use a live tree you can’t put them up this early, you can’t even buy one yet. I always used to do that, the only years I remember not having a tree was after 9/11, it just seemed wrong. We did a wreath with red white and blue lights, and one year when my daughter was really little and life was kind of falling apart and I just couldn’t deal. That year I literally taped garland to the wall in a shape of a tree and said: that’s our tree!
Last year, for the first time, I bought an artificial tree, since I realized it is likely I’ll be going to my daughter’s for the foreseeable future. I got a really good bargain from Home Depot, a table top tree for $35, I liked it fine and we’ll be using it from now on, most years any way.
We usually put things up mid december and def. leave them up until Epiphany.
You are 100 percent correct.
I just don’t care about Christmas much anymore.
Nothing but being rushed, bossed around, hauling in a trailer load of Christmas junk, and lousy weather.
I would decorate if I were married, and had children. But I don’t, so I don’t.
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