Stop the Scrooge: Why we should allow early Christmas celebration

It’s finally October! You know what that means—Christmas season! Well, for me anyway. Every year I get into the Christmas spirit a tad bit early and I am always faced with lash back from those who say it’s simply “too soon.”

When do you start planning out your Halloween costume with your friends or start making Starbucks PSLs part of your major food groups? Be honest here, is it really a few weeks before the big day?

If it’s acceptable for Bath and Body Works to put out a new line of fall scents in July, why is it such a crime to wear an ugly Christmas sweater on a brisk October morning?

People may not completely support all early holiday celebrations, but early Christmas celebrators get the most complaints.

You don’t have to appreciate the wonderful pros of preparing for Christmas months in advance to respect my desire to nerd out over the holiday season for however long I want.

Are those fake rainbow light-up trees displayed at your local Costco in October really causing you such a searing pain of discomfort that you have to spoil my Christmas cheer?

Every time someone gets on my case for starting my celebration at a different time than the majority of the population, I feel my Christmas spirit begin to diminish. But this year, I’m not going to let that happen. I will stand proudly like Buddy the Elf to sing out my Christmas cheer.

I look forward to this time all year long—it is my all-time favorite holiday. It brings me such happiness to hang up my lights and listen to my Spotify playlist of Christmas carols as the weather begins to cool and the summer fades into the abyss.

Contrary to the belief that those who decorate months in advance are unrealistic, there are studies that have found that decorating earlier for Christmas actually increases happiness.

Steve McKeowan, a psychoanalyst, explained in an interview to Unilad that Christmas serves as a connection to our childhood. This, in turn, allows us to transport ourselves back to a time when we weren’t swamped with adult responsibilities.

“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!” McKeowan said.

In another interview with Unilad, Amy Morin, psychotherapist, says there are additional pros of premature Christmas decorating.

“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,” Morin said.

Not only does celebrating the Christmas holiday bring people together, but it also can increase happiness through nostalgia and serve as a way to connect with those who are no longer with us.

In a world where we are facing constant stress and responsibilities, is it really that crazy to choose to be a little happier only one month of the year?

I, for one, do not plan to suppress my desire for an extra helping of happiness this year because others find it weird. I will embrace my inner child and happily celebrate the way I wish.

So don’t be an angry elf this holiday season. If you don’t want to experience the positive effects that come along with celebrating earlier on in the year, that’s your choice, but don’t pull a Scrooge on those of us who want to celebrate the magical time that is Christmas early.