by McKayla Holson, Editorial Editor
Yes. I don’t care. People can do what they want.
I personally don’t decorate my house for anything. No holiday decorations, no festivity, no comfortable home decor. Call me the unfun aunt (I’m not actually an aunt) if you want, but I just can’t bring myself to spend time, energy and money on it.
I love looking at what other people do, so go ahead and decorate early and I’ll enjoy it for a bit longer myself. If you get upset with people decorating early, get over yourself and let people have their fun. Someone slapping some stickers on their windows, lights on their house, decorations around their place and other decorative options doesn’t harm you in any way.
“BuT wHaT aBoUt ThAnKsGiViNg?” Cool, decorate for Thanksgiving if you want, have hybrid decorations if you want, have only Christmas decorations up or have no decorations like me. It doesn’t matter. Thanksgiving, believe it or not, will still occur if someone has their Christmas tree up and ready. I know, crazy concept, a holiday continues even when people are decorated and ready for the next one.
I’ve watched two people I know have friendly debates about the subject matter. Both of their opinions are valid, and they can decorate whenever they want.
Why is it always Christmas that people complain about? There are people who literally have Halloween decorations up all year and nobody bats an eye, but throw a candy cane out on the lawn a second too early and it generates a war of sorts.
I read a 2019 blog post called “I Decorate For Christmas Early & I Don’t Care What You Think” by Larissa Marulli as a little bit of research for this topic.
“Christmas is the best so why not start decorating early?” Marulli said. “It’s good for your mental health and you have time to enjoy your decorations!”
Is it actually good for your mental health?
Marulli said Christmas is safe and comforting to her.
“Christmas is about joy and family,” Marulli said. “It’s comfort and fun. It’s lights and magic, and I want it to last longer than one month. Life is hard, the world is scary and Christmas is an escape from it all.”
Especially with all the COVID stuff going around, just let people like Marulli have their fun. If the decorations make them feel happier in their environment, don’t be a Grinch about their decorations.
Marulli goes on to say that she wants to make Christmas special and full of memories for her children. More time to celebrate means more memories made.
Again, let people have their happiness.
“There was something indescribable about our small living room littered with toys lit up with snowmen and white lights,” Marulli said. “And if that happens to be in the middle of November, so be it. It makes me happy.”
Marulli said there is science that backs up her comment about decorating for Christmas making people happy.
”According to psychologists, people who decorate earlier for Christmas are happier and less stressed,” Marulli said. “The bright colors and lights on decorations naturally improve your mood and increase energy.” She also said, “the holidays also evoke feelings of nostalgia and childhood.
For many, Christmas really was a time of innocence and happiness. These memories improve moods and help break up the monotony of daily life.”
I can see how memories, lights and general atmosphere can make people feel good.
Some people have their peppermint drinks and eggnog, some people have lights or whatever it is that people like to do for the holidays.
If you see someone with their decorations up “early” and you don’t like it, keep on moving. Keep your mouth shut and let people do their thing. If you want to keep your cobwebs and pumpkins out all year, you do that, but don’t try to tell people when they can and can’t decorate for a holiday.