Why Putting Up Holiday Decorations Early Could Make You Feel Happier

No one would blame you if you decided to skip decorating for the holidays this year. Whether you can’t celebrate with your extended family or you’re simply exhausted by the pandemic, putting up the usual holiday decor might feel like a cruel reminder of how nothing seems normal about this year. 

Of course, you might feel a little down right about now for other reasons, too. This time of year can be a little rough. The colder, darker days can take a toll on your mood. And if you’ve lost a loved one, the holiday season might feel extra painful.

But, decorating for the holidays—even when you don’t feel like it—might be really good for your psychological well-being. Stringing some lights and trimming a tree could make you happier. Decorating for the holidays might even improve your social life.

So if you’re thinking of skipping the decorating this year or you’re planning to throw up a few decorations at the last second, you may want to rethink that strategy. The sooner you decorate, the sooner you might start enjoying those benefits.

Decorating Stirs Up Nostalgic Feelings

There’s something about the holiday season that serves as a reminder of the past. And for most people, the holidays hold happy memories.

The holidays stir up nostalgic feelings like no other time of the year. When you look at an ornament from childhood, you might recall the magic you felt as a kid. Or, when you put up lights on your house, you might think about how the lights looked on your childhood home.

Studies have found that nostalgia can have some profound benefits, such as:

• Helping you find more meaning in life
• Bolstering your sense of social connection
• Providing an antidote to collective angst  (something that might be extremely important during the pandemic)

Decorating Might Foster Social Connection

Decorating the outside of your home might even help your social life. People who decorate their homes for the holidays are seen as more approachable and friendly, according to a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Even though it’s an older study, it’s likely that this still rings true. In fact, in the digital age, holiday decorations may signal sociability more than ever before.

This might be especially important during a year when your acquaintances might not see that smile behind your mask and your neighbors might be missing that morning wave you used to give one another when you crossed paths in the morning (back when you actually went into an office).

Seeing that you’ve decorated might help everyone around you feel like we’re all in this together. Your holiday cheer might serve as a good reminder that no matter how hard this year has been, we can still celebrate (even though those celebrations might look a bit different).

Acting Cheery Might Make You Feel Cheery

Another reason that decorating for the holidays might help you feel better is because “acting happy” might boost your mood. This notion is rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy—an evidenced based therapy practice where therapists encourage clients to “act as if” they felt differently.

So on a similar note, decorating might help you experience more holiday cheer.

And during a year when nothing feels normal, decorating for the holidays may help you gain a little peace. You might not be able to observe your traditions or celebrate in the exact same way, but decorating now can be a reminder that you can still make the best of the holidays.

A Word From Verywell

If you're really struggling to deal with the holidays this year, decorating might not be enough to lift your mood. You may benefit from talking to a mental health professional. Gaining emotional support, practicing new coping skills, and talking to someone might help you feel better during a rough time.