Want to Feel Happier? Put Up Your Christmas Tree in November

The idea of nostalgia leading to happiness is confirmed by Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of the best-selling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.

“Nostalgia connects people to their past and helps them understand who they are,” she says. “For many, putting up Christmas decorations early is a way of reconnecting with their childhood…and gazing at a Christmas tree can bring back memories of the time when we still believed in Santa Claus.”

The act of putting up Christmas decorations, as well as admiring them afterward, immediately boosts the happiness hormone dopamine. This can literally change the body’s hormones, as psychologist Deborah Serani explains.

“It creates a neurological change that can produce happiness,” she says. “Putting up the Christmas decorations will cause a spike in dopamine, a feel-good hormone.”

Finally, the Journal of Environmental Psychology points out that holiday decorations are “cues to communicate one’s accessibility to neighbors.”

And afterward, when should you take down your decorations? When it comes to removing Christmas decorations, traditionally people wait until Epiphany, on January 6, 12 days after Christmas. But in reality, there are no established rules or studies on the subject.

So all that’s left to do now is get out the tree, the lights, and the candles, and soak up the precious and comforting spirit of the festive season.

This story was originally published in Vogue France.