Why Putting Up Your Christmas Tree in November Isn’t “Too Early”

You’re one of those people who, by the end of November, already feel the irresistible urge to drag out the boxes of lights and ornaments — while the neighbors still haven’t thrown away their Halloween pumpkins? And every time you hear, “It’s way too soon!”

Well, here’s the plot twist: science quietly walks up to those critics and whispers in their ear, “No… you’re the ones who are late.”

It turns out that the people who decorate earliest get the longest, most stable happiness boost of the entire season. And it’s not just “because it looks pretty.” It works on the level of neurons, hormones, and ancient psychological mechanisms we inherited from ancestors who once decorated their caves with… well, mammoth bones instead of tinsel, but the principle is the same.

1. Nostalgia isn’t sentimentality — it’s a (perfectly legal) drug

   When you hang that old ornament your grandma bought back in the day, a tiny miracle happens in your brain. The hippocampus and amygdala — the exact areas responsible for emotional memory — light up simultaneously. At that moment, your brain releases dopamine almost the same way it did when you had your first crush or won a prize as a kid.

   Psychologists note that people who put up holiday decorations early often tap into higher levels of positive emotion and lower levels of anxiety throughout the pre-holiday period. Why? Because nostalgia is an evolutionary self-soothing mechanism. When the world feels unstable (and let's be honest, it always does), the brain looks for anchors — familiar smells, sounds, and images. You catch a whiff of mandarins and pine needles, and suddenly you’re eight years old again, family is baking cookies, and snow is falling outside. Everything will be okay. Your brain doesn’t just remember safety; it physically relives it.

2. You’re literally stretching happiness across time

   Most people wait until mid-to-late December to finally “feel the holiday spirit.” Meanwhile, the early decorators get not two weeks of joy, but six to eight. It’s the difference between eating an entire box of chocolates in one night versus savoring one piece a day — except the chocolates never run out.

   Psychologists call this “anticipatory happiness.” Research by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman and others has shown that the act of looking forward to a pleasant event often brings more aggregate joy than the event itself. So the people who start listening to holiday jazz and drinking mulled wine in November aren’t “rushing” — they’re simply maximizing the utility of their joy. They are mathematically smarter than the rest of us.

3. Your home turns into a giant “social beacon”

   There was a brilliant experiment published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology: researchers photographed identical houses — some decorated for Christmas, some not. Then they showed the photos to strangers and asked, “Which house would you feel more comfortable knocking on to ask for help?”

   The result was overwhelming: decorated houses were rated as significantly friendlier and more open. It works on a completely unconscious level. Holiday lights and wreaths are universal signals that say, “It’s safe here, it’s warm here, guests are welcome.” In psychology, this is related to priming — when the environment subtly nudges us toward certain behaviors. In a decorated home (or neighborhood), people tend to be more communal and social barriers drop.

4. Christmas lights are light therapy your grandma invented long before doctors did

   In northern countries, seasonal depression (SAD) is no joke. And you know what they do? They start decorating cities in October. Thousands of little lights, candles, and lanterns appear early. And it’s not just for aesthetics. It is a functional substitute for sunlight that helps maintain serotonin levels.

   When you switch on a 200-bulb string of fairy lights in the evening, you are literally treating your brain for autumn darkness. This is chromotherapy in action. The warm glow creates a cozy atmosphere (what the Danish call hygge) that signals to the nervous system that it is time to rest and recharge, rather than panic about the gloom.

5. And what about the “never before December 20th” crowd?

   They’re the ones missing out. Seriously. Data suggests that people who deliberately delay decorating “until the proper time” often experience a shorter peak of holiday mood and return to baseline (or even drop lower into post-holiday blues) much faster.

   In other words, the tradition of “waiting until December” is a cultural convention, not psychological wisdom.

Final thought (without the moralizing)

If you feel the urge to pull out the boxes today — do it. You’re not “weird.” You’re not “rushing the holidays.” You’re instinctively doing exactly what millions of years of evolution and modern psychological studies consider optimal for mental health.

Your Christmas tree in November isn’t bad taste.

It’s a quiet little victory over darkness, anxiety, and grayness.

So let the neighbors grumble.

Turn on the lights, pour yourself some cocoa, and enjoy the longest Christmas of your life.

Because science is on your side.

And so is Santa, by the way.

References

• Werner, C. M., Peterson-Lewis, S., & Brown, B. B. (1989). "Inferences about homeowners' sociability: Impact of Christmas decorations and other cues." Journal of Environmental Psychology. (The core study confirming decorated homes are viewed as friendlier and more cohesive).
• Kahneman, D., et al. (Various studies). Research on "Anticipatory Utility" and the psychology of well-being, demonstrating that the anticipation of an event provides substantial utility (happiness).
• McKeown, S. (Psychoanalyst). General commentary on holiday nostalgia. Frequently cited in media regarding the link between early decorating, the "inner child," and anxiety reduction.