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Why decorating for the holidays early can be good for your mental health
The Halloween pumpkins had barely made it back into storage when Tina Beardsley Lascha of Cocoa Beach started hauling out her Christmas boxes.
After a difficult year and a frightening health scare in her family, she was ready for some early cheer.
On her Christmas tree, the ornaments, collected from every place she’s traveled, brought back a flood of good memories and a sense of peace.
"Christmas decorating is a great distraction," Beardsley Lascha said. "Decorating early and prolonging the festive feeling of the season really helps — and I say if it makes you smile, do it and who cares what anyone else is doing.”
While some consider it appropriate to wait until after Thanksgiving before they start pulling out the lights and seasonal decor, more and more people are opting to begin the Christmas countdown much earlier. According to one survey, nearly a third (34%) of all Americans planning to decorate for the holidays will do so before Thanksgiving. But for many, getting a head start on holiday décor isn’t just about putting up twinkling lights — it’s a way to boost their mental well-being.
Why your brain loves holiday decorations:
Dr. Tamir Aldad, is a board-certified psychiatrist and the CEO of Mindful Care, a virtual mental health organization, offering same-day access to psychiatry and therapy throughout Florida. Aldad said there is “real psychological merit” to the idea that engaging in traditions can make people feel more anchored and emotionally balanced.
“As a psychiatrist, I often see patients use familiar rituals to create stability and boost mood, especially during stressful periods,” Aldad said. “Putting up holiday decorations early can tap into nostalgia, structure and positive anticipation, all of which activate the brain’s reward pathways and can temporarily reduce anxiety or sadness.”
For some, he said it also fills an emotional void, offering a sense of connection or comfort when life feels overwhelming.
“I absolutely think decorating early helps mental health – it’s helping mine,” Beardsley-Lascha said.
why holiday cheer helps us cope:
While she and her family normally put up their Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving, Mindy Tanner, a clinical therapist with LiveWell Behavioral Health in Viera, said this year they’ve already been out for a couple of weeks — primarily because her 13-year-old daughter “begged her” to do it early — and that got Tanner thinking.
Like so many families, they’ve weathered their share of difficulties this year — but health issues affecting both her and her husband added an extra layer of strain.
“While Christmas is mine and my daughter's favorite time of year, perhaps her desire — and mine if I'm honest — to put the decorations out so early, correlates to the difficult year we've had,” Tanner said. “Christmas is such a happy time of the year, and when someone is feeling down or upset, thinking of Christmas makes them feel that joy, even if it isn't Christmas yet.”
Tanner said she's also noticed a lot of other people putting out holiday lights on their homes early.
“Most people have fond memories of Christmastime as a child or spending it with close loved ones and putting out Christmas decorations and unwrapping family ornaments — like the ones my children made in elementary school — is a way to bring those fond memories closer and remind us of the times when we felt happy,” Tanner said. “If putting out Christmas decorations and playing Christmas music helps you get through difficult times or just generally puts a smile on your face, you should go for it. Everyone needs a ‘happy.’”
tapping into that christmas joy:
As a licensed therapist, Carmen Harra, holds doctorates in clinical psychology, clinical hypnotherapy and alternative healing — she is also the published author of several books including, “Everyday Karma.”
According to Harra, decorating for the holidays isn’t just a personal choice and its timing can reflect different elements about our mental state that she believes stem from three distinct needs.
to creATE A SENSE OF PURPOSE & REWARD:
When we perform positive actions, Harra said, we activate the reward section of our brain which releases "feel-good hormones" and provides us with a sense of personal satisfaction.
“Decorating early may indicate a need to fill an emotional void or fuel a sense of purpose otherwise not easily attainable,” she said. “Beyond just giving a person something to do, the elaborate task of preparing a home for Christmas proves to be comforting and rewarding on a deep level, perhaps filling an emotional cavity that has long been felt.”
TO RELIVE SOMETHING THAT WAS LOST:
Holiday decorating naturally evokes nostalgia — and at times, a bittersweet longing — because for many, the ritual brings back the simplicity of childhood and the warmth of family unity.
“We grew up watching our family members embellish trees and string lights across windows. To continue performing such actions is to keep alive the sacred art of family traditions,” Harra said. “Some people who decorate early may be attempting to bring back something they lost, whether a family member or a youthful feeling of contentment.”
TO BRIDGE PAST & future:
Harra explained that because most of us associate Christmas with happy memories from our younger years, we want to pass on the wonder of the holidays to future generations — and whether we do it for our own children, or in general, decorating early demonstrates a desire to bridge past and future.
“By sharing a glimpse of the unrestrained joy that only Christmas can bring,” Harra noted. “It offers a sense of anticipation and excitement that becomes permanently stored in our hearts and minds, long transcending the holiday season and taking on a unique meaning for each of us.”
CREDIT: https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/11/19/why-urge-to-put-out-holiday-decor-christmas-decorate-holidays-mental-health/87322882007/
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