Want To Get Happy? Put Your Christmas Lights Up Now!

Putting up Christmas lights and decorations. It's either a treasured and valued family tradition, something that everyone in the home looks forward to with glee.

Or it's a gigantic pain in the...neck, something that has to be done (and done as quickly and painlessly as possible).

But if you do it now, you'll be happier. Wait, what?? It's only September for cryin' out loud! Halloween is still weeks away. Thanksgiving isn't even on the mental radar yet. And Christmas? Heck, I'm just trying to get to the end of the week!

But 'tis true. According to Good Housekeeping, if you want to inject a bit of joy into your life right now (and I would agree, we could all use some joy in these trying and uncertain times), set up your Christmas tree and lights and decorations as soon as possible.

The 'experts' that say this point to those stores that seem to put out Christmas displays way too early. The secret is a technique psychologists call savoring, a way to fully absorb life's special moments. In other words, thinking about a holiday extends its bliss, its joy.

One study found that, as an example, the anticipation in the weeks leading up to a vacation is a big part of the happiness the vacation itself brings.  Hmm..so anticipating Christmas is part of the joy of Christmas.

You can check out the article here.

I dunno. Maybe. But man-o-man, it seems like way to early to be thinking Christmas. Do some of the stores have Christmas stuff out already? If they do, maybe they know something we don't.

Oh and Happy Halloween! And Happy Thanksgiving. And yes, Merry Christmas!