Study: People who decorate for the holidays appear happier and friendlier

If you haven’t already started decorating for Christmas, get to it. People who decorate for the holidays are happier and appear friendlier to their neighbors, according to research listed in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

“There’s something about the holiday season that serves as a reminder of the past,” Very Well Mind reported. “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,” added the outlet.

Researchers also suggested that decorating your home’s exterior for the holidays could be a way to participate in social activities and gatherings in the neighborhood.

“As expected, a main effect for the decorated factor indicated that raters used Christmas decorations as a cue that the residents were friendly and cohesive. Decoration interacted with sociability in a complex but interpretable way,” researchers found.

According to Better Homes & Garden, decorating for the holidays not only helps increase happiness, it can also create amazing memories for you and your family by providing uninterrupted family time, allows room for you to create new holiday traditions.

“Thinking about positive images is one way to help prevent stress or anxiety. Decorating your home may serve as a cue of positive memories and emotions, which can be really helpful to promote joy and prevent sadness.” psychologist Erlanger Turner, an assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, told HuffPost.