I know of people who think no one should even utter the word “Christmas” until Thanksgiving is over. I’ve known other people who would switch out their pumpkins for snowflakes before you could say “Santa.” 

Personally, I fully understand the reasoning behind both sides; but the way I see it, there is no such thing as starting preparations too early for Christmas. 

As long as I am not causing a disturbance, if I want to listen to Christmas music during spring, summer, or fall, there is no reason that I should have to worry about other people thinking it’s inappropriate for the time of year. 

Likewise, if I don’t want to trade my hot chocolate for a pumpkin spice latte, I should be free to not do so without judgement.

I can still sympathize with people who oppose the idea of preparing earlier, since they might feel that it is inappropriate to give spotlight to one holiday before proper recognition is made toward its preceding holidays, for sake of fairness and upholding a sense of yearly structure. As we all learned in elementary school, no “cutsies.”

But even so, there are plenty of people who acknowledge Thanksgiving as soon as stores roll out turkey decorations around the week of Halloween anyways. 

People are able to make preparations for Christmas as a sort of “background activity” while appreciating other fall holidays in all of their glory. Those who know they will become more preoccupied during December may have no choice but to decorate, buy gifts, and plan events during the earlier months while they have the time to spare.

I know I’m certainly not the only one who takes advantage of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to do Christmas shopping, so I don’t see any harm in starting Christmas preparations a bit early. As an avid planner, I can admit that there is no greater feeling of satisfaction than when my preparations are finished before they need to be. 

The simple sensations of peace and confidence that come from being prepared allow me to fully enjoy what’s to come, which in turn makes the overall experience better for the people around me.

Above all else, I believe there are no reasons to stop taking joy in something simply because it’s “out-of-season.” 

If my happiness comes from seeing a lit up tree in the living room, I shouldn’t need to wait to put it up. 

If my favorite scented candles are peppermint and gingerbread, I’ll still be lighting them in the summer. 

If my reindeer socks put me in a good mood, I’ll wear them year-round. 

Ultimately, if getting in the Christmas spirit is your serotonin boost, there is no such thing as preparing too early. After all, it’s never too early to be happy.