On Halloween night, Google Trends reported what everyone was expecting — Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” began rising in popularity as it does every Christmas season. Many of us are eager to trim our trees before Thanksgiving, but others argue that it’s too early to start the festivities. I say we put this debate to rest and let people deck the halls whenever they want.

After a long year of cancelled events and being distanced from loved ones, I think we all need a little Christmas. In the midst of a pandemic, celebrating early can be a useful coping mechanism to get us through the cold months ahead.

Earlier this year, people celebrated “Christmas in July” in the hopes that decorating their homes like it was December would bring cheer to an otherwise cheerless isolation.

According to Steve McKeown, a psychoanalyst, “In a world full of stress and anxiety people like to associate to things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of childhood.”

“Decorations are simply an anchor or pathway to those old childhood magical emotions of excitement. So putting up those Christmas decorations early extends the excitement,” McKeown said.

If celebrating Christmas early doesn’t harm anyone and is a comfort to many of us, why is it so frowned upon?

Some people think rushing into Christmas takes away from time for Thanksgiving, saying it’s an important family gathering holiday. However, Christmas decorations don’t take away from those special bonding moments. Thanksgiving can still be celebrated whether or not there’s a tree in the living room.

Christmas is a joyful time of year and in times like these, a little extra joy can go a long way.

So the next time a neighbor puts up twinkle lights in November, don’t be the Scrooge that kills the joy. Celebrating Christmas early isn’t a crime — it’s a valid way to cope with life and we should respect it.