Christmas Music Too Early Can Cause Stress & Anxiety: Here's Why

As it turns out, cranking up the Christmas tunes too loud and too early can actually pose some serious mental health problems for some people. I was a little taken aback by this because I'm one of those people that loves a little early season celebrating. However, experts say it could, in fact, do more harm than good.

According to clinical psychologist, Linda Blair, “Music goes right to our emotions immediately and it bypasses rationality. Christmas music is likely to irritate people if it’s played too loudly and too early. It makes us feel that we’re trapped—it’s a reminder that we have to buy presents, cater for people and organize celebrations. Some people will react to that by making impulse purchases, which the retailers like. Others might just walk out of the shop, it’s a risk.” In other words, it might not be the best move for a store to play Christmas music on repeat as it could repel customers. In that vein, officials with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers in the U.K. released a statement saying, “We ask employers to consider the staff who have to listen to Christmas music all day, because playing the same songs repeatedly can become very irritating and distracting.”

Part of me wonders, however, if they have done a study on the effects of the music this year. I mean, all this clinical research they have done had to have been prior to 2020, right? And let's be real here- 2020 hasn't exactly been a freakin' cake walk. So to those that say a little early holiday tune crankin' is a bad thing, I say poo poo your opinion. Celebrating the holidays may be the only fun thing any of us actually get to do this year.

So blow the speakers out of your car with a little Mariah Carey and teach your kids all the words to Dominic the Christmas Donkey (there aren't that many) and allow yourself to get lost in the magic and wonder of the holiday season. And, if anyone else tells you otherwise, tell them to stop being such a scrooge.