549-Why Christmas Makes Us Happy Pt.2

In this mini-series on Why Christmas Makes Us Happy, we dive into the fuzzy feelings of Christmas and why they are present year after year. Today, we continue with my hypotheses on associated Christmas happiness. 

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and yesterday we talked about how associated happiness brings about Christmas cheer every year. Today, we are diving into my hypotheses on how that associated happiness came to train our minds in the first place. 

 

My first thought was ritual practices. A consistent ritual is preached crossing varying fields of science to improve your health and boost your mood. It can be as simple as a morning family meeting, Wednesday date nights, or doing yoga at 4 pm sharp every day. On a larger scale, Christmas is just one big ritual made up of a bunch of little rituals. 

 

We see it in trimming the tree, wrapping presents with your spouse on Christmas Eve, attending Christmas morning church, eating your favorite holiday quiche, and so much more. Every family has its own set of rituals, and new families enjoy combining and creating new traditions together. Like I said earlier, one of my favorite family rituals is matching jammies! 

 

These rituals provide people with something to look forward to, much like a vacation, and the anticipation of the event creates just as much happiness as the event itself. Piling them all together, there is much to look forward to and enjoy!

 

The second theory is the forging of social connections. We frequently talk about how vital social connections are to one’s happiness. Studies have shown that building, maintaining, and celebrating our bonds in life are crucial to our happiness. Christmas is a dedicated time to connect with others, whether it is friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers.

 

The sheer amount of holiday gatherings most people attend is astounding. We are talking Christmas parties, work events, church gatherings, dinners with friends, gift-giving with loved ones, volunteering in the community, and so much more. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but this time that is expected to be with others truly benefits our happiness.

 

That’s it for now, but tune in tomorrow to learn the other two theories behind associated Christmas cheer! 

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