Early Christmas Lights Help Depression, Psychologist Says

In case you haven’t noticed, the holiday season appears to have started early this year.   A 900-pound star has been placed on the top of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree  is sure to get even the Grinch in the holiday spirit! Families and local governments all over the country have already begun decorating for Christmas. And that’s a good thing, says Dr. Krystine Batcho, professor of psychology at Syracuse’s Le Moyne College. “Lights, which obviously are associated with joy and bring back a lot of good memories, are a way of alleviating depression, sadness, feeling down, anxiety, stress,” Batcho says.  “All the things the pandemic has increased."