TOO MUCH too soon?

There are some people who have munched halfway through their advent calendar before they even begin to think about dragging the box with the festive decs down. As long as it's up before Christmas Eve, then it's all good in their eyes. Then there are others, like a neighbour of mine, who can't even wait for Halloween to be over before they plunge feet first into festive cheer. I'm talking Christmas tree up in the window by the end of October, stockings, tinsel, Wham! blaring out from the speakers, Christmas movies on the TV 24/7...

- By YASMINA FLOYER

How early is too early when it comes to Christmas? Is it all just harmless fun, or are there any consequences to engaging with the festive season way ahead of time? Integrative depth and trauma psychotherapist, Maria Nazdravan, tells me that she believes in people giving themselves permission to do whatever they want, as long as it's not harmful.

'The world would be a much better place if we allowed ourselves to be more eccentric and worry less about what others think,' she says. 'Who says you can't put up your Christmas decorations early if you fancy it? Or blast Mariah Carey singing All I want for Christmas in the middle of June?' Nazdravan specialises in trauma treatment, where creative resources are seen as a critical factor in healing and wellbeing. Resources are things you can do to help you cope with stress or even distress, so you can bring yourself back to a state of safety.

‘They can be internal, like breathwork or movement, but also external, like calling a friend, engaging in a hobby, having a spiritual practice, or being in nature,’ she explains. ‘If someone is having a tough year, then I can see how decorating their home early, putting on Christmas music, or setting up dinner with friends can be very resourceful – as long as these are cues for safety and belonging. After the year we've had, I wouldn't judge anyone who felt the need to bring the holiday cheer early.’

What Nazdravan says about allowing ourselves to do as we wish really speaks to me, yet she also speaks to the boundaries of safety and belonging. When it comes to celebrations such as Christmas, which are seasonal and steeped in tradition, I wonder how important it is to draw boundaries around these special moments? I discuss this with Eimear O'Mahony, a senior counsellor and psychotherapist at First Psychology, who specialises in the topic of boundaries.