Anyone who is already eating pepernoten is a happier person

Can't help yourself and are you also getting bag after bag? With truffle flavor, chocolate, red velvet, apple pie?, apple pie? Those who love pepernoten can score the first ones in the supermarket from around the end of August.

And that's a good sign, research shows. Because everyone who is already eating pepernoten is a happier person, it turns out. Ha. All those people who can't wait until it gets a bit more wintry …

Here's the thing: those who indulge early with all the sweets around this holiday already feel completely in the festive spirit on a rainy Tuesday in October. That pepernoot seems so small, but brings something big with it. Namely: memories of that fun time in December. You think back, unconsciously, to the time when you were still a child and were nervous about the bag of presents at the door. You found it exciting when there was a knock on the door. And you sang all the songs of Piet who went cycling but behaved nicely in front of the fireplace. Putting out your shoe, all the excitement for the big December 5th, being spoiled with everything you had put on that wish list… Sinterklaas is a real children's party.

And even when you're an adult, you might still feel the need to go back to that time. Nostalgia, as they beautifully say. You eat pepernoten because it secretly makes you happy with the memories of that childhood AND if you do it already in October, you stretch that happy holiday feeling. You are happier, more optimistic, and have a more positive outlook on life than when you only allow yourself this around December 5th. The more you stretch the feeling of those holidays, the better. So: buy taaitaai, marzipan balls, and also some chocolate letters. Just because you can.

And yes, this also applies to everything related to Christmas. British psychoanalyst Steve McKeown and psychotherapist Amy Morin have researched people who bring out their Christmas decorations early. What turns out? Their research shows that these people are a lot happier. It really makes you happy, therefore. Who's getting another bag of sweet pepernoten, and possibly some Christmas wreaths in advance?