There’s always one, isn’t there? One person, whether it be a friend, family member or overly jolly colleague, who insists on blaring Christmas music prematurely, cranking up songs like All I Want For Christmas Is You as soon as the first leaves of autumn have barely touched the ground.

If this all feels overwhelmingly soon to you, you’ll be pleased to hear that Mariah Carey is having none of it and has officially proclaimed a time stamp before which we must abstain from getting our festive on. 

American actor Katharine McPhee (who is clearly one of those people) tweeted a video of herself on 3 September singing along to Carey’s much-loved Christmas anthem, writing: “Summer is OFFICIALLY over. @MariahCarey, is it time?”

If you’re thinking, “surely this is madness?” we don’t blame you, in fact we’re with you. Just three days into September, with August (the most summary month of the year) barely in the dust, are we really going to condone the start of the festive machine? Well, if Carey’s got anything to do with it, no. 

Responding to McPhee’s tweet, Carey set a hard and fast rule which we think makes sense, writing: “Not yet! Let’s get through Halloween first.”

According to a clinical psychologist, Carey is totally right, for it appears that you’re not being a Scrooge if you ask for Jingle Bells to be banned from the office Spotify: you may just be trying to preserve your own mental health. 

Speaking to Sky News, Linda Blair explains that listening to repetitive Christmas music can cause issues ranging from irritation to anxiety.

“Christmas music is likely to irritate people if it’s played too loudly and too early,” Blair says.

Describing the emotions these kinds of tunes can evoke in us, she says: “It might make us feel that we’re trapped – it’s a reminder that we have to buy presents, cater for people, organise celebrations.”

According to Blair, people working in retail are the worst affected over the seasonal period, because they’re likely to hear the same playlists played over and over again.

“People working in shops at Christmas have to learn how to tune out of Christmas music – because if they don’t, it really does make you unable to focus on anything else. You’re simply spending all your energy trying not to hear what you’re hearing,” she says.

Bah humbug, eh?

Images: Getty / Rex