If you’ve opened TikTok lately, your For You Page is probably overflowing with clips of the viral Ralph Lauren Christmas. This holiday aesthetic is taking over homes all over the world, trading in last year’s minimalist, neutral trees for rich red-and-green plaids, gold accents, and cozy, old-money charm. However, many roll their eyes at this trend, claiming social media is just creating a classic and nostalgic Christmas into a trend. But, behind the deep red bows and cute teddy bears lies the growing culture of holiday overconsumption
At its core, the Ralph Lauren brand embodies timeless elegance, featuring felt green and red ornaments, gold candlesticks, and family portraits set against the backdrop of rustic mansions. When TikTok revived this aesthetic, it became a symbol of sophistication, marking a return to the “traditional” Christmas. Influencers swapped out their minimalist, neutral Christmas trees for maximalist, luxury ones, turning the holiday season into another trend.
The trend’s popularity makes sense: after years of quiet, neutral décor dominating our feeds, people craved something warmer, nostalgic, and storybook-like. However, it also blurred the line between celebration and consumption. Many users now feel pressure to recreate the Ralph Lauren look, not because it brings them joy, but because it’s trending.
​​Scrolling through your feed, it’s easy to feel like your Christmas isn’t “aesthetic” enough. The algorithm haunts us every day, the $200 velvet tree skirt, the matching gold ornaments, the plaid wrapping paper. Even the cozy sweaters and cocoa mugs seem like a requirement.
This isn’t just harmless fun; it’s a symptom of a deeper issue. Every year, Americans discard millions of pounds of holiday decorations, wrapping paper, and plastic packaging, the nation seeing a 25% increase in waste during the holiday season. Many of these products are single-season trends that won’t resurface next year, replaced by whatever TikTok decides is the new “it” Christmas.
You don’t need to match the next big trend to have a beautiful holiday. The heart of the season isn’t about matching aesthetics; it’s about connection, tradition, and meaning, which can become overlooked by the overconsumption surrounding the holidays. The truth is, your holiday doesn’t have to look like your for you page to feel like yours. Maybe the new trend isn’t Ralph Lauren Christmas — maybe it’s remembering why we celebrate in the first place.