“What are we asking for this Christmas?” “The top 10 gifts of the season!” “Must-haves for Christmas 2024?” “What are the “IT girls” wearing this holiday season?” The list goes on and on, with video after video flooding our feeds convincing us that we need to purchase more and more items.
Teens and young adults everywhere are constantly bombarded with what the holidays “ought to be like” on popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. From expensive gifts to unrealistic holiday hauls, this content leaves many feeling dissatisfied, as if they’ve fallen short of what’s considered “normal.” This creates unappreciative children, increases pressure on parents to provide costly gifts and fosters a general sense of dissatisfaction surrounding the holidays.
In today’s culture of social media, many users turn to influencers online to tell them what to wear, do, visit, and in this case, what to ask for Christmas. These influencers flood the internet with videos recommending certain products — many of which are sponsored and also far outside the budget for the average American family. Examples include the Dyson Airwrap, which retails for almost $500; $150 Aritzia sweat sets and $60 skincare and makeup products from brands like Drunk Elephant or Charlotte Tilbury. When teens and young adults constantly see these videos, they come to view these items as the status quo — which is painfully inaccurate.
These wishes, built in the minds of teens and young adults, quickly turn into strong desires. Pressure is then placed on parents and gift-givers to provide these expensive items, many of which are simply not affordable for most families. This leads to overwhelming disappointment on Christmas morning when these gifts are not received. And this cycle repeats year after year, as people’s growing desires stem from an online version of life that isn’t even real.
Feelings of financial pressure and crushing disappointment are not typically associated with the holidays — and they shouldn’t be! As a society, we need to remind ourselves that the over-publicized lives of influencers on the internet are far from reality. Receiving the “top gift of the season” will not make your life like theirs — and that’s perfectly okay.
If you are personally struggling with comparing your holiday season to the curated lives of influencers, here are a few reminders I encourage you to reflect on. First, remind yourself that these videos are not reality. Many of the influencers posting these videos are getting paid to promote products that were gifted to them by companies. Spoiler alert: they can’t afford them either! Social media is their job. It is not embarrassing to buy “dupes” of popular products or to simply have no interest in what these influencers recommend. No product will make or break your life the way it’s portrayed online.
This holiday season, I strongly encourage you to practice an attitude of contentment. What you have is more than enough. A unique, heartfelt gift from a grandmother will hold far more meaning than a trendy item you saw on TikTok. I urge you not to trade your real-life happiness for an online life that isn’t even authentic.