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Are We Finally Getting Rid Of Minimal Christmas?

Mandy Rychlik Student Contributor, Texas A&M University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

For the past couple of years, it has been a worldwide trend across social media to have a minimal Christmas. If you have never seen the viral lifestyle, it is all about simplicity. A minimal room usually has neutral colors like white, beige, gray, or soft earth tones, and now, a few millennials are converting this to Christmas. But where is the spirit? All the fun colors and life of Christmas have gone down the drain these past few years, but now is Gen-Z finally bringing it back? Is the influence to stop minimal design finally getting to these parents? 

Personally, I need the minimal lifestyle gone. Who would want to live in a world without color, especially on Christmas? Growing up with the multi-colored tree, mismatched stockings, red and green wreaths, and random wrapping paper was crucial for the feel of Christmas. The vibes are what made Christmas so special, and now nostalgic. Yet, that feeling was taken away by the minimal lifestyle that social media loves so much. 

This Simplistic lifestyle went as far as gifting beige and white toys for children on Christmas. I’m sorry, what kid would want a bland toy to engage with? Kids need to see color. Bright toys spark imagination and make playtime exciting. While minimal decor might look aesthetically pleasing to adults, children do not care about matching neutrals or curated shelves; they care about fun. Stripping away color for the sake of an aesthetic Christmas is going to ruin the nostalgia of the holiday season. Don’t you want your kids reminiscing about how fun and vibrant Christmas morning used to be?

While this trend had its time, people are now starting to hate the minimalist style. Mostly Gen-Z is raging over all social media platforms about bringing back life into Christmas, ‘Clowning’ on adults who thought a basic Christmas was a good idea. Comments like, You won’t catch me with an aesthetic looking Christmas, Tacky and colorful all the way, and I don’t care, but this modernized stuff is awful. I will never stop with the color; it is giving hope and influence to all generations to bring back a magical Christmas. 

Now in 2025, it feels like the spirit is slowly coming back. I don’t think people realize how much Gen-Z adults are changing our lifestyles back to the way they used to be. Maybe it’s because we yearn for the Christmas feel again, or we just want to slow down time and take it back to how it used to be. The hating on minimal Christmas may be making an influence finally. I hope people start to remember how Christmas is supposed to be.

As we get older the spirit of Christmas feels like it fades away. The stresses of college and adulthood catch up to you and the holiday season feels like a chore. Moving forward, can we just remember what the Christmas spirit is all about. Although you may be older and overwhelmed with responsibilities, take a moment and remember. Remember what it used to be like when you woke up on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought you. Remember the feeling of warmth when your mom put on Rudolph and served you a yummy cup of Hot Coco. Just because you may never be that young again and full of magic, you can still have a magical and memorable Christmas. Decorate your tree with colorful ‘tacky’ lights, gather with friends and family, enjoy the simple warmth and connection that makes the Christmas season feel so human and heartfelt and lean into a joyful mindset. Share it with your generation, and pass it down to your kids. Romanticize your Christmas, and I am sure each year you can live your holidays to the fullest, because why wouldn’t you? 

Mandy Rychlik is a writing/editing team member at the Texas A&M Her Campus chapter. With a big passion for writing and storytelling, she covers a wide range of topics including entertainment, lifestyle tips, fashion, and wellness.

Currently, she is a junior Journalism major at Texas A&M, with a minor in AG Communications and Journalism. She has a few published works on Texas A&M’s newspaper, The Battalion, and continues to expand her work. In addition to Her Campus, Mandy is an active member of Texas A&M’s Sigma Phi Lambda sorority, sisters for the Lord, emphasizing the importance of community.

On her own time, she enjoys early morning Bible studies and coffee runs. She is a big music girl who enjoys all genres, but especially Folk and Yacht Rock. When looking for some crazy, wild times, she loves to have Harry Potter movie nights with her friends and go antique shopping with an iced matcha in hand. Along with writing, she has a big passion for photography and brings her camera with her everywhere. Romanticizing her life, she captures the little moments in life that will have beauty and meaning now and in future generations.