Imagine you walk into your home and all you see is a white tree and white ornaments. Though you’ll have the feeling of Christmas, it won’t be as fun as a colorful tree with multi-colored ornaments. We all know Christmas is meant for a lively, colorful feeling, but a new minimalist-inspired “aesthetic” growing in popularity online feels like it’s trying to get rid of the life of Christmas.
Although social media influencers would make you believe it’s cooler to have an aesthetic, beige-tinged holiday season, Christmas is meant to be its natural colors: red, green, brown, and gold.
Read more for our argument for bringing the color back to this holiday season:
Why is the “Minimalist Christmas” trend so appealing? We tend to associate subdued, understated colors with the upper middle and high class—think the “quiet luxury” or “old money” trend you see on social media related to clothing and hair. Influencers or people who want to be internet-famous have applied to this home and seasonal decor, often posting photos of an “all-white” Christmas for likes or reposts.
Who’s most likely to fall for the “Minimalist Christmas” trap? People who are chronically online. Influencers on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can give us an unrealistic vision of the world. It’s important to look up from our screens and look around us to see what the world really looks like before being staged, cropped, and filtered.
What’s the problem with having a “Minimalist Christmas”? In my opinion, the aesthetic of white and beige is skewing our perspective of colors in design overall. Color psychology tells us that our brains and emotions are affected by color even at a subconscious level, especially young children. What message might be we sending to kids (and each other) about the purpose of the holiday season?
Although white can be appealing to the eye year-round, it’s ok to embrace the natural and traditional colors of the season: red, green, and gold. Christmas is meant to be a joyful and jolly time for society. Why make it so bland?
Don’t limit your seasonal expressions of joy for a silly social media aesthetic. Fill your space with the things you love and don’t hold back. Let’s focus more on spending time with the people we love, not curating a perfect feed aesthetic. The holiday season is a time for enjoyment, so do the things you love and have fun!
