I’m dreaming of a very specific Christmas. One that I’ve only known from the holiday movies. It looks like this: my future home is decked out in green tartan cushions, velvet ornaments and bushy garlands. A gargantuan Christmas tree covered in vintage teddy bears takes centre stage, while a cozy fireplace roars in the background. The smell of freshly baked gingerbread wafts through the air (through a reed diffuser, not my actual baking).
This, according to TikTok, has a name: a Ralph Lauren Christmas. Named after the U.S. retailers’ decadent festive window display at its Fifth Avenue flagship store, this visual language is about channelling an old-money, polished Americana vibe, achieved by decorating your home in plaid furnishings, traditional Santa stockings, heirloom silver, velvet ribbons, pine-covered garlands, and much more. Really, it’s just the latest thing to gain a foothold among consumers tethered to the fast-moving TikTok microtrend cycle, which continually fuels our penchant for acquiring stuff. Just look at last year’s coquette trend, which saw people dressing their Christmas trees in ribbons and neat bows.
