I Hate Grinch Christmas
Plus "Hot Frosty," more Mariah Carey, and budget Christmas destinations
Because Thanksgiving is so late this year, I already feel “behind” in my Christmas planning. That includes my Christmas tree. I like to put up my tree the day or two after I throw my annual Friendsgiving. But this year, that will occur next weekend, only a handful of days before the actual Thanksgiving holiday and the start of December. And in my Christmas-obsessed brain, that feels like a failure. I guess I could start now, but why break tradition?
Until then, I guess I’ll just obsess over other people’s Christmas trees. That’s the theme of this week’s newsletter. What are the new Christmas tree trends? Why does social media play such a part in us diversifying our aesthetics? And what style surprisingly lasts?
One More Thing: I’m working on interviews and a photo roundup of trees from friends, family, and readers of “The Christmas Cache.” Interested in taking part? Shoot me an email at thechristmascache@gmail.com.
O Christmas Tree
“I’m starting to move more away from gaudy Christmas and more toward upmarket classic,” I texted my sister last week.
“Thank God. LOL,” she replied back.
Excuse me?
But it’s kind of true. I do love a sparkle, a sequin, an inappropriate amount of glitter. And although my taste for the sparkly has died down as I’ve gotten older (peaking in my mid-20s when I used to wear silver sequin shorts … to work), it hasn’t truly gone away. I went to the Tinashe concert on Wednesday and, although my outfit was black on black on black, I still managed to swipe a coat of gold shimmery eyeshadow from my Huda Beauty palette.
When it comes to my Christmas tree, this translated to disco ball ornaments, rose-gold colored glitter-covered tree picks, and tinsel draped over every branch. This year, the disco balls and tinsel will stay, but I’m also intrigued by what else is out there.
Enter TikTok.
Like with the rise of Christmas nostalgia, TikTok has been a perfect gateway into discovering what is “trending” in Christmas decor. And to be quite honest, I’m not really a fan.
Grinch Christmas, with its topsy-turvy tree topper and abrasive use of a highlighter-like neon green makes me physically uncomfortable. How could colors that work so well on the small screen in an animated special feel so abrasive in the real world? Yet people have embraced it wholeheartedly, at least right now. Whether this will last remains to be seen, but it’s very presence signals a significant shift in how we “do” Christmas.
I can only think of a handful of styles from when I was growing up, and none were particularly distinct. Think “Classic Christmas,” with its subtle use of burgundy red and forest green, or “Vintage Christmas,” with its abundance of multicolored lights and quirky, individualistic ornaments. As a family, we just “decorated our tree,” with my mother handling most of the aesthetic decisions. If there were any specific choices being made beyond “not ugly,” she never expressed it to us.
But now, I see intention, aesthetic, and color (or lack thereof) with every swipe on the screen.
One twentysomething creator who I adore for her puffy Selkie dresses and doll-like makeup choices decorated her home in all pink. And reader, I don’t hate it. In fact, I find it quite delightful. Even her Black Santas and Nutcrackers had pops of pink.
Another creator—who has made a name for herself through product hauls, CleanTok, and aspirational organization—recently put up her massive, pre-lit, 10+ foot tree and NO ornaments. Last year, I thought I just missed her video decorating it until she posted a clip of herself on December 26 taking the rest of her decorations down, and there was no ornament in sight. Her minimalist Christmas, largely built on neutral colors like white, cream, browns, and beige, is a millennial trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon (much to my chagrin).
On the flip side are the highly stylized creations crafted by the Southern tree stylists. I haven’t quite fallen in love with their creations, which often feature vertical use of ribbon and volleyball sized ornaments, but I’ve been fascinated by their choices—and their high-paying clients who book their services months in advance.
All of that is to say that Christmas is what you make of it. This applies to the tree as well. It is your tree in your home. You will be surrounded by it for weeks (Or for some folks like me, who don’t take down their tree until the week before they head to Mexico in early February … you’ll be surrounded by it for months). It should speak to your tastes, your loves, your aesthetics, your joy. For that’s what a Christmas tree actually is, at least nowadays—a wondrous, tangible piece of joy.
See
Hot Frosty: I’m rooting for Lacey Chabert as she makes her Netflix Christmas romcom debut with Hot Frosty. After recent reports of Hallmark executives questioning her age, I hope she can successfully make the transition away from the channel and on to better pastures. Hot Frosty stars Chabert as a widow who brings a “sexy” Snowman to life. Silly, but I think most of us could use a little of that nowadays. Out now, Netflix
Jingle Bell Run: For me, it’s not Christmas without an Andrew Walker Christmas movie, and this is the first to premiere on Hallmark this season. This one revolves around The Great Holiday Dash, a Christmas-themed reality competition show, and, of course, a budding romance. Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Hallmark
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland: St. Nick and his reindeer head off to Wonderland after receiving a delayed letter from the Princess of Hearts. While there, they meet the Queen of Hearts, who hates all things Christmas. This looks lovely and sweet, and it stars many big names, including Gerard Butler, Emilia Clarke, and Simone Ashley. Out now, Prime Video
Style Me for Christmas: Mario is on my shit list, but I love Raven Goodwin and BET Christmas movies always make me feel nostalgia for the Christmases of my youth. Out now, BET+
Skip
Meet Me Next Christmas: I know I recommended this last week, but I was wrong, y’all.
My episode of the City Cast Chicago podcast is out today, and in it, I talk a bit about the inspiration behind “The Christmas Cache” newsletter. Give it a listen!
According to Heepsy, an influencer marketing platform, Chicago (where I’m based) and its Christkindlmarket is one of the best budget Christmas destinations in the U.S. This is due to our reasonably priced hotel options and abundance of mid-range dining choices. Other cities on the list include Philadelphia and its Christmas Village, Boston and its SoWa Winter Festival, and St. Paul, Minnesota’s European Christmas Market.
Follow Up: According to a recent analysis from SlotsCalendar (whatever THAT is), Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the most-played Christmas song on Spotify with more than 1.82 billion streams, earning over $7.35 million in revenue. And according to a report from The Economist, the track has earned Carey $60 million in royalties between its 1994 release and 2017. I guess she really IS the Queen of Christmas. Wham!’s “Last Christmas” is the second most played (where’s Brenda Lee???) and it’s earned over $6.16 million in royalties.
It’s always so funny to me how angry Brits get over “early” Christmas decorations, even though they’re the ones who begin pre-orders for their advent calendars in August.
Advent of the Week
Palais des Thés Advent Calendar: This 2024 tea advent calendar is both practical and cost-effective. I gave the 2023 version to my mom last year, and she enjoyed the variety of options. And unlike wine, cider, or food-based advent calendars, this is one that is easy to actually use. $38, Palais des Thés
Everything Else
Skull Illumination Lacquer Keepsake Stationery Set: This is more of something that I want for myself, so if there’s any friends or family reading this … $150, Good Juju Ink
Iron & Glory Wooden Poker Set: Sometimes, it feels like “gifts for men” are just elevated versions of everyday items and games, yet this one looks particularly nice. I’m a fan of leaning more into wood than plastic, and this set seems built to last. $80, Bespoke Post
And one final thought, laughing and crying … until next time!
Love this!