The Christmas season is marked by a chill in the air, the smell of baked goods, and most of all, by the decorations put up around the house. Sometimes they’re brand new, and other times dusty and old. Ornaments, bells, and wreaths are hung in various colors. On social media, different decor trends have risen each year. In 2020, decorations leaned more retro and nostalgic. “Barbiecore” fueled the pink Christmas trend in 2023, and Ralph Lauren Christmas gained popularity in 2025. The rapid consumerism of Christmas decor is making companies money, but as a result, twisting our holiday season into a manic time of overconsumption.

This year’s trend, Ralph Lauren Christmas, features deep tones such as oxblood, navy, and espresso. The tartan pattern is also common, but the theme focuses more on classic minimalism rather than sparkly maximalism. Items featuring Ralph Lauren symbols and designs aren’t very commonly owned, and the prices for these decorations tend to be steeper. 

These decoration styles can be classified as microtrends. A microtrend is a short-lived trend that lasts a few weeks to a couple months. These trends help businesses adapt to consumer needs and stay relevant by easily following trends, but force companies to quickly produce more items, and therefore fueling overconsumption. In addition to diminishing the holiday spirit, this habit is not only expensive and fuels commercialism, but is also linked to pollution, use of excess water, and gas emissions. In all, these Christmas microtrends are bad for the environment and promote unhealthy overconsumption. Love, hope, and joy surely aren’t reflected through producing extra trash that goes into landfills. 

“The desire to display wealth or social status through conspicuous consumption can drive individuals to overspend,” states Neo Textile, a textile recycling company. 

Shopping provides consumers with a dopamine hit that allows them to feel instant gratification and pleasure for their purchases. It’s fun to go shopping, but it’s clear that we don’t need new decorations each year. A good set of ornaments, tinsel, and a wreath should last years. In fact, there are do-it-yourself decorations you can make for fun too! Gather art supplies and the whole group can partake in a Christmas craft session. The simplest path to fixing the consumerism of the holiday is to reuse and create your own easy decorations. Put up the old tree, throw pillows, and dusty garlands. Decorations don’t have to be brand new or completely cohesive to be tasteful and fun. A nostalgic, colorful Christmas is just as enjoyable as a gray and minimalist one.

So, are these microtrends taking away from the nostalgia and meaning of Christmas? To many, the holiday season is a time to be with family and friends and celebrate each other’s presence, but feeling like one needs to buy new decorations can put pressure on those who are struggling financially and ultimately take away the essence of Christmas with consumerism and the potential flaunting of money. It’s important to shift your focus to what truly matters during the holidays—the people around you, the food, and the time spent bonding with others. Both your wallet and the environment will thank you.