In recent months, I’ve joined the wave of people quitting Twitter in the name of improving their mental health. After many years the doomscroll has finally come to me…but I’m not going to do anything crazy e.g. productive With this new time, I’ve been using TikTok more lately. While I was scrolling out there (not doomscrolling; just regular kind of scrolling), I kept hearing “Cheesy Christmas” and wondering “What is Cheesy Christmas?”
Well…I found out and I hate it.
correct. I No Hate cheesy Christmas. I hate this title. Because as far as I can tell, a “tacky Christmas” can only really be defined as “a holiday decoration that doesn’t appear to be carefully planned to look good on social media.” Are there lights on the tree? Cheesy Christmas. That Elmo ornament with your name on it that your grandma gave you for your first Christmas? Cheesy Christmas. Santa Claus lighting up the front yard? Cheesy Christmas. Foil? Oh, you better believe this is cheesy Christmas.
Basically, if it brought you joy as a kid, it’s considered tacky now. It’s the antithesis of an “aesthetic Christmas” or, as I’ve decided, I’ll call it a “boring Christmas” from now on.
Luckily, there are plenty of people on TikTok who don’t have this devious nickname at all.
“Why do we call it a tacky Christmas tree?” marveled @jessicacampbellco. “[Those are] The tree that grew up with me!
“Christmas tree decorations shouldn’t be stylish, elegant and minimalist!” urges @whilefloriansleeps. “It looks like your house must be filled with joy. It’s probably a little tacky.
If my cheeky tone doesn’t quite give me away: I am firmly On the “Chessy Christmas” team, but I prefer to think of it as “Traditional Christmas” or “Nostalgia Christmas” or “Not So Serious Christmas.” My tree proudly displays decorations for about 40 years. The Mouse Dove is perched next to a crumbling card star I made in kindergarten that once had sparkles on it but now just crumbled Elmer’s glue. There are pictures of my kids and plastic fairies and about 12 different hedgehogs, because at some point, people started seeing me as the hedgehog lady. (No complaints; they’re not wrong.) My cape included a skull in a Santa hat, a singing gingerbread man stuffed toy, and a bird that looked like a mushroom, which I bought at Target under the name Got it on sale for $3.50.
None match. None are coordinated. There are no themes or anchor colors. despite this? The resonance is flawless.
Look, if a beige monochromatic Christmas tree adorned with tasteful, carefully matched gold ornaments brings you joy: I would never suggest you do anything else. What is this holiday season if not joy?
But please don’t call everything else “tacky.”
