Sorry TikTok, Christmas Doesn’t Come With a Rulebook

A Ralph Lauren Christmas Has Taken Over This Holiday Season

🎄 It’s November — and I’ve officially got Christmas on the brain!
It’s been a couple of years since I’ve really gone all out at home, so this year I’m ready to deck the halls big time.

But then I stumbled on this new TikTok craze called “Ralph Lauren Christmas.” At first, I thought people were just talking about some Ralph Lauren holiday decor line — nope. It’s actually a whole aesthetic that supposedly captures the “Ralph Lauren vibe.” Translation: traditional red and green… with a rulebook thicker than A Christmas Carol.

Apparently, you can’t use bright green, droopy garland, holiday signs, or gift bags. You can’t mix plaids, use overhead lighting, or even put gifts under the tree unless they match your chosen wrapping paper. And if your house has gray or white decor? Sorry — you’re out. So now, women everywhere are purging perfectly good decorations just to fit this sudden trend.

This, right here, is why I can’t stand most trends. They’re pretentious, fleeting, and designed to make us feel like we need to start over and shop ‘til we drop — which just happens to benefit retailers who are mysteriously ready with all the matching merch. 🤔

I admit, it’s very beautiful and classic. But to me, Christmas decorating isn’t about perfection or performance. It’s personal and should reflect your memories, your family, your story. The best part of Christmas is the nostalgia — not recreating someone else’s, but cherishing your own.

My home has three Christmas “themes” — Midcentury, Rustic, and Beachy. This decor has taken years to collect — all built from things we love and memories we’ve made. Some years, one of these styles happens to be “on trend,” which makes for easy shopping, but when it’s not, I am just as content to find treasures at thrift stores and yard sales because I’m not changing to suit someone else’s standard of what Christmas should look like. Likewise, I absolutely love seeing how others express their traditions and tastes. That’s what makes it so special.

So, let’s skip the rulebooks and TikTok checklists this year.
✨ Decorate how you love. Celebrate what truly matters. Viva la difference — and Merry Christmas, your way! 🎁