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'It's so much happier and joyful': Millennials rally to defend 'tacky' 90s Christmas decor

Nostalgia wins over "Beige Christmas" this year.

Photo credit: Canva

Maybe "tacky" wasn't the right word, TikTok.

You can see a resurgence of maximalism everywhere. From "dopamine decor” to “more is more” fashion, it’s clear that by and large, attitudes are shifting away from restrained elegance and towards more colorful, perfectly imperfect, and most important, fun aesthetics.

That goes for Christmas too. Matching ornaments in varying shades of “sad beige” have been on their way out for a minute now, but this year, people (many nostalgia driven millennials) are enthusiastically rallying behind the concept now formally known on TikTok as “tacky” Christmas.

If you grew up in the 90s, you already know what a “tacky” Christmas looks like. A kaleidoscope of blinking lights, kitschy ornaments that follow zero theme but have some kind of special meaning, and tinsel. Tons and tons of tinsel.

Is it over-the-top? Yes. Gaudy? Perhaps. But that’s the point. As TikTokker @athomewithsyro put it, “Christmas trees are not supposed to be sleek and classy and minimalist: it’s supposed to look like JOY has thrown up in your house.”


@athomewithsyro GIVE ME ALL THE JOYFUL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS! I have been collecting @christopherradkoco ornaments for over 30 years, and honestly, I will never get over how beautiful they are. While I admire soft Christmas decor, it may surprise you to find out nas that I subscribe to a "more is more" esthetic when it comes to Christmas; it's not about matching my decor. For me, it's about the joy of the season, and nothing says that quite like tons of color, especially Christmas red. #nostalgicchristmas #classicchristmas #christmastree #christmasdecor ♬ original sound - athomewithsyro

Others were inclined to agree. “If it doesn’t border on tacky, you’re not doing it right,” one person wrote in the comments.

And to prove this point, people are posting videos of their own “tacky” Christmas decor, showing that there’s nothing tacky about it at all, but rather festive and childlike. You know…just like Christmas is supposed to feel, one might argue.


@enchantednails_byebony childhood "tacky" christmas complete!🎄 #christmas #tackychristmas #90schristmas #christmasdecorations #traditonalchristmas ♬ Christmas - neozilla


@haywardlegends Kids these days will never understand the feeling we had when we walked in after school to a room full of tinsel & streamers #haywardlegends #1990s #nostalgia #90snostalgia #nostalic #christmas #1990sthrowback #1990snostalgia ♬ The Polar Express - Main Theme by Alan Silvestri - Dominik Hauser


@esally5 My Husband wanted a Christmas tree that reminded him of his childhood. So I decorated our tree with a 90s theme. Had to add our ornament from Alaska🎄😘 #christmastree #tree#christmasdecor #Christmas #christmaslights #northpole #santashouse #alaska #ornaments #90s #nostalgia #nostalgic #multicoloredlights #tinsel ♬ original sound - Erica Sally

"It's not tacky at all, it's exactly how Christmas should be," one person declared. "This is how it should be." While another person commented "It just looks so much happier and joyful though. I much prefer a tacky, colorful tree.”

Another echoed, “Feel like being 6 years old again and sneaking in to watch the Christmas tree after everyone had gone to bed.”

“You cannot look at that and be sad,” said a woman named Maisie Isabella as she showed off her own “colorful, ‘90s, tacky, sexy,” Christmas tree.

It seems even the White House is in full support of this vibrant, whimsical trend for it’s Christmas look this year.

And since the word “tacky” is what folks really took umbrage with, some other less offensive alternatives were thrown into the mix, such as “90s’ Christmas,” "Nostalgic Christmas,' and "Traditional Christmas." Because for many, these titles better capture the sorts of positive feelings that colorful, not so coordinated Christmas decor can evoke.

Everyone who celebrates Christmas can probably agree that it’s a time of year for doing what sparks real joy. Maybe for some that does mean neutral and understated, and that’s fine. For others, it means a cornucopia of color and passed down handmade ornaments. Also fine. But please, for the love, let us choose whatever aesthetic that does light us up in one way or another, and not because we’re trying to fit in with a trend. We have 364 other days of the year to worry about that.

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Family

Woman shares the 'ultimate hack' for busy people needing to declutter fast

A cleaner home in a matter of minutes.

@aesthetically_ally_/TikTok

Okay, this is brilliant.

When the Work From Home era began, many of us got excited at the possibility of being able to maybe, juuuust maybe, keep our home a little cleaner by doing some sprucing up in between productivity sprints. But alas, reality has set in.

Instead, there’s the constant distraction of messes that need to be cleaned up, items that aren’t where they should be, piles upon piles of stuff that seem to appear out of nowhere. All of this goes double for WFH folks with kids.

And being more aware of clutter is no doubt one of the main reasons why cleaning hacks are all the rage on social media. Besides the fact that there’s just something so primally satisfying about watching stain removal.

One super easy hack, created by a mom and therapist who goes by @aestetically_ally_ on TikTok, is being hailed as the “ultimate” decluttering method, particularly for moms. (But really, this could work for anyone).

“If you’re looking for a busy working mom hack to keep your sh*t together during the day, during the week and not feel totally overwhelmed and overstimulated when you walk into your house, keep listening,” Ally says at the top of her clip. “I can’t stand having a dirty house or a messy house. For me, that is my overstimulation nightmare.”

And this is where the “cleaning cart” comes in.

Ally then shows a simple, white rolling cart with three shelves—something you’ve definitely seen at a staples or Ikea. The idea is you can roll this cart around your home and pick up any debris that’s taking up unnecessary spaces. Toys, crafts, shoes, hoodies, etc. Then you place the cart up against a wall. And voila, a clutter free house in minutes.

Ally adds the caveat that “obviously we’re going to have to put those things away.”But still, she affirms that “t is so much nicer to just not have those things cluttering all of the flat surfaces in your house.”

“It helps so much with that overstimulated feeling that you get when you have to come in after a crazy busy day and have to start taking care of everybody and everything,” she says.

@aesthetically_ally_ Mom hack. Lmk if you try! #cleaninghacks #cleanhouse ♬ original sound - Aesthetically Ally

Down in the comments, people were totally on board with the idea. Many already did a form of it with laundry baskets, but really loved the ability to wheel the junk around. A few even wanted to go above and beyond by labeling each section with a family’s member’s name, so that it made reorganizing easier later.

Still, a few shared concerns that this could easily become “doom piles,” or "Didn't Organize, Only Moved” piles, commonly associated with people dealing with ADD/ADHD, which never actually get sorted and become more overwhelming in the long run.

However, an article from Real Simple has some expert backed tips to keep those piles from taking over, which can be helpful for those in the ADD/ ADHD community, or just folks trying to avoid bigger messes.

One trick is to keep a small, manageable sized basket, and to not let it overflow. This is where a small, compact cleaning cart could really shine.

Other suggestions include using a timer and emptying out the cart or basket in 15 minute increments, or implementing a reward system for emptying out said cart. Essentially, creating easy-to-accomplish, bite sized tasks, and finding a way to associate with something pleasing. A good basis for any goal, really.

Perhaps in an ideal world we wouldn’t need things like cleaning carts. But we live in reality. And reality is messy. We are all just doing our best to juggle multiple, simultaneous responsibilities while holding onto our sanity. If rolling a cart around and throwing junk in it helps that cause, even just a little, then it’s probably worth trying.

By the way, Ally has more tips where that came from, which you can find by following her on TikTok.

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Family

Husband shares how he used to think of himself as the 'main character' of his marriage

"I had to unlearn it because it never was okay."

Left image via Unsplash / Right image Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones

Husband believed he was the "main character" in his marrage

There is certainly no shortage of stories from women highlighting the glaring disparity between society’s expected responsibilities of husbands vs. wives. Some are a bit more lighthearted, poking fun at the absurdity. Others reflect utter frustration and had-it-up-to-here-edness with partners not doing their share of the work.

However, self-proclaimed “Clueless Husband” J Fisher’s honest, thoughtful retrospection on the subject shows that it’s not just female partners noticing that things need to change.

In a now-viral TikTok video, Fisher describes how he used to consider himself the “main character” of his relationship.

What exactly did that look like? Early on in his marriage, it looked something like this:

“Say we'd be going on a trip. My partner at that point in time would be doing the laundry, vacuuming the house, making sure the dishes were done. I would think, I would literally think like, ‘Well, yeah, we don't have to do that. That's you wanting to do that. It's not what I want to do,’” he explained in the clip.
@jfisher62 What NOT to do as a husband #fyp #husbandsoftiktok #wivesoftiktok #fairplay #parenting #feminism #dismantlethepatriarchy #relationship #marriage #support #partnering ♬ original sound - J Fisher

Fisher later shared how his wife would then get everything ready for said trip, while he would simply pack for himself. This continued even after they had kids. It became worse, actually.

“My partner would do all the work to get all of them ready to make sure they were bathed, snacks packed, and I would get myself ready.”

Looking back, Fisher can plainly see how this behavior was “not okay.”

But how did he think this was acceptable in the first place? After some reflection, he realized that it was simply the standard being modeled to him from an early age.

“I saw my own father do this quite a bit where he would take care of his own needs. So, I know I didn't learn it from nowhere," he said. "But I also had to unlearn it because it never was okay. I thought that my role was to do all these things outside of the home and that the home was women's domain. I saw that modeled and even taught as the way it should be, but, oh my gosh, is that not partnership? And that sucks.”

After coming to this revelation, Fisher’s opinion is that if you approve of this division of labor, that you “shouldn’t be in a relationship.”

Hard to argue with that.

Hoping that he can further illustrate a better partnering mindset in a way that “may help it click for some guys,” Fisher has all kinds of insightful TikToks focused on taking accountability and expanding emotional intelligence. In them, he often names therapy, setting boundaries, finding community and accessing personal joy (rather than relying on a partner to fulfill all emotional needs) as major tools for creating a more equal relationship.

@jfisher62 Good intention ≠ Truly loving 💔😔 “I’m Sorry” doesn’t begin to do it justice. #fyp #foryoupage #marriage #longtermrelationship #partner #husbandsoftiktok #wivesoftiktok #accountability #healingjourney #grief#stagesofgrief #dabda #acceptance ♬ original sound - J Fisher

And perhaps the best part—there doesn’t seem to be so much shame around the subject. Fisher acknowledges his own goodwill while still admitting to displaying less-than-healthy behavior. It’s hard not to feel like if maybe this kind of honest, yet compassionate reexamination of gender stereotypes were more commonplace, we’d all collectively be a lot farther ahead.


This article originally appeared on 5.4.23

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Pop Culture

Europeans asked Americans about life in the US and here's what they said

Americans explain tipping, political media, public transit and more.

Photo credit: Canva

A side-by-side photo of the European flag and the American flag.

Over on Reddit, Europeans asked Americans different questions about American life, covering every topic from tipping culture to favorite landmarks to football fascination (not to be confused with soccer, of course).

It’s clear from the candid conversation that there are both many wonderful, awe-inspiring things Americans take for granted, and things that, well…aren’t exactly superior, despite USA pride.

Still, it’s interesting to see what mundane aspects of living in the US, both good and bad, might be a source of fascination to someone living outside the country. It can, after all, be easy to forget that the world contains a vast number of lifestyles, and one of the biggest benefits of existing in the modern age is being able to explore those different ways of life. Hopefully physically, but sometimes a good old fashioned internet thread does a pretty good job at giving us insight.

Check out what Europeans wanted to know about America below:

1. "Americans, do you think that political extremism is rising as drastically as it's portrayed in media?” -Jo-Gama

“Unfortunately, yes. The media likely makes it out to be worse than it is, but by doing so, they continue to push people in that direction.” -Fat_Feline

“I think the media makes it sound worse than it is. We’re mostly aware it’s a problem, but we have so many other things to worry about. Rising prices of food, housing and gas affect us way more on a daily basis than racial/political issues. That being said, I also think that the fact we have protests and people speaking out means there’s a large part of this country that is actively working towards change. It’ll just take a while because many current politicians have been alive since polio was a legitimate concern to Americans.” -carminie
america vs europe, reddit, politics, media, fake news

"The media certainly amplifies extreme voices, but the day-to-day reality is that those voices are all around us.”

Photo credit: Canva

“I've seen it in person…Discourse is growing further and further from center and no one wants to talk about it anymore. My parents would often hold parties where their friends would talk politics and sure, maybe get a little heated - now politics is a no-go zone because no one can get along. Conversations evolve into arguments and fights and it's just not worth it. And it's leading a lot of people with differing views to refuse to mingle together, which makes things worse. The media certainly amplifies extreme voices, but the day-to-day reality is that those voices are all around us.”uarterRobot

2. "Do you acknowledge your heritage from European countries?”Mitchelljvb

“Yes, Americans love learning about their ancestry, we have DNA test and tv shows where people will learn about their families past. Most people with European ancestry are able to track their family to the original country they came from.”Nimzay98

3." How can y’all call football (soccer) a boring sport but like American football, which has like a billion interruptions, and baseball, which has close to zero action?” -TheCatInTheHatThings

“I think people dislike football (soccer) because of the lack of scoring, a team can make 10 attempts at goal and end up not scoring but the other team can make 1 attempt and make it in. And that one goal may be the only goal for the whole game. American football, on the other hand, with its yard system, means that any progress by either team ultimately counts towards the end result. There is also more scoring.As an American, I do not understand why anybody watches baseball. That still eludes me.” -rand0m-nerd

“Which city in the US has the best public transit system in your opinion?”RoboGen123

“New York City, hands down.” -kmobnyc

“Chicago over NYC imo.” -Uhhsoka
america vs europe, reddit, subway near me, public transit near me

A photo of people riding the subway.

Photo credit: Canva

4. "Do you ever get tired of how big your country is? Like getting from state to state could take much time as getting to France from England.” -pasta_and_lobster

“Not at all. It’s actually one of the things I love most about the states. If you’re into outdoorsy activities, you’ll never run out of new places to explore.It’s also nice to be able to travel so far without the need for a passport.” -anonandlit333

“Yep. Only problem is gas money lol.” -SouthernMuadib

5." Do you believe the US educational system needs a reform?" -lotlotov

"Which US education system? It has like 3000 different education systems.” -Due_Satisfaction2167

“It’s a very real and scary problem that our government is choosing to ignore.” -wildflowersandroses

“Yes. It’s inequitable. Our taxes fund education, so rich towns have great school systems while those with lesser means get a lesser educational experience." -Username_goes_here_0
america vs europe, reddit, education

"Our taxes fund education, so rich towns have great school systems while those with lesser means get a lesser educational experience."

Photo credit: Canva

6. "How tf does the imperial system work?” -Small_Cock_Jonny

“It's mostly based around units that are intuitive and useful for daily tasks rather than scientifically rigorous. An inch is about the…the length of your top thumb joint…A foot is 12 inches because 12 is easily divisible by a lot of things, you can break it into quarters, halves, thirds, sixths or twelfths…The temperature scale goes from 0 degrees, which is about as cold as it naturally gets most places and also corresponds to the coldest temperature that saltwater can be before freezing, up to 100 degrees which is about as hot as it gets most places and also is close to the temperature of the human body. Overall there is a lot more emphasis on being able to cleanly divide things into halves and quarters, which doesn't exist in metric. A pound is 16 ounces so it can be divided in half four times. A gallon is 16 cups, for the same reason. A cup is 8 ounces. All powers of two.” -Cryptizard

7. "Your favourite place in the us? (city, landscape, landmark, whatever)" -Ovreko

“This is kind of a cop out but National and State parks, Teddy Roosevelt did us good by protecting our natural resources for recreation.” -RosePrecision

“I'm probably biased but southern California is a great place to visit. There's a lot of climate diversity thanks to the mountains and deserts. There's also the beaches, although I do think Hawaii has better beaches. New Mexico and Arizona are good to visit if you like indigenous culture.” -FantasyBeach

“North Carolina…. Such a slept on state, I miss that place. Mountains, beaches, food, major colleges, and nice cities all within 3hrs.”-Piff370z
america vs europe, reddit, american landmarks

"Teddy Roosevelt did us good by protecting our natural resources for recreation.”

Photo credit: Canva

8. "What’s with you guys and tipping, don’t get me wrong it’s great to tip but the way you guys make it seem bothers me.” -Armysars

“Companies don’t pay their workers. It’s not entitlement but survival, especially if you’re on a tipped wage. You make around $2 per hour if you are under this wage. Keep in mind that you would need at least double minimum wage to afford an apartment.” -Alarmed_Inflation_68

“It annoys us too. It gets worse year over year as well. I would rather we pay people a liveable wage from the outset than have them survive on tips. Tipping culture won't go anywhere though, it gives business owners an excuse to pay their employees as little as possible.” -Fat_Feline

9. "What do you learn in ‘science class’? Don’t you have separate classes of like physics, chemistry, biology etc.?”-Gilbert_Grauschwanz

“Usually the early years are clumped together as 'science class.' When you get to middle/high school, the classes are separated. I remember taking earth science/geology, biology, physics, and chemistry.” -Arumidden

“The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”-Alexandria-Rhodes
america vs europe, reddit

“The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”

Photo credit: Canva


10. "Since WW2 the US has been at the forefront of innovation and has been responsible for many of humanity's great accomplishments during this period…Does this give you a sense of pride or is it not that important from your perspectives?”Torridesttube69

“Honestly my national pride depends solely on who's criticizing my country. A fellow American criticizing our economy? "yeah dude this country's a shithole" A Brit*sh tourist criticizing our economy? "🇺🇸America🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅greatest🦅🦅 nation 🔫💪💪💪 on earth 🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸" -overcork

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