Trending toward festive
Will this be the year of the “rainbow Christmas tree,” with clusters of glass balls hung in a manner that mimics the spectral colors (violet, blue, indigo, green, yellow, orange, red) that we learned about in grade school? ¶ British retailer John Lewis & Partners predicts the rainbow tree will be a big hit in 2018, and House Beautiful and other design and decor sources agree.
Other experts suggest that we will be seeing a lot of buffalo plaid decorations, animal prints, neon colors and geometric shapes. At Hallmark, in the meantime, a trend forecaster talks about toile “as a new trend for 2018,” turning up in tree skirts, gift bags and wrapping paper.
And don’t forget the fairy lights, listed in several trend reports as essential to this holiday season.
Etsy, which carefully monitors its searches for “holiday decor,” reports that we’ll be seeing bohothemed decorations, neon tones, “modern farmhouse” themes, and “all you can eat decor.”
“This year, shoppers are looking to incorporate the most delicious part of the season into their decor,” Dayna Isom Johnson wrote in an Etsy report on holiday trends. “Searches related to the term ‘foodie’ are up 415%.”
At Pinterest, DIY “Pinners” are searching for inspiration about temporary tattoo and upcycled ornaments (among other decorations), so don’t be surprised if there’s a run on felt, glue guns, nail polish and ink at the local craft store.
Instagram is flooded with images of “wood slice” ornaments that provide a platform for all sorts of messages, such as “Our First Christmas” or “Believe” or “Peace.”
Some of us choose to stick with the decorations that we’ve collected over the years — the glass passport, the baby’s first Christmas photo ornaments, the beaded Eiffel Tower — and add to our collections in a leisurely manner.
But whether we rethink our decorations every
year or cling to our traditions, we probably will be spending money; the U.S. Census Bureau reports that Americans spent about $1.5 billion on holiday decorations last year, and there’s no reason to think that figure will decline in 2018.
Apparently, it’s difficult to resist the beautiful glass orbs, paper snowflakes, felt flowers and politically inspired ornaments that have flooded the market.
In the meantime, here’s a bit of good news for the holiday-obsessed.
An article published in Britain’s Evening Standard suggests that people who get an early start on Christmas celebrations are happier than the rest of us. Alexandra Richards’ report quoted a psychoanalyst who said “decorations are simply an anchor or pathway to those old childhood magical emotions of excitement,” so “putting up those Christmas decorations early extends the excitement.”
Amy Morin, a Florida psychotherapist, said something similar to Katie Kindelan at “Good Morning America.”
“For most people,” Morin says, “decorating for Christmas reminds us of the best times in our lives. Thinking of those happy memories stirs up happy feelings.”
Perhaps a new ornament or two might be just the thing to inject a little fun into your holiday madness.