How Your Christmas Decorations May Give Away Your Age

[ad_1] Whether or not you’re the kind of one that places the Christmas tree up as early as attainable, otherwise you’re slightly extra final minute (Christmas Eve, anybody?), the way you select to brighten is massively important.

Actually, your festive décor can say rather a lot about your total fashion. Luxurious, minimalist, or sentimental—it’s all mirrored within the ornaments that adorn the branches. Because it seems, your Christmas tree doesn’t simply showcase private style, however it can be a surefire approach to inform somebody’s age.

Certainly, every era has a really particular person tackle design the right Christmas tree, based on inside designer Terri Brien. She advised Newsweek that the most important key to inform somebody’s age by their tree is "how dedicated they're to ‘stuff’ they’ve collected over time."

Is their tree crammed with sentimental baubles and handmade decorations? Or do they select a distinct fashion yearly?

<img id="11156046" alt="" caption="A stock image of a woman hanging a bauble on the tree." captionoverride="A stock image of a woman hanging a bauble on a Christmas tree." src="Iryna Melnyk / Getty Images" sourcealt="" sources="[]" fetchpriority="auto" loading="lazy" width="7000" height="4666" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent;aspect-ratio:inherit;object-fit:cover" sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 1536px, (min-width: 768px) 768px, 100vw" srcset="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=640&quality=80&webp=1 640w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=750&quality=80&webp=1 750w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=1000&quality=80&webp=1 1000w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=1200&quality=80&webp=1 1200w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=1360&quality=80&webp=1 1360w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1 1600w" bad-src="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2218652211.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1"/> The Tinsel Era In case your tree appears like a field of tinsel exploded, chances are high you’re in all probability a Child Boomer (individuals born between 1946 and 1964). Boomers got here of age through the 60s and 70s when tinsel was the last word vacation ornament. It was festive, shimmery, and most significantly, loud.

Brien, the principal designer and proprietor of Terri Brien Interiors in Southern California, defined that boomers are inclined to desire funky and mismatched ornaments on their tree.

She stated: "Not having social media to inform them what the most recent pattern is, you’ll often see tinsel, perhaps a picket toy soldier lacking an arm, or a Santa who as soon as had a glued-on beard and now simply has the sticky remnants the place it was once.

"A few of it's handmade within the 70s, some handed down from grandparents. There isn’t actually a theme besides Christmas (and naturally, the tinsel). Not only a strand right here and there however handfuls dragged throughout the branches. It’s nostalgic, and slightly chaotic in essentially the most charming manner."

It’s All Concerning the Themes Whereas boomers have a tendency to not go for any discernible themes, Era X (born between 1965 to 1980) adopted their very personal fashion.

As an alternative of a chaotic tree that screams retro, Gen Xers desire particular themes and coloration schemes, Brien explains.

"Generally which means all silver and white, or white and gold, a clear sparkle that feels coordinated," she continued.

"However then there’s the opposite Gen X aspect that went daring within the 80s and 90s. Teal, sizzling pink, chartreuse, purple ornaments, typically shiny, typically metallic. Just like the rebel was ‘something however our dad and mom’ tree.’"

Baubles That Inform a Story The millennial Christmas fashion lands someplace in the midst of Boomers and Gen X. Whereas the era born between 1981 and 1996 likes to have some semblance of coordination, it’s not fairly as extreme because the Gen X themes.

Suppose intentional however with a slight edge.

"Coordinated, however not matchy-matchy. Possibly a clear fashionable look combined with a sentimental contact. Just a little popular culture decoration formed like a slice of pizza sitting subsequent to a glass icicle. One thing from favourite travels, a DIY decoration right here and there, however not too many as a result of life is busy," Brien continued.

Sentimental decorations can flip a millennial’s tree into considerably of "a reminiscence tree," Brien added.

As millennials got here of age through the social media period, they are often simply swayed by traits. They love styling the tree primarily based on Pinterest boards or taking inspiration from influencers to edit their tree, however they received’t sway too removed from their norm.

"Millennials love a curated coloration palette—terracotta or sage inexperienced and heat neutrals, brass bells. It’s a second of retro however softened and extra aesthetic," Brien advised Newsweek.

<img id="11156108" alt="" caption="A stock image of a man holding a box of baubles." src="DragonImages / Getty Images" sourcealt="" sources="[]" fetchpriority="auto" loading="lazy" width="6720" height="4480" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent;aspect-ratio:inherit;object-fit:cover" sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 1536px, (min-width: 768px) 768px, 100vw" srcset="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=640&quality=80&webp=1 640w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=750&quality=80&webp=1 750w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=1000&quality=80&webp=1 1000w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=1200&quality=80&webp=1 1200w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=1360&quality=80&webp=1 1360w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1 1600w" bad-src="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/GettyImages-2241623956.jpg?w=1600&quality=80&webp=1"/> Inflatable Extravaganza For those who keep in mind going previous homes with an enormous inflatable Santa Claus and Snowman exterior, (and perhaps even a Rudolph perched on the roof for good measure), you in all probability grew up within the Nineteen Nineties.

Maybe you’re persevering with this pattern now in your personal dwelling to embrace the enjoyable of Christmas.

Your vibrant driveway décor will be the speak of the neighborhood however be ready for individuals to know that you just’re a Gen Xer or millennial.

The Rise of Minimalism Do you like a sparse-looking tree with muted tones? Possibly some picket Scandinavian fashion ornaments. If that’s your vibe, you’re in all probability Era Z (born between 1997 and 2012).

Many Gen Zers (and youthful millennials) love to make sure their décor is Instagram-worthy by choosing a minimalistic strategy. However based on Brien, there are others who will gladly change their fashion every year and go from fundamental to daring.

"Gen Z leans into a complete totally different vibe," Brien stated. "You’ve bought those who love a robust fashion and can chase the most recent pattern. One season is perhaps Scandi minimal with barely-there lights and easy paper ornaments. Subsequent 12 months it’s maximalist tartan Ralph Lauren vibes as a result of TikTok stated so."

She continued: "Then there’s those that need their tree to mainly say ‘I don’t care.’ Their tree feels prefer it's a set of no matter fell into their laps. Hand me downs, bits from the thrift retailer or one thing funky they discovered on the greenback retailer that made them snigger."

Whereas Boomers and Gen X might maintain onto decorations for years, Gen Z aren’t as tied to their ornaments. The oldest Gen Zers are of their late 20s this Christmas, so it’s unlikely they've any long-standing traditions simply but.