Nostalgic Christmas pictures I've taken!!

 

Social media killed the magic of Christmas

 The last few years social media has been flooded with posts saying Christmas "doesn't feel magical anymore" and "isn't the same".

The thing is though... Christmas hasn't changed. You have.

But that's okay, because the reason you changed isn't your fault. It's because the internet has become significantly less accepting of anything outside of the "norm". All these posts first showed up in around 2022 for the most part. What happened in 2022? We all went back to the judgement of real life after two years of being able to be whoever we wanted without judgement.

People have made trends out of making fun of how they dressed and acted in 2020/2021. But as much as that time sucked in many ways, it was also a time when people could be honest about who they were again. Suddenly there was no worrying about people from school judging you because you didn't have to see them again for nobody knew how long.

People got back into their "nerdy" and "childish" interests they were previously bullied for. People dressed in styles they were previously afraid to. People were happy, and I think that was the last time most of Gen Z experienced real self expression.

Christmas isn't fun if you're pretending to be something you're not.

Christmas isn't fun if you refuse to take part in activities because it's "cringey". 

Christmas isn't fun if your childhood of opening toys on Christmas morning is replaced with opening things a bunch of random influencers told you to buy instead of things you really want.

Christmas isn't fun if you decorate with beige.

Social media killed individuality, and with it, it killed the magic of Christmas.

Well, influencers did.

I don't actually think social media is the problem. I think influencers are the problem. People look up to them and trust them far too much for the fact that their job is to be a living advertisement. Nothing an influencer says can be trusted. No product review is honest. They are being paid to say the things they tell you about these things you suddenly think you need even though they bring you no joy.

Influencers are professional liars, yet everyone blindly trusts them and structures their lives around what they say.

Free thinking has been lost for so much of this generation, and then they wonder why they're so miserable, but their entire life is a performance.

Christmas will never feel the same if you are denying yourself all of the things that made it feel how it felt before. "That's cringey!!" Too bad. Go watch a kids movie, decorate a gingerbread house, and cover your house in rainbow Christmas decor. Colourful lights, nutcrackers on every shelf, random ornaments with personal meaning instead of aesthetic themes, buy a classic chocolate advent calendar, ask for what you actually want for Christmas instead of looking up "Christmas wishlist 2025" on TikTok and asking for the first thing your told to.

THINK. FOR. YOURSELF.

You will be so much happier, and not only Christmas will feel magical again, but life will too.

Random things that bring me joy!!

 Everywhere you turn it seems like the internet is full of nothing but negativity lately. So, I'm making a list of things that bring me joy instead.

My stuffies!!

I LOVE stuffies. I always have one with me. I take one with me every time I leave my room. Even if I leave the house, there's usually a stuffie with me. When I was still in school I took mini ones. Now I usually take JJ, my pink Build A Bear bunny, everywhere.

Duffy & Friends!!

My collection started with a single Duffy bear when I was a kid. I think I got a few more Duffy's between then and seriously starting to collect. I eventually saw a Shellie May bear in a gift shop at Disney World and absolutely HAD to have her. I bugged my parents about it the entire trip. Since then my sister collected a bunch of Duffy and Shellie pins for me. Since then Disney has released a couple more Duffy friend stuffies and I have all of them!! And Shellie May's book.

My birthday was even themed to them!

Collecting nostalgic toys!!

There's just something so comforting about having my childhood toys, and toys I wanted as a kid, in my room. I also love collecting other nostalgic stuff like my Doc McStuffins backpack!

Christmas & Christmas movies!!

Who doesn't love a good cozy Christmas movie? I'm watching A Charlie Brown Christmas while I write this and it feels like the emotional equivalent of a nice warm hug.

And the whole Christmas season is pure magic. Pretty lights, candy every day from advent calendars, Christmas villages, Christmas updates in games, hot chocolate... It's just all so perfect.

Bluey & collecting Bluey stuff!!

I have become super obsessed with this show since I first watched it. How could I not love an adorable cartoon puppy? I love Snoopy, and Scooby, and Pluto... Bluey is sort of just the natural progression of things. I have tons of Bluey stuff around my room and it always makes me so happy to see. So much so that my Christmas Bluey blanket has become a year round blanket so I can have Bluey all year :)

And last, but honestly the best...

My  blankie/baby blanket!!

Let's be honest, everybody has a blankie or a special stuffie they can't sleep without. This one doesn't need much explanation.

My favourite 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons!!

I'm Canadian and celebrated Thanksgiving in October. However, I still love a good parade and cute balloon. So, here's some of my favourites from this years parade.

First, before we get to the balloons I have some honourable mentions...

Now, balloons!

Mario

A childhood classic. Who doesn't love Mario?

Dora The Explorer

I was obsessed with Dora as a kid. While this isn't the exact version of Dora that I grew up with, the nostalgic part of me still loves this balloon and the fact that she's still relevant to the current generation.

Snoopy

Of course, another childhood classic. I grew up watching the Thanksgiving and Christmas movies at school every year. I also continue to watch them now, because I finally found them on DVD.

Bluey

Not a childhood favourite, but definitely a current favourite. I love this show, and the balloon is adorable.

The Pillsbury Doughboy

Back to the classics. Grew up eating Pillsbury Halloween and Christmas cookies every year. Still eat them every year. Had to include him.

And last, but certainly not least. Not even close to least...

Minnie Mouse

I LOVE old Disney. Actually, I love almost anything Disney. But I really love the Fab 5, especially Mickey and Minnie. A childhood staple that stuck with me into adulthood. Pure happiness in the form of a cartoon animal.

Bluey Christmas pictures!!

 

Decorating for Christmas!!

 I finally got my Christmas decorations up!!

Of course,  can’t decorate without the appropriate playlist…

THE COMPLETED TREE!!

I love it. It’s like an explosion of all my favourite things!!!!!

Now it’s time to show off all my favourite ornaments. The extra special ones. I’ve had some of these since I was a kid.

Though admittedly, I made Santa and Mrs Claus last year.

My Mickey village!! Because why would I get a regular Christmas village when Disney made one???

And finally, my nativity scene. Which I honestly thought I had lost last year, but I found it again!!!!

My sister also found some more Christmas movies in the basement for me. I haven’t watched any of these since I was a kid, and I don’t really remember them. So it’ll be like I’m watching them all for the first time again.

And not shown in this are my Winnie the Pooh mini Christmas Funko Pops from last year’s Advent calendar, and my Christmas puppy. (A wooden figure of a puppy. He wears a cute little scarf).