Sunlight catches on a pine garland strung with gingham bows and tiny copper bells in Jenna Brooks’ living room. Behind her, garlands of dried oranges and apples hang above her fireplace, overlooking a Christmas tree decorated in warm, earthy tones.
At 28, Brooks is recreating the kinds of Christmas decorations she made as a child. This year, she and other members of Gen Z, the cohort born between 1997 and 2012, are looking to bring that spirit into adulthood, and they’re documenting the trend on TikTok.
Across TikTok, videos showing how to make felt ornaments, paper chains and dried orange garlands under hashtags like #homemadechristmas and #diychristmas have racked up millions of views.
For Brooks, crafting by hand is about holding onto the meaning of the season. She remembers clipping branches from trees to dress the fireplace mantel, baking shortbread cookies with her mom and crafting Christmas ornaments from household items like salt dough, popsicle sticks and pasta.
“Gen Z has very much grown up with the online world and so really being bombarded by that through all of our young lives, I think people are craving that return to a more tangible experience,” Brooks says.
