And What It Reveals About Identity, Presence, and the Need to Feel Real
Every December, something curious happens online.
Amid the chaos of ads, sales, and algorithm-curated perfection, TikTok fills with handmade ornaments, imperfect wreaths, thrifted decorations, and living rooms that look unmistakably… human.
DIY holiday culture isn’t just trending—it’s interrupting the feed.
At first glance, it looks like nostalgia. Or thriftiness. Or a cozy seasonal aesthetic. But beneath the glue guns and mismatched ornaments, something more revealing is happening:
People are trying to feel present again.
The Collapse of “Perfect” Holidays
For years, the holidays have been increasingly professionalized:
- Pinterest-ready homes
- Influencer-approved traditions
- Retail-designed “magic”
The result wasn’t joy—it was performance.
Somewhere along the way, celebration became another identity project. Another chance to measure worth against an invisible standard of how life is supposed to look.
DIY culture quietly pushes back against this.
Not by arguing—but by creating.
A crooked ornament doesn’t apologize. A handmade garland doesn’t compete. It exists exactly as it is, without explanation.
And that’s precisely why it resonates.
Why DIY Feels So Different
DIY holiday content works because it bypasses the identity layer entirely.
When someone makes something with their hands, attention shifts:
- From outcome to process
- From validation to engagement
- From appearance to experience
This isn’t about being anti-consumer or anti-technology. Many of these videos still live on highly optimized platforms.
The difference is where attention is anchored.
For a moment, the mind stops narrating who this is for—and rests in what’s happening now.
That pause is what people are responding to.
Presence Is the Real Trend
The word “cozy” gets used a lot to describe these videos. But what people are actually sensing is presence.
Presence feels warm.
Presence feels grounding.
Presence feels real.
Modern life rarely encourages this state. Efficiency, productivity, and self-branding reward abstraction—thinking about life instead of being in it.
DIY reverses the direction:
- Hands move before thoughts
- Mistakes aren’t edited out
- Time stretches instead of compressing
The result isn’t content. It’s contact.
Identity Without the Costume
One of the quiet revelations of DIY culture is how little identity is required to participate.
You don’t need:
- A niche
- A brand
- A message
You just need to make something.
This matters because identity—when overused—becomes heavy. It turns experience into responsibility.
DIY strips identity down to its lightest form:
This is what I made.
No justification. No positioning. No promise of meaning beyond the act itself.
Ironically, that’s where meaning shows up.
The Holidays Were Never the Point
The holidays are simply a convenient doorway.
What people are responding to isn’t December—it’s relief. Relief from optimization. Relief from comparison. Relief from having to be impressive.
DIY doesn’t fix life. It doesn’t heal trauma. It doesn’t offer enlightenment.
What it does offer is something far rarer:
A moment where nothing is being asked of you except to participate.
And that may be the most honest celebration there is.
A Subtle Reminder
Trends come and go. Algorithms will eventually move on.
But the reason DIY holiday culture is resonating now is because it points to something timeless:
Life feels most alive when it isn’t being performed.
Presence doesn’t need an audience.
Meaning doesn’t need polish.
And joy doesn’t require permission.
Sometimes it just needs your hands.
Explore Deeper
If this reflection resonates, the themes of identity, presence, and illusion are explored more deeply in the book
Proof That You’re God
👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKCMR183/
