Holiday celebrations, as we know it, are changing fast. Our celebrations are now filtered, posted, and influenced by the digital world we live in. In a recent Real Tech Real Talk chat with Sascha Funk, the Head of Media Studies at Thammasat University, we discovered some eye-opening trends about how our phones and screens are reshaping the way we celebrate. Here’s what’s really happening to our holiday traditions in today’s always-connected world.

We’re Living in “Hyper Reality”

• The boundaries between authentic experiences and curated presentations have become extremely blurred
• We’re now experiencing holidays through a dual lens: for our own enjoyment and for our online audience’s approval
• Even during intimate celebrations, we’re constantly calculating “how will this look to others?”
• We feel an unspoken expectation to share our experiences, creating a strange paradox of global connectivity yet emotional distance.

Authenticity is Making a Comeback

• Gen Z is leading a rebellion against picture-perfect content, experiencing what experts call “perfection fatigue”
• A major prediction for 2025: unfiltered, raw content will dominate as users seek genuine connections
• Statistics show traditional influencer marketing is declining as audiences crave relatability over aspiration
• Young consumers increasingly question content that seems too perfect: “Is this AI-generated?”
• Emerging trends like “de-influencing” and “anti-aesthetic” content are gaining traction as direct responses to overly curated feeds.

Nostalgia Marketing is in “Hyperdrive” Mode

• Our collective yearning for “simpler times” has become a powerful emotional currency for marketers
• Nostalgia triggers powerful feelings of warmth, comfort, and security, particularly effective during holiday seasons
• The past appears more appealing because it represents a time “when we didn’t have as many problems”
• AI technology is accelerating this trend by making it easier to resurrect and modernize beloved characters and themes
• Popular shows like “Cobra Kai” on Netflix demonstrates how effectively nostalgia can be packaged for contemporary audiences

Bite-Sized Holiday Content is Dominant

• Shrinking attention spans have transformed holiday content into instantly digestible experiences
• The younger generation consumes content differently: quickly scanning numerous brief pieces rather than engaging deeply with fewer sources
• Short-form platforms force creators to make compelling points quickly
• Different generations approach content consumption differently: older users may prefer long-form content while younger users prefer quick-hit information
• Short-form content serves as a “preview” that can lead audiences to deeper engagement if it captures interest effectively.

AI is Weaving into Holiday Traditions

• AI is increasingly embedded in our celebrations, from gift recommendations to automated greetings
• The key distinction: using AI for “augmentation” rather than “replacement” of human elements
• While AI excels at efficiency, true human creativity and connection remain irreplaceable
• The central question becomes: does technology improve the experience or merely provide convenient shortcuts?
• Mindful technology use allows us to harness AI’s benefits while preserving what makes holidays meaningful.

Let’s face it! Our digital world isn’t slowing down anytime soon. But being aware of how these trends shape our holidays gives us back some control. By being a bit more mindful about our media habits and thoughtfully choosing which tech to welcome into our traditions, we can keep the real human connections that make celebrations special while still enjoying all the cool digital perks. At the end of the day, it’s not about the technology itself; it’s about how we use it to make our holidays better, not just more Instagram-worthy.

Also Read: From IRL to URL: An Era of Holiday Making Where Nothing Is Quite What It Seems