Hopkins Community Divided: Tacky or Timeless?

It seems that almost as soon as the clocks fall back and the trees shed their festive autumnal canopies, American homeowners rush to deck the halls with holiday cheer, swapping the orange glow of the Jack O’Lanterns for the winter-themed blaze that spans the gamut from tacky to tasteful, from gaudy to restrained. But beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, so we asked the Hopkins community to rate popular winter holiday decor and express their own opinions on what they consider “tacky” or “timeless.”

90% of surveyed Hopkins students and teachers agreed that wreaths and white lights are the two quintessential elements of the holiday decorating tradition. Wreaths have been part of this tradition since the 16th century, first used as adornments in Germany, defying trends and fads ever since. And what about a classy string of white lights? As timeless as a string of pearls, according to those who responded to the survey.

But Mia Callot ’26 believes that “Christmas spirit is when a house is decked out in a colorful display." Almost three quarters of the survey responders agreed that colorful lights, nutcrackers, as well as Hanukkah and novelty ornaments, while not quite as sophisticated as the classic white lights, undeniably put more life in the holiday spirit. Who can deny that nutcrackers immediately bring to mind Tchaikovsky’s timeless score that has become synonymous with Christmas, evoking Clara’s dreamy journey through Sugar Plum fairy’s winter wonderland?! It seems that most poll-takers agreed with Callot that the colorful Christmas red-and-green or the cool glow of the Hanukkah blue lights are unquestionably more joyful than the fashionable white lights. Finally, custom and themed ornaments that reappear every year and bring up happy memories of vacations or milestones, whether handmade by young children or picked up at gift shops across the world, no matter how silly, add the happy to happy holidays.  

Gnomes and tinsel, on the other hand, proved to be the most controversial and polarizing, dividing the Hopkins community almost evenly into two camps. While 40% of responders  claimed that gnomes are tacky, 60% were firmly in camp “Gnomes”, with Samantha Aguero ‘27 claiming that “I love gnomes so much, I get a new one every year for Christmas.” But tinsel claimed the spot as the most divisive element of the holiday decor by far, with 54% voting it as “timeless” and 46% voting it as “tacky.” In support of this clingy, ubiquitous, glittery decor Callot said: “I love the sparkle that tinsel adds to holiday decor, especially when it’s on a Christmas tree.” However, Karolina Jasaitis ’27, a tinsel opponent, commented on tinsel’s messiness and the lack of effort it communicates. She claims “It’s very difficult to clean up and it’s for people who want an easy way out.” 

On the other side of the decorating spectrum, 70% of the Hopkins community overwhelmingly voted that inflatables and signs are “tacky.” Most of the responders agreed that these niche and, sometimes wacky, decor elements — from giant Snoopies, Snowmen and Santas to Grinches and Rudolphs — are not as versatile and timeless as lights and wreaths. Olivia Mokotoff ’26 thinks that “Inflatables seem like a lazy way to decorate. They don’t really go with anything else and it looks messy if they get deflated.” Jasaitis agrees and continues to question the effort levels of decorators saying “Are they too lazy to hang up tree lights?” 

Despite the many differing opinions on the tastefulness or tackiness of the various elements of the holiday decor, the Hopkins community overwhelmingly agreed with Kimaya Phatak ’29 that decorations’ main goal should be to “put you in the holiday spirit.” Whether you choose elements that have been part of the holiday tradition for centuries or embrace a short-lived fad, the Hilltoppers feel that the expression of the holiday spirit is the main priority. In concession to the tacky, Callot shared that while she personally prefers “a white and cozy Christmas aesthetic, seeing a tacky Christmas display invokes a sense of appreciation. It’s just the product of love during the holidays, and I find that to be such a heartwarming sentiment.”