A woman from North Wales has fully embraced the viral 'tacky Christmas' aesthetic, spending £250 and two full days to transform her house into a vibrant, nostalgia-filled festive wonderland.
The Hunt for Nostalgic Decor
Melly May Lynch, a 29-year-old wedding decorator and Etsy shop owner from Kinmel Bay, decided to dive headfirst into the popular social media trend this year. She scoured local clearance shops, wholesalers, and even a giant charity warehouse to find the perfect pieces, from dusty foil garlands to old-style incandescent lights.
"I was very keen to get foil garlands; it was one of the big things I was searching for," Melly May explained. She found a stash in a local clearance shop, where the shopkeeper was surprised by her interest. "She went into the back and got them all out; they were a little dusty [...] nobody was buying them."
A Labour of Festive Love
The ambitious project saw Melly May, assisted by her parents Mandy, 55, and Tony, 60, dedicate two days to the festive overhaul. Her living room is now a riot of colourful lights, quirky baubles, and handcrafted embellishments. She made around 40 to 50 pink bows by hand to decorate her main tree.
"With tacky Christmas, it brings back the nostalgic vibes of being back to my childhood," she shared, recalling memories of taping tinsel around the TV. "I just love decorating and love Christmas."
Mixed Reactions and Festive Joy
The trend, which she notes has been picked up by supermarkets this year, has sparked amusing reactions online. While some commenters defended her style as "real Christmas," others were mock-offended by the term 'tacky'.
"I found it funny people are more offended than others at 'tacky'," Melly May said. "Whatever people want to call it, it's fun, it makes people happy."
Her home now features three distinct Christmas trees: a gaudy one in the lounge, a conventional tree in the kitchen, and a rose gold themed tree in her bedroom. For Melly May, who changes her decor scheme annually, this year's 90s-inspired look is a joyful celebration of festive memories, from circling items in the Argos catalogue to trips to Woolworths.
