Gen Z Gets Nostalgic This Christmas Season — Here’s Why
By Movieguide® Contributor
Nostalgic videos about holidays long gone are currently going viral on TikTok, and as millions reminisce about the past, experts say this behavior is happening for a reason.
Thousands of videos have now been posted on TikTok reminding viewers of how the holidays looked in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Recorded on VHS tapes and camcorders, these videos are grainy and unpolished, a touch that many people love.
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Psychology experts believe these feelings of nostalgia are especially strong this year because Americans feel unsure about their surroundings and uncertain about the future.
“Feelings of nostalgia tend to increase during times of crisis,” Rachael D. Robnett, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told TODAY.com, attributing today’s rockiness to the election season.
“In psychology, nostalgia was initially a bad thing — a ‘disease of the mind’ as depression and melancholy, with the root a combination of homecoming and pain,” she continued. “The literature is actually more positive: It seems that nostalgia can be a stabilizing force that makes people feel comforted.”
“One potential reason is that it reminds us of our true selves, which is associated with heightened wellbeing,” she added. “Nostalgia also reminds us of our relationships and community, which is a good way to counter loneliness.”
The TikTok trend is certainly reminding viewers of their childhood, even if they were still in diapers when the things shown in the videos were popular.
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“Gen Z consumes a lot of nostalgia content,” Robnett said. “‘They seem to perceive the early 2000s as an easier and simpler time,’ despite many being in diapers then. Robnett says the low-quality footage on social media reminds people of a time when ‘everything was not so glossy and precise.'”
“There’s nothing wrong with getting lost in the Christmas footage,” she added. “Researchers have found that people who are encouraged to feel nostalgic have a greater perceived sense of social connection and a greater likelihood of seeking out social support if they’re having a difficult time.”
READ MORE: HOW A DISCARDED PURSE SPARKED THIS WHOLESOME TIKTOK TREND
