Christmas has gone digital—we shop online, video call the family abroad, and scroll through everyone's seemingly perfect holiday posts. But what's all this screen time actually doing to us?
In this special Christmas episode, we get into the psychology behind our online Christmas habits. Why do we post photos of our Christmas trees and do we compare them to more perfect ones (like Liams)? Why does Spotify Wrapped feel so personal and what do we get out of sharing it? Can video calls with family make us feel both connected and lonely at the same time?
We also cover the messier bits: how Instagram's algorithm shows you everyone's highlight reel (minus the family rows), why Christmas music is fine when you choose it but torture when it's blasted at you in the shops, and the rise in some more negative aspects of the online world over the Christmas break.
The takeaway? You don't need to reject your phone at Christmas—just be more thoughtful about how you're using it.
Research
Lonely Algorithms on TikTok - Taylor & Chen (2024)
Music Management in workplaces - Keeler et al. (2025)
Combating Loneliness with Nostalgia - Abeyta et al. (2020)
Resources
