This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

During the festive season I have learnt to prepare myself for the influx of classic Christmas snaps that start to inundate my Instagram feed from about the 1st of December. I now know to expect some form of ‘the Tree pic’, ‘the Glass of Mulled Wine pic’, ‘the House Christmas Dinner pic’, ‘the fairy lit [insert town square/shopping centre/ high street] pic’, and finally the ‘everyone is wearing Christmas hats and hideous jumpers, look how much fun we’re having pic’. However tiresome this may be, year on year we all still like to participate by showing the world via social media that we are fully embracing the Christmas spirit.

Instagramming, Tweeting or Facebooking our festive frolicking up until the 25th is not really a problem (although it deffo wouldn’t hurt for everyone to calm down a bit, especially when you’ve scrolled past 17 pictures of identical looking versions of ‘the Tree pic’ in the corner of people’s living room captioned ‘finally starting to feel Xmassy now’- that’s great Emily from school but NO ONE CARES). However as a result of these excessive social media habits, one of the 21st century’s biggest conundrums, besides putting a stop to global warming and end to world hunger, seems to be whether to Insta, or not to Insta on Christmas Day.

Considering that nowadays most of us use social media every single day multiple times a day- and not just us twenty-somethings but, unfortunately, our parents and 12 year-old cousins too this, it’s inevitable that at some point during the day smart phones will make an appearance. Thus comes the need for a Social Media Etiquette guide for those people who cannot be trusted to post sensibly during the uncontrollable excitement of Christmas Day.

I’ve thought about this very carefully and have come to the conclusion that there are a very few pictures I think are acceptable to Insta on the day itself, thus making a large number of pictures which are wholly unacceptable and inappropriate. Reader, take heed.

Acceptable

I’d still air on the side of caution, but here are the few, and I mean few that you can get away with.

1. A picture of parents/grandparents/siblings/ in a silly Christmas hat/jumper or with a silly present that someone has bought e.g. your Dad wearing a naked chef apron

Amusing and self-depreciating, this might bring some Christmas joy to those who don’t have the big mad family Christmas. They can see what they’re missing out on but can also be glad that they don’t have to fain amusement at the singing Christmas hats your Auntie bought for the next 3 hours. If you have any doubt that the pic might not be Insta-worthy, play safe and stick to Snapchat. You’re welcome.

Loving life

2. Scenic dog walks

I’m jealous of the people that get to post these. Going for a family dog walk and Instagramming a picture of the crisp, green scenery is acceptable any time of the year to be honest.

Look at those green fields!

3. Snow

Snow is exciting. Snow is pretty. Most of these pictures will deffo be shit but who cares! It’s snowing!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Not Acceptable

Put your phone down and don’t even think about it.

1. Any sort of picture that features a pile of your unwrapped presents.

Usually the people that post these have gotten a load of expensive stuff for Christmas like Pandora bracelets, bags of Victoria Secrets underwear and the ‘it girl’ perfume of the year (the guy equivalent probably got a Ralph Lauren polo shirt, Calvin’s and an expensive watch). Captions range from ‘Bae’s spoilt me this year *love heart eyes emoji*, to the Facebook variation ‘Can’t believe how lucky I am- feeling blessed!’ Do not be that person. Just don’t.

We all hate you

2. Your Christmas Dinner

Right unless your dinner looks like its been made at a Michelin Star restaurant do not Instagram it. Presumably everyone celebrating Christmas is eating a Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, so it is likely they know what one looks like. There’s nothing worse than a blurry food picture that doesn’t do justice to a dinner that has been lovingly prepared.

A crime to Christmas dinner’s everywhere

3. An individual selfie

This screams narcissistic bore. Who actually looks half decent on Christmas anyway? Most people I know are usually desperately hungover and trying to hide this by coating the bags around their eyes with the gold glittery eye shadow from their new Naked palette, or have given up and have changed into novelty pajamas by 2 o’clock.

Leave it out Miley

Of course, all of these rules go out the window if you’re an Insta superstar with a mass following of teenagers who will heckle you for not wishing them a Merry Christmas, or if you’re going to make money by posting on Christmas Day. Go for it- you know better than I do anyway. Regarding other forms of social media e.g. Facebook/Twitter, I’d say avoid. Again, I don’t really know anyone who isn’t 40+ or under 16 that posts regularly on facey-B, and I’m also not sure what you’d be tweeting about, unless it’s live updates of family drama which actually could be quite amusing.

My final words of wisdom are to air on the side of caution. And for goodness sake don’t spend the whole day trying to get ‘that’ perfect Instagram because quite frankly you should be enjoying stuffing yourself with mince pies, drinking mulled wine and playing Charades.

Image sources:

To Insta, or not to Insta: Social Media Etiquette on Christmas Day

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