The Ralph Lauren Christmas is everywhere. Here's why.

This year, the holidays are decked out in red, green, and Ralph Lauren. A trend embracing the classic American brand’s aesthetic is taking over social media, fuelling shopping sprees and inspiring think pieces in publications from People magazine to the New York Times.

The Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic is traditional. It’s heritage taken to the hilt. Think of materials like wool, leather, dark wood, and brass. Equestrian details and layers of decor. Soft lighting that highlights a palette of burgundy, hunter green, navy, and chocolate brown.

Like the clothing and lifestyle brand and its eponymous designer, the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic embraces things that endure — which some experts say is a big reason for its draw.

“Part of the real appeal behind a Ralph Lauren Christmas and the reason it stands in such stark contrast to many of the fast-moving trends we see online is its sense of timelessness,” read a recent article on Forbes.com.

“It’s not a look built on novelty or disposable decor. It’s a visual language that feels lived-in, layered, and emotionally anchored … In uncertain times, the brain reads these cues as stability and continuity. And we are living through one of the most unsettled consumer climates in recent memory.”

For those who are feeling an economic crunch, the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic makes financial sense. Why spend a walletful of money on decorations that have a best-before date of Dec. 26? And for those who loved the recent old money aesthetic, a Ralph Lauren state of mind during the holidays is a natural extension.

Toronto-based designer Tommy Smythe told CBC.ca that the brand’s emphasis on generations-old ideals and attitudes also mirrors the current social climate.

“It does occur to me that when you’re seeing this trad-wife movement, and when Martha Stewart has never been more popular, and you’re seeing things in our culture and the zeitgeist that are based on ‘traditional values,’ that we might also be translating that into traditional decor in our homes,” he said.

Likewise, bringing the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic to your home begins with an eye toward longevity and items that echo the brand’s overall ethos. Actual Ralph Lauren merchandise is optional.

Taryn McCleary, a former Ralph Lauren digital commerce analyst, told People that “investing in pieces that you can use all year round” comes first if you’re looking to make a more permanent design shift. Think of gold-rimmed plates, cable-knit blankets, and plaid throw pillows. Then you can incorporate “additional seasonal elements” for the holidays, such as red velvet ribbons and pine cones.

Smythe told CBC.ca that the soft glow of candles will bring warmth and additional cosiness. “It’s more about the glow and the atmosphere it creates, and less about the lighting being the main event,” he said.

Other accents could include berry-studded branches and bunches of amaryllis, along with bowls of pomegranates. “They’re a symbol of hospitality that goes way back in history,” he said.