The holidays have returned, so you know what that means.
For the next month and a half, our Instagrams will be flooded with a variety of ugly sweaters, holiday parties and Christmas trees that look like they could have been decorated by the likes of Martha Stewart.
Between the twinkling lights, boughs of holly and fluffy white snow, there are all sorts of ways you can flex your Instagram abilities during this spirited season.
But if there's one thing we can learn from the Internet, it's the things we see on Instagram aren't always what they appear to be in real life.
Yep, when it comes to capturing some jolly sights, most people make Christmas seem much merrier and brighter than it actually is by only uploading a curated collection of ornament clad trees and Christmas confections.
What they don't show you is the festive fir tree their dog chewed to pieces, the candy cane cookies that caught on fire in the oven or the box of holiday decorations they accidentally destroyed when they dropped them down the attic stairs.
Let’s be real, we all know Christmas looks a lot different without a Valencia filter.
Take a look at the pictures below to see the holiday season on Instagram vs. the holidays IRL.
Hanging Christmas lights on the house on Instagram.
Hanging onto the house for dear life IRL.
Having the most impressive outdoor decorations on the block on Instagram.
Having the neighborhood's most impressive light up d*ck IRL.
Making a gingerbread mansion on Instagram.
Making a gingerbread shack IRL.
Flexing your festive tree on Instagram.
Watching your tree fall over IRL.
Decking the halls with holiday decorations on Instagram.
Doing a half-ass decorating job IRL.
Cooking the perfect Christmas dinner on Instagram.
Starting a fire in your kitchen IRL.
Wrapping some impressive presents on Instagram.
Wrapping gone wrong IRL.
Breaking out the ornaments on Instagram.
Breaking all the ornaments IRL.
Decorating the tree in dazzling lights on Instagram.
Accidentally decorating yourself IRL.
Recreating all the homemade ornaments from your Pinterest board on Instagram.
Turning yourself into the Grinch who ruined Pinterest crafts IRL.
Celebrating your fur baby's first Christmas on Instagram.
Celebrating your fur baby's last Christmas IRL.
Baking some badass Christmas cookies on Instagram.
Baking a bunch of struggle cookies IRL.
Posing with Santa Claus on Instagram.
Scaring the sh*t out of Santa IRL.
Having the best Christmas ever with bae on Instagram.
Meet bae. She enjoys candy canes and long walks in the snow.
