A SOCIAL GROUP OF CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT ENTHUSIASTS

The article focuses on the study of communicative practices related to the discussion of vintage, predominantly Soviet, Christmas tree ornaments in the Russian-speaking segment of blogs, forums, and similar platforms. A corpus of about 2,000 comments on online posts from 2024–2025 was analyzed. Typical forms of speech behavior, characteristic questions, and motives were identified: emotional attachment, childhood, nostalgia, celebration, preservation of traditions, family relationships, discussions of the value of the ornaments both as artifacts and as memory triggers, as well as debates about the necessity or redundancy of their restoration. Mutual admiration and support dominate the discussions, with no negative remarks. Experts provide precise descriptions of found items and clarify their production dates using catalogs. Christmas tree ornaments can be regarded as part of the cultural code for people, especially for those for whom admiring a fir tree decorated for the New Year was one of the few luxuries in life during the Soviet era. The material demonstrates how the exchange of memories and impressions fosters a sense of community and cultural continuity. The study draws on methods of digital ethnography and thematic analysis, highlighting the importance of language as a means of maintaining collective memory and identity in the online environment.