This Is What Christmas Looks Like In America

Pin

"Cindy Lou Who vs. Jesus" in Scottsdale, Arizona, 2015.

"Christmas is complex and at times, uncomfortable. It’s awkward and sometimes bleak. But it is also sincere and celebratory, colorful and creative."

For many Americans, Christmas is a time for joy and acts of kindness. For others, it's a time for intense, over-the-top Christmas displays, excessive holiday shopping, and fire hazards around every corner. For the last 7 years, photographer Jesse Rieser has focused his camera on aspects of the holiday season that might appear a bit odd to those unfamiliar with Christmas traditions in the US.


In a statement on the artist's website for his ongoing project Christmas in America: Happy Birthday, Jesus, Rieser describes his pictures not as poking fun at these traditions, but rather a sincere exploration of the things that make this holiday unique for so many Americans.

For many Americans, Christmas is a time for joy and acts of kindness. For others, it's a time for intense, over-the-top Christmas displays, excessive holiday shopping, and fire hazards around every corner. For the last 7 years, photographer Jesse Rieser has focused his camera on aspects of the holiday season that might appear a bit odd to those unfamiliar with Christmas traditions in the US.

In a statement on the artist's website for his ongoing project Christmas in America: Happy Birthday, Jesus, Rieser describes his pictures not as poking fun at these traditions, but rather a sincere exploration of the things that make this holiday unique for so many Americans.