The Top 15 Gifts That Gen Z Touted In Their Christmas Hauls, According To Someone Who Watched Hundreds Of Haul Videos

"I think the thing that surprised me the most was how popular digital cameras were," Lewis said, noting that Gen Z has an affinity for Y2K nostalgia. "Everyone got digital cameras. It was also really interesting to see some of them got really expensive Sony ones, but then now Amazon makes those digital cameras that come in cute colors."

A basic Sony digital camera might run at around $750, but Lewis said she saw people showing off cheaper options from Amazon and Urban Outfitters for less than $100.

"They've sort of caught onto this trend, but then you kind of wonder how long is that going to last?" Lewis said.

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UGG remained a hot item this year with the Ultra Mini boots and Classic Mini boots, which cost $150 to $160, reigning supreme.

"This year, it was the Minis, and last year, it was the Minis but also the Platforms," Lewis said. "Every year, they're just able to continue to be such a thing."

While she was going through the videos during the holidays at her childhood home, Lewis, who is 37, said she was surrounded by relics from her own childhood, like her own pair of UGG boots.

"Uggs and digital cameras — has anything changed? Am I still just a 16-year-old?" she said.

Lewis also said it was "staggering" how popular Rhode, Hailey Bieber's beauty brand, had become.

"Everyone got the lip peptide treatment," Lewis said. "It's such a popular skincare brand."

Rhode's peptide lip tint retails for $18.

"We know that celebrity brands are so fickle," Lewis said, "but it almost feels like this may have successfully reached the point where it's bigger than her and will thrive independently."

Sephora

Another popular beauty brand was Sol de Janeiro, which makes body and hair care as well as fragrances.

Gen Z kids showed off their "Cheirosa '62" perfume mist, which Lewis said was a big hit this year.

A full-size, 240 ml bottle retails for $38.

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Tweens and teens went crazy over Jellycats, small plush toys that retail for $30 to $50.

"Jellycats were mentioned on every wish list, and they were very popular in hauls," Lewis said.

Lewis saw many Jellycats in haul videos but not as many as she expected, prompting her to question whether the kidult purchasing trend is declining.

"Are parents tired of buying their kids, their almost grown kids, stuffed animals? I don't know," Lewis said. "It feels very similar to Beanie Babies where it was a craze, but it wasn't able to sustain because no craze is."

Luxury loungewear remained popular this holiday season.

The $50 sweatpants from White Fox, which is headquartered in Australia, were "very popular" in haul videos, Lewis said.

"Athleisure had such a moment coming out of COVID, but young people are still very much prioritizing comfort clothes," Lewis said, noting that brands like Lululemon were also popular. "Teen and college-age girls, so many of them just wear sweat sets."

Courtesy of Bloomingdale's

Roller Rabbit pajamas were a popular gift pick as well, according to Lewis' analysis.

Available in dozens of different brightly colored patterns as well as in short- and long-sleeve options, the pajamas retail from $138 to $158.

Lewis noted the pajamas convey a sense of status.

Whereas last year saw a craze for Dyson hair tools, this year was all about Shark tools.

"I don't think I could have been trusted when I was a teen with an expensive hair tool," Lewis said. "I just don't think I could have taken care of it and not accidentally broken it."

While the classic set of Dyson hair tools retails for $600, the Shark set is comparatively more affordable at $300.

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While not a name-brand item, many tweens, teens, and college-age girls said in their Christmas haul TikToks that they got a vanity desk or a vanity mirror to put on their desk.

Vanity mirrors often come with lighting that is optimal to use while applying makeup. Depending on the brand, a desk with a vanity mirror might cost about $1,000.

A styling product from the brand Dae was a popular stocking stuffer, Lewis said.

The styling cream comes with a small wand that's helpful for doing a slick back hairstyle.

A 0.6 oz tube retails for $18.

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Adidas also continued its reign of popularity.

The Campus 00s, which retail for $110, were the go-to pick, Lewis said.

In previous years, Adidas Gazelles and Sambas were the choice picks.

Alani Nu energy drinks were a popular, small-dollar item. Lewis referred to it as the "cool girl energy drink" in her TikTok analysis.

A 12-pack retails for $30.

"What's fascinating about that is it is a very accessible energy drink, but it's also very aesthetic," Lewis told BI. "The energy drink that appeared in so many Christmas hauls this year was nowhere to be found in Christmas hauls last year. So that's a little bit about how quickly some of this stuff changes."

Touchland hand sanitizers were another popular stocking stuffer, Lewis said in her analysis.

"$10 for a tiny hand sanitizer is kind of crazy," she told BI.

But for a 30ml hand sanitizer, it still carries some clout, she said.

"These more affordable, or at least accessible, items that have a little bit of status associated, a little bit of clout," Lewis said. "You don't need to have the Louis Vuitton, or you don't need to even have the Sony camera."

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LoveShackFancy's perfume in the scent "Forever In Love" was a hot gift, Lewis said.

A 2.5 oz bottle retails $125.

Other popular perfume runner-ups were Billie Eilish's "Eilish Eau de Parfum," which retails for $72 for a 3.4 oz bottle, and Glossier's "You," which costs $112 for a 100 ml bottle.

Wrapping up the list was waterproof setting spray from ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr.

A 3.4 oz can of the mattifying spray retails for $32, adding to the subset of more affordable items that Lewis noted.

"There were not a lot of, I don't know, designer sunglasses. I did see a couple of designer purses," Lewis said. "It's not like there's one emerging or one dominant luxury item that everyone is feeling like they need to have."