People are ditching luxury items in favor of everyday essentials on their Christmas wish lists this year.
Generation Z – have infiltrated tiktok with their holiday requests, ranging from reusable to-go cups and electric toothbrushes to pajama sets and even a Ring doorbell.
According to Joshua Houston, sustainability expert at Leicestershire-based GreenMatch, this is a trend born of rising inflation, with things now so dire that the average cost of a Christmas dinner has risen 6.5 per cent in just one year. .
Speaking to Femail, he explained that to “save money”, young people have chosen “useful items” for their Christmas list, while some have radically vetoed the custom altogether.
The knock-on effect has fallen on the happy supporters, who apparently have had to improvise in order to receive a Christmas gift.
Kay Donnelly from Manchester recently shared her Christmas “must haves”, which were a collection of essential items including a reusable cup and a rechargeable toothbrush.
The mother-of-two took to TikTok and said: ‘First things first, we have the Stanley Barbie (mug). Now I’ve really wanted this since it first came out, but I can’t justify spending (the money) on myself.”
The doting mum held up a device displaying a picture of the pink steel mug, which sells for £55 on Stanley’s website, and even less elsewhere.
Kay Donnelly (pictured), from Manchester, recently shared her Christmas ‘must haves’, which were a collection of essential items including a reusable cup and a rechargeable toothbrush.
“Next we have the Barbie electric toothbrush,” he continued. “I actually asked my dad for this for Christmas, so we’ll see.”
She then ordered a £38 Skims pajama set before telling her daughters she was “tempted to splurge” on matching nighttime sets for the family of three.
She completed the modest list with a mention of a jumper from the brand, along with beige Ugg slippers, a £19 gingerbread teddy from London brand Jellycat and a bathrobe.
In London, ready-to-wear brand SLA asked its employees what was on their Christmas wish list this year, to which one woman responded that she really needed a RING doorbell.
The woman, named Izzy, said on TikTok. shorten that the two-way live video device was a must for her and her partner as they were soon moving into their new home.
Her colleague Aims said she wanted lip gloss and an electric blanket.
Lauren Sara, 25 years old, aware a ‘gift guide for girls’ which was ‘super practical’ and contained ideas such as a £2 Primark mirror, a functional make-up box and beauty items such as brushes and beauty blenders which also cost £2.
“Expensive doesn’t mean better because they are all more or less the same,” he said.
This London woman asked for an electric blanket for Christmas
People are ditching luxury items in favor of everyday essentials on their Christmas wish lists (Pictured: Lauren Sarah, 25, says a ‘good quality belt’ is ideal for lists Christmas)
The creator also advised viewers to request a “good quality belt” this year, especially a “reversible” one that could be worn on both sides.
Meanwhile, Hannah Rath, 23, in Washington, said her Christmas list was inspired by friends who had asked for “practical gifts.”
talking about her tiktok page, said: ‘You can tell we’re all getting older because everyone is asking for practical Christmas gift ideas.
“I love it because for the last few years I’ve literally put a hoover on my Christmas list and I was so excited about it.”
He then edited an image of a black and white note in the background, which he called “perfect” for family and friends.
It included a water bottle, an organizer, a tote bag, a bath towel, hot sauce and pasta sauce, among other items.
People responded to her list, adding that they wanted things like pillows, toasters, trash cans and a block to put their kitchen knives on for Christmas.
Joshua Houston, a sustainability expert, says young people are likely swapping big-ticket items for “necessities.”
He told FEMAIL: “Young people generally have a lower salary to work than older people,” he added. ‘The cost of living crisis has hit young people hard. To save money, people are putting more useful items on their Christmas lists.
‘Young people also understand the situation they and their peers are in, so expectations about gift-giving have decreased. “There has been a growing trend of people not giving each other any gifts, but instead going out and spending time together during the holiday season.”
Before the tough economy took hold, she said people would probably trade expensive perfumes, jewelry from retailers like Pandora and Ted Baker, or luxury makeup from brands like Chanel.
Sustainability expert Joshua Houston (not pictured) says this trend is due to soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis.
But the advent of social media and the urgent need to save money have changed all this.
‘People are now buying more from independent retailers, and content creators are starting their own brands on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. This has led to cheaper but well-designed gifts such as phone cases, homemade jewelery and interesting cakes,” Joshua explained.
‘Not only this, but social media sees many different trends. For example, air fryers went viral on TikTok, leading to a huge spike in people buying them as gifts. They are also very affordable with supermarkets selling them for as little as £20’.
It also revealed that Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) is the most “environmentally conscious” generation yet.
‘This means that more thought is given to the usefulness of each item they buy. The more beneficial the item is, the less likely it is to end up in a landfill a few months later, and everyday items tend to be the most beneficial.”
Before the tough economy took hold, people were likely to trade items like expensive perfumes, rather than necessities like a RING doorbell (as Izzy (pictured) wished on TikTok), the expert says.
Anita Naik, savings expert at vouchercodes.co.uk, agrees that extravagant spending at Christmas can be a thing of the past.
“It’s no surprise that this Christmas young people are moving from luxury to practical and affordable gifts,” he told FEMAIL.
‘This change reflects not only its financial reality, but also the broader economic climate. With living costs rising, many are prioritizing essentials over extravagance, taking a more conscious approach when compiling their wish lists.
‘This shift highlights how economic pressures are reshaping the way people perceive value. “Young adults find joy in everyday life, whether it’s a high-quality yet affordable skin care product or a thoughtful, affordable gift.”
Anita noted that such gifts were not limited to objects and could also be presented in an “experimental” form. He also said Gen Z’s expectations have adjusted over time to “price consideration.”
He concluded: “This trend reflects the resilience and ingenuity of a generation redefining consumer habits to align with their values and budgets, something we at VoucherCodes champion by helping people save on the items they need/make their budgets go beyond things”. they need’.